Innovative partnership: Dorset County Council and Buro Happold

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' Guide to Best Value, Circular 10/99 lists a range of possible future service delivery options that should be considered as part of any best value review. One such option is the creation of a public/private partnership. This paper describes the steps taken by Dorset County Council to form an innovative, strategic alliance between its engineering consultancy division and the private sector consultant, Buro Happold.