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Module 06: Defining PPP Objectives
6.3. What are the key issues?
Include all objectives
Objectives that can be described in terms of one
selected goal, such as “improved efficiency”, provide only
a limited description of what can and should be achieved.
A comprehensive approach helps municipalities to determine
what is possible and impossible. Many past initiatives have focused really
on fulfilling only a few objectives. By stressing the need for increased
capital investment and improved efficiency to meet the environmental
and physical objectives of service delivery, effort has generally been
biased towards economic and financial objectives. Traditional forms of
public–private partnerships have prioritised such objectives over
the social, political and institutional objectives that are nevertheless
equally important aspects of sustainable service delivery.
Diverse and changing objectives
Objectives will occur at various levels, and will be expressed
in different terms. They also change over time, and often
change as capacity increases. Objectives will also vary across the
stakeholder groups: the urban poor (as consumers or informal service
providers), municipal administrators and politicians, government
representatives, and external agents (such as donors and NGOs). Thus,
a certain level of flexibility should be predicted in the PPP. [Tool
19]
There is never just one municipal objective, and it is
unlikely that one solution could meet the requirements of all the
stakeholders.
Convergence with urban poverty objectives
An important issue will be ensuring service objectives
converge with poverty reduction objectives (if these
are already defined).
Project value assessment
It is worth pointing out that PPP projects bring about a
number of different benefits: economic, social, technical
and so on All possible benefits (values) need to be taken into account
when considering a project in a certain service area:
– Financial benefits, via private sector investments;
– Technical benefits, via influx of new technology and know-how;
and
– Social benefits, via new employment opportunities, better service
quality and accessibility and so on.
The Partnering Process
The process of defining
objectives may be carried out with a cross section of stakeholders
in meetings, workshops and small focus group discussions. It may also
mean consulting a range of municipal stakeholders, as each will have
different concerns. Ensuring their interests are represented at the objective
stage will aid discussions at a later date.
It is likely that this process will be driven by the
individual champion of change. Preparatory discussions will
probably culminate in a larger community forum or council meeting
where the problems will be outlined in detail and the objectives of
various groups then reconciled into a coherent set. It is important
to keep the task within the general capacity of the municipality.
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