DTI defends Partnership Fund awards

Representatives of the DTI’s flagship Partnership Fund have defended the
allocation of funds by its independent assessment committee.

A letter to Personnel Today (4 April) drew attention to the fact that
committee chairman Willie Coupar was also a director of the Involvement and
Participation Association (IPA), which has been awarded a grant.

But both the DTI and a committee member have defended the selection criteria
for awarding funds. A spokeswoman for the DTI said that if there was a conflict
of interest involving a member of the assessment panel, that member would take
no part in the decision concerned.

Usdaw and the TUC have also had bids accepted for grants from the
Partnership Fund. Both organisations have representatives on the panel.

Writing to Personnel Today, committee member Clive Morton said an
unjustified conclusion had been drawn about the IPA award.

"Its criteria and method of working is in the public domain and if any
member has a personal connection, they automatically withdraw, as did Willy
Coupar," he said.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

The fund is intended to encourage good employment relations and partnerships
at work. Available funds total £5m and the committee can recommend awards of up
to £50,00 a project.

www.dti.gov.uk/partnershipfund