LOCALITY WORKING IN SOUTH LAKELAND Summits 2008
Satisfaction with council performance – Change over the last three years. The map shows the percentage of people who think council performance has got better, minus the percentage of those who think it has got worse. The areas shaded green are those where more people think it has got better than worse.
Satisfaction with opportunities for participation – influencing decision making. The map shows the percentage of people who agree that they can influence decisions affecting their local area Darker green shows those divisions where the greatest percentage of people feel they can influence decision making
Satisfaction with opportunities for participation – Desire to be more involved in decision making. The map shows the percentage of people who would like to be more involved in the decisions the Council makes that affect their local area The darker the colour, the higher the percentage of people who want to be involved in decision making.
National Agenda “Strong Safe and Prosperous Communities” • White Paper (2006) – focus on ‘neighbourhoods’ and ‘communities’ • Local Government .. Act (2007) - Duty to involve; Councillor Call for Action; Participatory budgeting • Flanagan Report; Turning Neighbourhood Policing into Neighbourhood Management “Communities in Control” White Paper 9 July 2008 • Access to information; Active citizens and volunteering; Influence • Empowerment – shift power, influence & responsibility; Ownership and control; Standing for office • Holding to account & Redress
Potential Benefits of Better Locality Working • More effective community empowerment and engagement • Greater common understanding of local issues • Greater opportunity for a single voice • Easier access to services • Greater public satisfaction • More opportunity to tailor local services • Better co-ordination and joining up of services…..
Potential Areas of Activity • Parishes have expressed an interest in being involved in :- Planning M inor highway, footpath and Local Services and Business verge maintenance Activity Running local community Litter, grass-cutting, open spaces buildings, facilities and land cleanliness of the local area etc Shared use of community buildings Discussions can be held on these and any others
Current Position • We’ve got some excellent practice to build on • A common understanding of localities is developing but will take some time to embed. • Community engagement practice is also developing • We’ve got the opportunity to discuss proposals on devolved decision making • There is now an opportunity to focus on ensuring responsive management arrangements support this work
Principles of Locality Working • There are some key principles which provide a framework to assist in developing locality working • Concentration on 4 at this stage:- – Clearly understood Geography – Partnership working and Engagement – Decision-making and Accountability – Local Co-ordination and Management
Clearly understood Geography • All partners need to have a common understanding of the local service delivery area boundaries and the identified communities within that area. • Locality working should be built upon what is currently known and understood. • The Map identifies seven areas
Starting points for localities • Locality Working requires a common view about communities of place, which agencies can recognise, consult with and respond to. • Many potential building blocks are already in place: – the catchments of key service centres (7); – regeneration partnerships eg market town initiatives; – parish planning clusters – 70 parish councils; – neighbourhood forums(9); – electoral divisions (18) and wards (51); • Service delivery and ad hoc agency boundaries (eg LDNP)
The Map
• What are your views on the suggested structure? Group Discussion 1
Locality Working takes place in partnership • Each locality area needs partnership working between those who have management responsibility for local delivery services. • The partnership is where agreement is reached to align resources for the locality. • Devolution means meeting minimum standards
Accountability and Decision-Making • Successful delivery of services in a locality requires – Leadership through the elected County, District and Parish Councillors – Local decisions where feasible – Better accountability to local community for services
Locality Co-ordination • A dynamic Co-ordinator who – Works in each locality with local councillors – Leads on the involvement of local residents – Has the skills to get people to work together to join up services to get things done
Community Engagement • The Local Area Partnerships will supported by effective engagement through: – Forums aligned to the agreed locality structure which provide advice, information and recommendations to the Board – Parish Councils – Community Planning – Service User Views
It is assumed that the Local Partnerships will include…. • Decision-making by elected members of three tiers of local government • Ensure full participation of the parish councils • Involve young people • Prepare agendas in consultation with all stakeholders • Provide dedicated officer support • Clarify precise roles and decision-making responsibility of the Executive • Provide proportionate devolved budgets
• How would you see the Partnership working in your Group Discussion 2 area?
Next Steps • Individual Parishes and Members to feed any specific comments into the Consultation process (by mid October) • Outcomes of the Consultation to be considered by South Lakeland Strategic Partnership (November) with recommendations being made to the principal authorities • In the meantime discussions can be continued on the arrangements in each Locality
Dates Of Summits • Grange Cartmel & Lyth Valley - 2 Sept • High Furness - 8 Sept • Kent Estuary - 23 Sept • Ulverston & Low Furness - 25 Sept • Kendal Staveley & Upper Kent - 30 Sept • Windermere & Lakes - 6 Oct • Sedbergh & Kirkby Lonsdale - 15 Oct
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