In this report the think tank IPPR and PriceWaterhouseCoopers  look at the role citizens and communities can play in directly producing services. The results of a January 2010 survey of public views of ‘who should do what’ are presented, along with an agenda for a research project.

That project will examine the potential of greater community participation in the production of public goods, such as safer communities, healthier people and better schools, as well as exploring how the barriers to greater co-production can be overcome. It will suggest ways to redesign the way services are delivered and set out new models for citizen and community participation which will unlock the realistic potential for the ‘co-production’ of services. It will consider which services hold out the greatest potential for such transformation.

The report argues that co-production should not be seen as a panacea for all services, but simply as an effective tool for some. Across different service areas there is varying potential for mobilizing the resources of communities and individuals to improve outcomes. The challenge is identifying which areas have the most potential.

Problems that are chronic and require attention over the long term, that are complex and involve a number of causes, and that do not have a ‘one size fits all’ solution, will be those that can be best tackled through empowering citizens and communities to play more of a role