Boundary Spanning in Local Public Service Partnerships: Coaches, advocates or enforcers?

Abstract

This paper analyses the role of senior civil
\nservants who work directly with local public
\nservice partnerships in the UK. It finds that
\ntheir activities are welcomed by local actors
\nand can have a positive impact on partnership
\nworking. They add value by acting as
\ncoaches who bring new ideas and help to
\nbuild trust among local agencies and as
\nadvocates through being an important channel
\nof communication between partnerships
\nand national government. However, they
\nstruggle to facilitate more joined up working
\namong national government departments
\nwhose differentiated regulatory and funding
\nprocedures impede attempts to collaborate at
\na local level.