Agenda Item 5
To:
NSP Board
Date:
14 July 2015
Subject of Report: North Somerset Partnership Strategy and Partnership Review Update
1.
Purpose of the report:
1.1
This briefing paper aims to provide the context for partnership review discussions
and an update of review activity undertaken by the People and Communities Board
since April 2015.
1.2
The outcomes from the People and Communities Board will help to inform the
overarching NSP review agreed by partners at the 29 January Board meeting.
2.
Recommendation
2.1
The NSP Board are requested to consider the outcomes/priorities that it would like
to achieve through collaboration going forward.
2.2
The NSP Board are requested to consider the scope of a replacement plan for the
Sustainable Community Strategy.
2.3
The NSP Board are requested to consider the most effective appropriate
mechanisms for delivering partnership ambitions.
3.
Background:
3.1
The North Somerset Partnership (NSP) operates as the overarching high level
partnership for the North Somerset area. It has been in existence in various forms
since 2001, and includes representation from key public, private and voluntary and
community sector organisations.
3.2
The NSP published the North Somerset Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) in
April 2008. This eighteen-year strategy provides the framework and focus for joint
effort and partnership activity.
3.3
The Partnership has operated under its current structure since 2011. The structure
was established to ensure that North Somerset could:
‘Retain what works but simplify, streamline and refocus on key outcomes’
It aims to enable partnership activity to:
Assert influence locally, sub regionally and nationally to ensure that North Somerset
has a strong voice and that its priorities are understood and resourced effectively
Focus partnership effort to ensure the best possible outcomes for communities
Meet existing and new statutory requirements
Make the best use of resources, improving effectiveness and reduce duplication
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Agenda Item 5
The existing structure consists of the NSP Board, the People and Communities
Board and the Infrastructure and Local Economy Board.
3.4
The purpose of each element is broadly as follows:
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3.5
NSP Board – strategic leadership for the NSP overall, enables shared influence and
tackles barriers to delivery of shared objectives. Current key area of focus: Tackling
Employability
People and Communities Board – Fulfils statutory functions of Health and Wellbeing
Board, Community Safety Partnership and brings together Children and Young
Peoples issues. Key area of focus (14/15) High Impact Individuals and Prevention
Infrastructure and Local Economy Board – Non statutory business focused. Has
covered issues such as learning and skills, young enterprise, promotion and
marketing the area and local and inward investment.
Since the implementation of the existing structure the partnership has made
progress in a number of areas of work. These include:
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Successful delivery of PRG funding projects including; Domestic Violence,
Community Connect, Green Technology Centre, The Hive, Think Family, ARCH
and Community Investment Fund.
Attracted £1 million investment for local community – Big Local
Established Team North Somerset to support vulnerable individuals into
employment
North Somerset Ambassadors promoting the area
High Impact Families programme achieving positive outcomes
Exploring opportunities for a Public Sector Academy
Commitment to the Armed Forces Community Covenant
Police and Health working together – mental health support
Integrated Alcohol and Drug services
4.
Reviewing partnership arrangements
4.1
The North Somerset Partnership (NSP) has been operating within a complex
environment of public service financial challenges and transformation. The
partnership landscape since 2011 has shifted significantly both locally and sub
regionally and the expectations and profile of statutory partnerships such as Health
and Wellbeing Boards has increased considerably.
4.2
The People and Communities Board agreed at its meeting on the 26 January 2015
to undertake a review of the partnership to ensure that it could deliver it priorities
and statutory functions most effectively.
4.3
The work has included a survey of partner membership views, a desk research
exercise of comparable Health and Wellbeing Boards and a development session
facilitated by two external advisors from the Local Government Association on 1
June. Key outcomes from this work were considered at meetings held on 30
March and 6 July 2015.
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Agenda Item 5
4.4
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The People and Communities Board have identified a series of recommendations
that relate to how they will work going forward. These include:
Distinguishing between decision, discussion and information items on forthcoming
agendas
Developing an inquiry/workshop approach to some items and to bring in operational
staff/other witnesses to give their perspective on issues that require addressing
Board meetings will balance the inquiry sessions between community safety and
health issues and they will be held up to four times per year
Two formal public Health and Wellbeing meetings per year will continue
4.5
However, there was no clear consensus about the best structure for the board in
terms of separating out the Health and Wellbeing and Community Safety elements.
4.6
The People and Communities Board also recognised that the NSP Board needed
the opportunity to look at the issue of the overall governance for the NSP, with
regard to partnership priorities going forward.
4.7
The NSP Board has previously discussed the effectiveness of the present
arrangements for the Infrastructure and Local Economy Board. It was apparent that
this board had been successful in supporting the expansion of learning and skills
facilities in the area. Additionally, the North Somerset Ambassadors programme
has been developed from the work of the board. However, in recent months the
momentum of this board had waned and they had not met for some considerable
time.
4.8
Initial NSP Board discussions held in January had indicated that there may well still
be a need for the issues that were the responsibility of the Infrastructure and Local
Economy Board to be addressed and a partnership approach would be of value.
However, the best mechanism for addressing this area of work needed to be
considered in light of the overall review.
5.
Next Steps
5.1
The NSP Board are invited to consider the scope and shape of partnership activity
moving forward. Recommendations from the discussion session will be reported to
the People and Communities Board in October 2015.
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Agenda Item 5
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