Today, the second of six lessons learned according to the evaluation of Burngreave New Deal for Communities. My purpose is to ask: how is finance deployed in communities? Last time I looked at Community Based Partnerships and this time it is the Accountable Body.
The government insisted upon an accountable body to make sure Burngreave NDC spent its millions properly. Local delivery agencies were accountable to NDC, NDC to the accountable body, which in turn was accountable to the Regional Government Office. Whilst the programme needed to be protected against fraud, does taking precautions insulate the scheme from risk?
‘there is a need to establish from the outset the role, remit and boundaries of the accountable body, and expectations of the contribution of the community and partner agencies’
After 10 years someone noted it would have been a good idea to clarify expectations at the beginning! What on earth did they think they were doing?
A Foregone Conclusion?
The accountable body was a foregone conclusion. It was the local authority. I’m not aware that it was any different in any other of the 39 New Deals. Was there any other serious contender? What if the health authority had done it? Or the police? Or Burngreave Community Action Trust (BCAT)?
I’m sure BCAT at the beginning would not have been able to do it. Did anyone ever ask, what would BCAT have to do to become the accountable body? Of course the way most people would have looked at it is this:
“We have £50 million pounds. Who can be trusted with £50 million? The local authority; we can always trust politicians and council officers. BCAT? They can’t even agree among themselves. Don’t forget it’s £50 million pounds, a lot of money for a community group.”
You will have gathered I’m sceptical about injecting £50 million into any community. But if you are going to do it, wouldn’t it be an idea to ask for a moment about what it is for? Yes, it is a lot of money. We all know it is a lot of money.
But from where I’m sitting now, it’s all gone. We have almost nothing to show for it. Some lives changed for the better, no doubt about that. But we have no legacy, nothing to show for all that expenditure.
Could It Be Done?
Imagine if someone had said, ‘Look we chose Burngreave because of BCAT. We know they can’t handle the full programme now, so how do we develop their capacity so that as soon as possible they can be the accountable body?’
If you’re going to chuck money away, you might as well chuck it away magnificently.
Instead, they tied it up in the usual structures. It was safe even though it didn’t need to be safe. Oh for politicians with vision, who trust the people.
And yes, I know to make BCAT the accountable body, would tie it up in red tape. The problem is £50 million does not sharpen vision. With money like that, you lose vision because the money is all you can see.
Does anyone have examples of community organisations entrusted with huge sums of money with no prior commitments? How did it go for them?
Next: Project Management (you’ll love this one) (honest)
