Partnership GovernancePartnership GovernancePresentation to Public Services BoardPresentation to Public Services Board

September 2008September 2008

Mary Harpley, Cherwell District CouncilMary Harpley, Cherwell District CouncilDavid Neudegg, West Oxfordshire District David Neudegg, West Oxfordshire District

CouncilCouncil

Slide 1

PSB ObjectivePSB Objective

To ensure that governance arrangements of the To ensure that governance arrangements of the partnerships critical to the delivery of partnerships critical to the delivery of Oxfordshire 2030Oxfordshire 2030 and and Oxfordshire Local Area Agreement 2Oxfordshire Local Area Agreement 2 are fit for are fit for current purposecurrent purpose and sufficiently robust for and sufficiently robust for foreseeable foreseeable futurefuture

•GreaterGreater local discretion local discretion on how to allocate publicon how to allocate public sector sector resources to meet our strategic objectives – including resources to meet our strategic objectives – including previously ring-fenced funding such as the local authority previously ring-fenced funding such as the local authority Area Based GrantArea Based Grant•Comprehensive Area AssessmentComprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) (CAA)•Continuing obligation to Continuing obligation to improve outcomesimprove outcomes for local for local people, businesses and communities cost-effectivelypeople, businesses and communities cost-effectively

Slide 2

Work PhasesWork Phases

• Audit of 25 current partnershipsAudit of 25 current partnerships

• Development of proposals to rationalise Development of proposals to rationalise and align partnerships and clarify and align partnerships and clarify governance governance

• Development of detailed proposals for full Development of detailed proposals for full consultation among partners consultation among partners

• Final recommendations to November PSBFinal recommendations to November PSB

• Implementation of recommendationsImplementation of recommendationsSlide 3

Partnership Audit – Key Findings

• Some long-established partnershipsSome long-established partnerships• A belief in and commitment to partnership workingA belief in and commitment to partnership workingBUT BUT • Accountability for SCS objectives and LAA targets Accountability for SCS objectives and LAA targets

unclearunclear• To whom partnerships are accountable often unclearTo whom partnerships are accountable often unclear• Most partnerships underpinned by sub-groupsMost partnerships underpinned by sub-groups• Limited evidence of robust external scrutinyLimited evidence of robust external scrutiny• Inclusion and role of Elected Members inconsistentInclusion and role of Elected Members inconsistent• What partnerships are delivering is not always clearWhat partnerships are delivering is not always clear• Many partnerships without funding; few dedicated posts Many partnerships without funding; few dedicated posts • Little or nothing done to promote public access to Little or nothing done to promote public access to

partnership meetings/minutespartnership meetings/minutes

Slide 4

Partnership Audit – Key Conclusions (1)

• Maintain/develop 7 partnerships which include Elected Maintain/develop 7 partnerships which include Elected Members and a range of other senior decision makers Members and a range of other senior decision makers across sectors with authority to tackle strategic issues across sectors with authority to tackle strategic issues which cut across boundarieswhich cut across boundaries

• Ensure OP/PSB expectations of these partnerships clear Ensure OP/PSB expectations of these partnerships clear in terms of Oxfordshire 2030 objectives and LAA targets in terms of Oxfordshire 2030 objectives and LAA targets and reporting lines establishedand reporting lines established

• Give these partnerships freedom to design the Give these partnerships freedom to design the thematic/specialist officer support they need to deliver thematic/specialist officer support they need to deliver objectives and targetsobjectives and targets

Slide 5

Partnership Audit – Key Conclusions (2)

• Provide centralised capacity for core functions, e.g. risk Provide centralised capacity for core functions, e.g. risk and performance improvement, budget planning, and performance improvement, budget planning, consultation, communication, equalities and diversity, consultation, communication, equalities and diversity, researchresearch

• Recognise independence of the Oxfordshire Economic Recognise independence of the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership and the voluntary, community and faith Partnership and the voluntary, community and faith sectors from the more public-sector orientated sectors from the more public-sector orientated partnershipspartnerships

• Reduce the burden on faith, voluntary and business Reduce the burden on faith, voluntary and business organisations so they can play a full partorganisations so they can play a full part

Slide 6

Scope of 7 Proposed Partnerships

All other Partnershipworking

Scope of 7 Cross-Cutting Partnerships

Slide 7

7 Proposed Cross-Cutting Partnerships

Partnership Agenda

Sustainable Development Regional spatial planning; economic development; major infrastructure/development; transport; housing delivery

Oxfordshire Economic Partnership As now

Environment & Waste Environment; waste; climate change; flooding; biodiversity

Children’s Trust Board As now

Health & Well-Being As now, plus homelessness and supporting people

Stronger Communities Voluntary sector development; rural; preventing extremism; social inclusion

Safer Communities As now

Slide 8

Cross-Cutting Partnerships – Potential Make-Up

• Elected Members and senior decision-Elected Members and senior decision-makers from across organisations and makers from across organisations and sectorssectors

• Membership to reflect statutory Membership to reflect statutory responsibility, financial commitment, key responsibility, financial commitment, key communities of interestcommunities of interest

• Likely to meet quarterly/three times a yearLikely to meet quarterly/three times a year

Slide 9

Structure Below 7 Cross-Cutting Partnerships

• Up to the Partnerships themselvesUp to the Partnerships themselves

• Likely to include a number of officer Likely to include a number of officer support groups – some as now/some support groups – some as now/some amended/some newamended/some new

• Such groups to be accountable to Such groups to be accountable to Partnerships for deliveryPartnerships for delivery

Slide 10

District Local Strategic Partnerships

Responsible AS NOW forResponsible AS NOW for

• Developing and delivering District Sustainable Community Developing and delivering District Sustainable Community StrategiesStrategies

• Understanding local needs and providing evidence into county-wide Understanding local needs and providing evidence into county-wide and other partnership assessmentsand other partnership assessments

• Delivering local initiatives which support delivery of Oxfordshire Delivering local initiatives which support delivery of Oxfordshire 2030 and LAA targets2030 and LAA targets

• Developing partnership working at District levelDeveloping partnership working at District level• Ensuring other partnerships understand our localities and the Ensuring other partnerships understand our localities and the

implications of their work for themimplications of their work for them

AND forAND for• Working with 7 Partnerships to develop local strategies and action Working with 7 Partnerships to develop local strategies and action

plans to address local needs (as do already with PCT and others)plans to address local needs (as do already with PCT and others)

Slide 11

Proposed Partnership Development Group

• Develops and manages a single Partnership Develops and manages a single Partnership planning and budget cycleplanning and budget cycle

• Develops frameworks and standards (e.g. Develops frameworks and standards (e.g. programme and project management, programme and project management, consultation and communication, equalities and consultation and communication, equalities and diversity, risk management)diversity, risk management)

• Helps provide capacity for faith, business and Helps provide capacity for faith, business and voluntary sectorsvoluntary sectors

• Potentially pools partnership support resourcesPotentially pools partnership support resources• Promotes best practice and initiatives to develop Promotes best practice and initiatives to develop

capacity to work effectively in partnershipcapacity to work effectively in partnership

Slide 12

Risks Highlighted in Pre-Meeting Call for Comments

PotentialPotential• Dilution of successful Partnerships (such as Dilution of successful Partnerships (such as

OWP)OWP)• Hindering development of fledging Partnerships Hindering development of fledging Partnerships

(such as Environment)(such as Environment)• Dilution of focus on Supporting People and Dilution of focus on Supporting People and

Homelessness by move to Health & Well-Being Homelessness by move to Health & Well-Being PartnershipPartnership

• View that these Partnerships are an additional View that these Partnerships are an additional ‘layer’‘layer’

• Does not recognise the crucial role of OVSDPDoes not recognise the crucial role of OVSDP

Slide 13

Next Steps

• Develop membership proposals for each Develop membership proposals for each PartnershipPartnership

• Talk in more detail to all partnerships and Talk in more detail to all partnerships and particularly to the Oxfordshire Voluntary particularly to the Oxfordshire Voluntary Sector Development Partnership and the Sector Development Partnership and the Oxfordshire Economic PartnershipOxfordshire Economic Partnership

• One month full consultationOne month full consultation

• Final recommendations to November PSBFinal recommendations to November PSB

Slide 14