the one that is on fire next door is to go and help, we need to
What are the major challenges of collaboration?
look beyond the wall. But the future does not have to be gloomy.
Secured communities should be actively contributing to the The importance of, and opportunities for, collaboration are clear
surrounding communities, thereby ensuring they are perceived – in particular the need to support local authority budgets – but
as something beneficial to the surrounding area. The fact that it can be very difficult. It is a process fraught with challenges.
an estate can be considered as a contributor to the whole will
make the development coexist with other developments, private
•
Understanding the full range of opportunities available
or not. This can mitigate the expectation of an HOA (with its within a place – who owns what and where – and sharing
limited resources) to be all things to all people. Most estates that knowledge with potential partners in order to take
have been accurately identified by their municipalities as ‘cash that opportunity is difficult. In some places, parts of the
cows’ for higher rates, even though they often receive reduced public sector may be unwilling to disclose all assets publicly
services. How sustainable is this in the long run? Will this be the if they think that they may then lose control of how they
last attempt to tap into the financial, intellectual, property and will be used.
asset vault? My guess would be no.
•
Deep knowledge of the local economy, and how it is likely
After all these questions are raised, one cannot avoid the to develop in the mid to long term is difficult but important.
obvious: we must participate. We must build relationships; we Partnership takes time and incurs risk, and it is difficult to
need to engage. factor this in successfully if it is not clear how a project will
fit into the future economy of the city.
Why collaborate?
•
Different organisational cultures, e.g. public and private
sectors stepping out of their core functions, expose
The complexity and diversity of land ownership and occupation,
themselves to greater risk of failure.
especially within our cities, is obvious. Collaboration can break
down these walls to make the most of mutually beneficial assets
•
and shared purposes. This has the following advantages:
Different organisations will often have very different
timescales for when they can take decisions and expect
to see results, as well as how they measure the success
•
It allows partners to take a more strategic approach to a
of those results.
larger range of assets, rather than be limited by acting on
a site-by-site basis.
•
Capacity and funds are limited, and individuals may be
busy with existing work. Collaboration to make the most of
•
It reduces risk and shared costs, giving access to additional assets requires additional dedicated resources to overcome
funds in some cases – either because several local inertia and realise benefits.
authorities are working together and bringing in money, or
because one specific institution can then access additional
funds by having the benefit of reduced risk.
•
Inflexibility can hinder projects, especially as they are likely
to be buffeted by events foreseen and unforeseen. Without
a strong institutional relationship backed up by strong
•
•
It offers more human resources – benefiting from one personal connections between partners, collaborations can
organisation’s specific skills or knowledge to deliver the be overly rigid and brittle, unable to bend with the wind of
projects. external shocks and internal developments.
It allows new opportunities for partnership – not only
between existing partners, but successful partnerships
Francois Schoeman, CEO Pecanwood Estate
can spur ambitions for future, additional cross-boundary
working models.
Bottom line
As more cities look to make even greater use of their assets in partnership with their neighbours, government
agencies or the private sector, there are clear lessons from the past that are leading the way to new holistic
thinking. Gone are the private castles; here comes a modern model with room for all, to the mutual benefit of all.
If we can explore this ethos further, we may be able to demonstrate to the communities outside of our walls
that – if we approach collaboration holistically – we can all win. A better life for all.
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