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E3M Seminar: New Opportunities for Partnership between Social Enterprises and Commissioning AuthoritiesWelcome and Introduction (1)Julian BlakeCo-head Charity & Social EnterpriseBates Wells Braithwaite

8th July 2014Assumptions/themes for seminarSE experience of Public Services contracting & funding environment problematic.Perspectives: Commissioners: structural change, cuts, cautious advice; SEs: frustration from: process dominating purpose; SEs not seen as commercial; Lack of appreciation of SE business case.PP rules scapegoated; tenacious myths; issue at every E3M event.Other view - PP/legal teams/Govt advice cautious/uncoordinated/process led. But EC policy positive: SBI; PP Directive; State Aid reform; GECES; Strasbourg seeking to keep SBI policy & momentumAssumptions/themes for seminarUK policy less focussed: SE imprecisely seen as good thing; not championed; equated with voluntary sector; mixed objectives: cuts; privatisation; mutual models; SE models: Ivana Bartoletti win/win.Premises of seminar: i) need to promote purpose driven delivery of public benefit services; ii) good examples & unrealised potential; iii) committed commissioners and SEs; iv) instinctive public support; v) favourable political rhetoric, which needs translating into reality.In that context, exploring: i) progressive public law and SE sector developments; ii) opportunities for applying/developing new models, like commissioner/supplier led SIBs.New PP Directive is opportunity to review principles underlying policy & legislation & discuss how public services could & should be commissioned & delivered.

Julian BlakeCo-head Charity & Social EnterpriseBates Wells Braithwaite

8th July 2014