(image) KKP is currently partnering in a joint venture led by the Co-operative Group, leading UK law firm Cobbetts, and Westminster Bridge Consultancy, which aims to promote and support the development of Public Service Mutuals.

Public Service Mutuals looks to offer a comprehensive ‘one-stop-shop' service and hands on advice and assistance to those seeking to go down the mutuals route.

The principles upon which mutuals are founded have particular resonance in the public sector where there is an underlying sense of public purpose. Across the spectrum, mutuals organisations are now viewed as a legitimate alternative to privatisation and opportunities for mutuals to provide public services are expected to increase in coming years.

Through the six-stage mutuals process, KKP will work closely with clients and our PSM partners to establish an understanding of client aims and objectives and collate sufficient background information to ensure the appropriate decision is made. KKP's service delivery models portfolio includes:

• Community groups: Assisting local community and sports groups to take on management of sporting and cultural amenities from local authorities, parish councils, companies and developers.
• Existing community/sports/leisure trusts: Review of capacity and fit, options appraisals and business planning - when taking on additional facilities and services.
• Bury Council: Assessing the potential to raise levels of local community management of parks and open spaces. Advice on potential asset transfer, volunteer co-ordination and capacity building and itemising appropriate volunteering and community ownership models/options.
• Sunderland City Council: Benchmarking service delivery with other local authorities that apply different management models (trust, private sector and voluntary delivery). Evaluation of potential for community-led delivery and the enabling work required to achieve this.
• Stockton Borough Council: Asset management review. Development of assessment matrix for delivery of key services and application of flexible solutions to underpin Council investment in capacity building and further development of an already strong local 3rd sector.
• Salford City Council/Salford Community Leisure: Developing a process via which neighbourhood committees commission services both from SCL and other local voluntary and sector providers.
• West Lancashire DC: Options appraisal to assess potential to/savings to be made by transferring to 3rd sector management of parks, galleries, civic halls, play, pitches and community centres.

Chief Executive of KKP; John Eady said:
‘We are delighted to have been asked to be one of the trusted partners within PSM, to which we bring specialist understanding of public sector cultural, libraries, sport and youth service provision alongside generic understanding of issues associated with outsourcing, asset transfer, governance and associated feasibility assessments and staff development and up-skilling processes'

For further information on and to find out how KKP can support you through the mutuals process you can request a call back at your convenience via our website http://www.kkp.co.uk/contact

Visit the  Co-operative's website to find out more http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/Public-Service-Mutuals-/Who-we-are/