Helping museum, libraries and archives get to grips with strategic commissioning
Guidance has been published to help cultural and sporting services engage better with the concept of strategic commissioning.
The ‘commissioning’ model results from the reorientation of public services around a sharper focus on outcomes. In some services, such as adult social care and health, the model has been in place for many years. Its arrival in children’s services, learning and skills, offender management, and other public services is more recent.
Culture and sport is responding to this agenda by improving how its own services are commissioned; and by being more proactive in responding to commissioning processes instigated by others.
Along with our partners in Arts Council England, English Heritage, Sport England and DCMS, MLA has funded local government’s own improvement agency, the IDeA to develop guidance to help cultural and sporting services engage better with strategic commissioning.
The guidance advises service providers how to assess need; build a business case, undertake an options appraisal and procurement; and build capacity in the third sector.
The guidance can be found online at IdEA Guidance on Strategic Commissioning
For further information, contact Paul Bristow; Senior Policy Adviser (Local Government and Communities) paul.bristow@mla.gov.uk