To receive a presentation from the Local Strategic Partnership Manager, John Houston and the LSP Chairman.
Members should note that for background information, the LSP Annual Report had been published in the Council Bulletin dated 25 June 2010.
Minutes:
The Chairman of One Epping Forest, Councillor Mrs D Collins introduced the annual review of the Epping Forest Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). They have had a good year, doing some good partnership working in the District and had secured external resources to support various schemes. The Epping Forest LSP was also working in concert with the Harlow and Uttlesford LSP.
There was, as always, a need to spend money wisely, especially as half of their funding had been cut and County wanted more than half of their funding back, it was coming up to a time of real financial difficulties. She then handed over to the LSP Manager John Huston.
Mr Houston started by saying that most of the information given tonight could be found in their first annual review of the year 2009/10. He then went on to define the role of the LSP. It brought together all the key public agencies, voluntary and private sector; identified common problems and developed joined up solutions. They wanted this district to be a better place to live in, increase the quality of life and add value to any work being done. Their key role was to act as ambassadors for the District. This last year they streamlined the organisation of the LSP and set up three Task and Finish Panels so that they could move more quickly on certain topics. These were: the credit crunch; improving communications; and developing a new ‘sustainable communities’ strategy’.
An independent review of the effectiveness of the partnership was commissioned and carried out by the East of England Regional Assembly resulting in positive conclusions for the Partnership.
They have also over the year:
· produced an introductory leaflet explaining the role and composition of the Board; and
· had put quarterly articles in ‘Fair’s Fair’.
They were also required to produce a Community Strategy, which is currently out on consultation. This document would set out the big issues for the district and how the partnership could work together to tackle them.
They were looking forward to meeting the challenges of the public sector deficit, help agencies work better together and make efficiency savings.
The Chairman then opened the meeting up to questions.
Q. What opportunities were there to report back to other partner bodies
A. We do attend other partners meetings and countrywide meetings of the authorities. They also issue a newsletter.
Q. By looking at the data analysis, what was conclusion had been arrived about job opportunities?
A. We are crating a coalition along the M11 corridor to help create jobs. We have the best performance in Essex in training, but have more people claiming job seekers allowance. A lot of what we do is to ask questions which was what the M11 corridor group was doing.
Q. How do you engage businesses when you do not have a lot of time to do so?
A. We went and spoke to the small business association, but we are not just a talking shop. We have supported and have appointed a Business Champion and are looking at what we need to do in Epping Forest.
Q. Good to hear your plans, but what powers do you have to do anything.
A. We have no powers but work by consensus; we sit people down and talk to them and bring organisations together to sort things out, such as looking at transport. There are all sort of different fleets out there doing the same thing for different organisations, so we need to look at what they do and if they can help each other out.
Q. How effective is your main organisation and how will the future lack of funding affect you.
A. This is a challenge we all face, how we bend the funding to meet local challenges. We have about 22 organisations represented that network really well and discuss their problems with each other. The key role of the LSP was to focus on a small number of things to do well.
The Chairman thanked Mr Houston for his presentation and for answering the questions put by members.