Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 8th February, 2006
Appendix 2 - Summary of ODPM Consultation Paper on Local Strategic Partnerships
The ODPM issued on 8th December 2005 a consultation document entitled Local Strategic Partnerships: Shaping their Future.
The consultation closes on 3 March 2006 and may lead to revised statutory guidance on community strategies and LSPs.
The report contains a number of proposals, including:
· Improved commitment amongst central government departments, regional organisations and local partners to the LSP system of partnerships
· LSPs identifying and delivering against local priorities through new Sustainable Community Strategies. The Local Area Agreement (LAA) will deliver key elements of the strategy and the Local Development Framework would then become the land-use delivery plan for the Sustainable Community Strategy.
· Renewed emphasis on the community leadership role of the local authority, with a recognition that partnership working requires further accountability, strengthened governance provisions, and additional support to develop appropriate capacity. The paper states: "We see a clear role for the local authority in initiating and maintaining momentum in the LSP; ensuring appropriate representation across the different sectors including involving local residents; and scrutinising the LSP. The local authority is also responsible for producing the Community Strategy and is ultimately accountable for the LSP's actions."
B7 LSPs better able to support neighbourhood engagement to help ensure the views of neighbourhoods and parish councils influence local service delivery and spending
The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) have issued a briefing note on the consultation paper. Specific issues for consideration raised by the LGIU include:
Participation: The consultation paper suggest that a legal duty to participate in community planning might be placed on public service bodies. The LGIU notes that, whilst this might create greater engagement of non-council public services in LSPs, it would be important to identify exactly which bodies should be included in this duty.
Governance: The LGIU notes that recent Audit Commission report, Governing Partnerships, raises some useful issues about clarity of responsibilities, in particular financial responsibilities.
Accountability: The LGIU suggests that there are significant challenges in developing a common framework of accountability for public sector services, community, voluntary and private sector organisations.
Boundaries: The LGIU notes that the consultation paper identifies common boundaries as vital in developing co-ordination. However, it does not consider how the boundary proposals currently being carried out by other government departments, particularly for police authorities and Primary Care Trusts, might affect this.
Sustainability: The consultation paper suggests that Community Strategies be renamed Sustainable Community Strategies. The LGIU notes, however, that Community Strategies have, under the Local Government Act 2000, should contribute to sustainable development in the UK.
The full ODPM consultation document is available at http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?docid=1162320