Policy
12 December, 2005
Shaping the future of Local Strategic Partnerships
ODPM consultation announced
Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) must become the partnership of partnerships in local areas, according to a consultation issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Placing LSPs at the centre of delivering new Local Area Agreements, as well as developing strong local leadership and enhanced community engagement are amongst the key issues identified.
Local Government Minister, Phil Woolas, announced the launch of the consultation by saying:
'The challenge now is to develop LSPs and ensure that they are well equipped with the right framework and the right powers to be able to realise their significant potential. By rooting Sustainable Community Strategies in firm evidence of local area needs, being robust enough to set the agenda for local priorities, and securing agreement between different bodies within a particular community, LSPs can help bring about a real improvement in local quality of life.'
First piloted in 21 areas in 2004/05, Local Area Agreements (LAAs) are now being rolled out to all upper-tier local authorities in England over the next two years. LAAs set out the priorities for a local area negotiated between central government, represented by the Government Office, and a local area, represented by the local authority and the LSP.
A central role of LSPs is to prepare a Community Strategy, promoting or improving the economic, social and environmental well-being of an area. A further influence on the role of LSPs is a change in focus of Community Strategies to become Sustainable Community Strategies. It is stated that many Community Strategies have, in the past, struggled to articulate how they will address the area's longer-term and cross-boundary issues. A report by Sir John Egan found there was a need for local leaders to establish priorities that were sustainable and connected to the anticipated changes in the local area. He recommended that these be brought together in a Sustainable Community Strategy.
The paper states the belief that moving to Sustainable Community Strategies, as part of the wider role changes for LSPs and local authorities outlined in the paper, will help them fulfil requirements to produce Community Strategies contributing to sustainable development in the UK.
Key issues for consultation are identified as being:
- role of LSPs - LAAs require LSPs to genuinely coordinate delivery of Community Strategies in their area;
- status of LSPs - establishing a duty of public service providers to co-operate with their local authority in producing a Sustainable Community Strategy and LAA;
- governance of LSPs - specifying principles of operation;
- accountability of LSPs - examining the strength of accountability upwards to central government, and local accountability to other partners;
- capacity of LSPs - exploring the key skills and support needed by LSPs.
The paper contains details of the 'huge range of existing partnerships which exist at local level' including both Community Legal Service Partnerships and Connexions partnerships. The future of the former is noted to be subject to a forthcoming strategy document, whilst the latter are expected to be subsumed by new Childrens Trusts.
The consultation runs until 3 March 2006.
For more information and a copy of the consultation paper, see the ODPM website Local Strategic Partnerships: Shaping Their Future
