At the BRASP partnership day in November, attended by 14 out of 15 partners, the current decision-making structure was reviewed.
In response to feedback gathered via a survey in early 2023 and conversations with BRASP partners, it became evident that there were issues with decision-making processes within the partnership. The processes in place were not as effective in practice as planned, leading to confusion and frustration among partners. Strategic decision-making primarily occurred through a steering group consisting of six organisations. However, this setup hindered effective input from the broader partnership, as organisations felt unable to make decisions on behalf of absent partners.
The BRASP Development Manager reached out to the Programme Coordinator of the Greater Manchester Step Change partnership through EAR, seeking insights into their governance structure and its effectiveness.
At the BRASP partnership day in November, attended by 14 out of 15 partners, the current decision-making structure was reviewed. Partners engaged in small group discussions to determine what BRASP collectively needed to make decisions on. Two governance structure options were presented:
Partners deliberated the strengths and challenges of each option, considering the decisions BRASP needed to make. Ultimately, partners unanimously voted in favour of option b). This new structure will be implemented in 2024. The invaluable learning and information obtained from EAR partner, the Greater Manchester Step Change Consortium, played a crucial role in propelling this transformation. The knowledge that a similar structure had proven successful elsewhere empowered BRASP partners to embrace the change.
While the decision to adopt the new structure was relatively straightforward, challenges may arise during implementation. Concerns include the ease of decision-making within a larger group, with decisions being determined by majority vote, which could pose challenges for those in the minority. Therefore, maintaining open communication and seeking feedback on the structure’s performance and partner satisfaction will be essential moving forward.