Working in partnership is too often seen as creating a structure, rather than achieving any real benefits. Maybe, writes Alan Neilson it's time to move on ...

Here's a radical suggestion. Let's ban the use of the word ‘partnership' to describe how agencies work together. It has led to more confusion, frustration, and wrong expectations than almost any other word in the local government vernacular, with the possible exception of ‘community'. It has been an article of faith in much of the Government's guidance over many years that working in partnership will, as a matter of course, produce better results.