Suffolk County Council is the host organisation for Managing a Masterpiece: The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme team. 

Staff are employed by the authority.  Suffolk County Council as the host authority is the accountable body of the Scheme.  Grant claims to the Heritage Lottery Fund will be prepared and submitted by the Scheme team.  Grant payments will be made to Suffolk County Council as they act as financial guardians of Managing a Masterpiece: The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership.

There are benefits to the Scheme of the team being hosted by Suffolk County Council.  All commissions, employment and procurement will have to meet the standards of a public body which are often in line with those of the Heritage Lottery Fund.  Cash flow will not become an issue as the County Council will take on the financial liabilities of the Scheme ie official orders and payments will be made before claims to the Heritage Lottery Fund can be made.

In addition the Scheme will receive much unrecorded in kind support.  For example advice on procurement, human resources support in terms of recruitment, training and development, and other resources such as pool vehicles and practical support from departmental partners in running events.

Although the Scheme will pay for desk space to Suffolk County Council the economies of scale in buying Information and Communications Technology in this way should not be underestimated in terms of cost and quality