Cognisant of Government policy and the financial climate, many local authorities are looking to further develop opportunities for self management and volunteering for services such as parks and green spaces looking to both ensure that value for money is obtained and maintain service quality.

Spending cuts have hit parks and green spaces hard in recent times and the increased pressure on budgets, along with genuine community empopwerment, aspirations have caused Bury Council to consider how it manages its services and engages with the community. It has a reputation for excellent parks and countryside, an active voluntary sector and community engagement in the management, maintenance and future direction of parks and open spaces. Across the Borough, more than 80 distinct site elements are already self-managed, including a large proportion of football pitches and bowling green sites.

The Government's Localism Bill is still at consultation stage. However, Bury is seen as an innovator - the Borough's investment in parks and open spaces fits with the Government's aspirations for greater levels of community empowerment.
The study examined the application of the above principles and provided insight into the current situation to ascertain potential future options for greater community involvement and empowerment and the extent to which it may be feasible/desirable to increase levels of social engagement. Key findings included:

• Volunteering - the importance of volunteers having a clearly defined role and support in terms of being provided with an introduction, training for the role and knowing that on-going support and supervision is available. However, it is noted that widening volunteer roles, giving them more duties and accountability might dis-incentivise potential candidates. 
• Community empowerment: the need to give community bodies greater authority to take decisions and shape their area; handing more power and responsibility back to communities. 
• Social action: encouraging and enabling local residents to be more active and engaged.
• Self management: the actual/potential ability of local groups to carry out actions under their own jurisdiction and the independence which this engenders and offers. 
• Establishing applicable volunteering models: evaluating programmes such as a Volunteer Project Assistant Scheme, Volunteer Database and Corporate Volunteering.

Going forward, it was suggested that Bury should adopt an approach ensuring that volunteers have (or gain) the relevant skill sets and support, rather than simply anticipating skill set capacity to meet expectations. Whatever strategic framework is adopted going forward, partner ownership (or venues, projects or programmes) is crucial. The process enacted must cover the relevant bases with regard to roles, responsibilities for delivery, allocation of resource, accountability, management and reporting.

KKP, in association with the Co-operative Group, Cobbetts and Westminster Bridge, has begun work on a joint venture looking at new models of service delivery and promoting and supporting the development of public sector mutuals. For more information about this, please get in touch with us via http://www.kkp.co.uk/contact