Oldham Leadership BoardPotential Investment Propositions

January 2015

What is an investment proposition?

A joint project invested in by partners which:• Addresses a collective priority for Oldham• Provides funding for new activity that can not currently be

resourced, or additional funding for activity that could make a bigger impact.

In short, it should be:• Something everyone agrees with and believes in• A high priority• High evidence base• Improves outcomes• Reduces demand

What do Partners need to put into before we begin?• Investing money to do innovative new activity to improve outcomes and reduce demand

– not about badging up things we’re already doing differently• Trying something different that we have a good basis to think will work, but accepting that

if it doesn’t then we will stop it and try something different – this needs to be backed up by a rapid but robust evaluation framework so that future decisions are increasingly evidence-based

• Taking risks we won’t know for certain that it will work until we’ve tried it. All participating will need to be prepared to make informed judgements, based on the evidence available and supported by professional opinion

• Commitment and trust – all participants in the agreement will need to be flexible and trust others to collectively achieve the best they can for all partners;

• Staff and resources - In addition to funding, it will be necessary for all partners to commit existing staff resources to driving the programme forward – and all will need to commit to ways of working (e.g. rapid response times for queries; rapid turn around for providing data and information etc.).

• Honesty - Have an open and honest debate as to whether this is the approach they want to take before the work is started – if people are not fully committed, a lot of time and effort will be wasted.

Emerging investment areas for co-operatives and neighbourhoods

• Oldham Plan Priority for investment ‘Reward positive contribution and support residents to do better for themselves’.

Emerging areas:• Building networks and new platforms for people to

help themselves and/or• Reward incentives scheme/dividend for participation

Emerging investment areas health and wellbeingPriority for investment ‘Enable people to take more control over their own lives’.

Emerging areas:• Social prescribing – linking into Well North*• Improving activity levels – to include an approach to health at

work• Oldham community food shop

Emerging investment areas – economy and skills

Oldham Plan Priority for investment ‘Develop a skilled and dynamic workforce that can compete for jobs within the city region’.

Emerging areas: • Develop the adult skills/training/in work development

offer.• Business start up support and survival

Emerging investment areas - cross cutting

Priority: Creative and effective use of assets – ‘One public estate’.

Emerging areas:• Rationalising physical assets• Innovative co-location options• Social assets (residents, voluntary and community)• New platforms for engagement• Professional assets – sharing of staff and resources