Library
Our library contains documents held on the Improvement Service site together with links to documents held externally. A list of websites which also hold publications and information useful to those working in local government is available in our Information Sources section.
Users of the IS site are invited to submit documents that they think will be of value to other site users. Please note that you must be a registered user of the Improvement Service website and logged in if you wish to submit a new document. Documents submitted will not appear on the site immediately but will be subject to approval by our editorial team.
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Research, Guides and Toolkits
DocumentsDate added
This Audit Scotland report attempts to to assess whether community planning partnerships (CPPs) have made a difference to local communities, focusing in particular on their contribution to local economic development.
This is the first in a series of communications from the project to support capacity building and continuous improvement within Community Planning Partnerships in Scotland. It outlines the key themes and lessons that emerged from the pilot stage with four CPPs.
Presence or partnership? Voluntary and private sector influence in community planning in Scotland
23/02/2009
This project by the Scottish Poverty Information Unit explored the extent to which voluntary and private sector representatives were equal and effective partners in Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) in Scotland. The project sought to estimate relative voluntary and private sector involvement, integration and influence in CPPs, and their impact on CP processes and outputs. The project compared findings with studies of Local Strategic Partnerships in England, and related the analysis to contemporary theories of local governance reform and public sector modernisation in Britain.
Principles of Representation: A framework for effective third sector participation in Local Strategic Partnerships. Guidance just published by Communities and Local Government, that provides advice to the Third Sector on how best to organise themselves to maximize their input on Local Strategic Partnerships (LSP's); how to help them decide how best to involve the sector, and help assist all LSP partners agree an inclusive approach involving the sector.
This study, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, summarises evidence about the underlying forces affecting deprived places across Britain, and explores how interventions aimed at both people and places can be strengthened to tackle disadvantage.
A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation of the challenges to be addressed if government policies to promote community engagement are to be genuinely inclusive of newcomers as well as more established communities. The study also identifies ways in which new communities can be involved effectively, together with more established communities, thereby increasing cohesion and mutual solidarity.
Summary of lessons learnt from a Governance International study trip on community empowerment to the Stuttgart region of Germany which took place in June 2008. The paper shows how decision makers at local and central levels of government and representatives of NGO can take existing approaches of citizen engagement further and make them more results-orientated.
A study that investigates the different models of citizen-centred governance and the principles on which this is based.
A review of whether the approaches taken to tackling street crime by a social enterprise in Manchester might be relevant to similar neighbourhoods in other areas.
An examination of a community-based programme in Wales that aims to increase opportunities for community empowerment and potential influence over service providers.
Research document produced by EDuce Ltd, and published by Communities and Local Government 5 March 2008. This study is a national evaluation of the quality, impact, fitness for purpose, benefits, and cost effectiveness of the Supporting Evidence for Local Delivery (SELD) programme.
Guidance designed to provide information and assistance to Scottish Local Government on the developments and submission of their Single Outcome Agreements to the Scottish Government.
This paper sets out the learning that can be drawn from the Outcome Agreement pathfinder project that took place over 2006-07 to inform the roll-out of Single Outcome Agreements to all local authorities in Scotland.
Improving Health and Wellbeing Developing an Integrated Approach Through CP: Summary Report
07/11/2007
A Summary Report prepared by Blake Stevenson Ltd on the development of integrated planning and delivery for health improvement, improving life circumstances and tackling health inequalities in Scotland across Community Planning Partnerships (CPP's), including Community Health Partnerships and Councils.
A ‘quick guide to collaborative gain’ - based on the work of Chris Huxham, Professor of Management at Strathclyde University.
