ITEM CA17
CABINET – 18 SEPTEMBER 2007
PARTNERSHIP WORKING STRATEGY
Report by Head of Partnership Working
Introduction
1. Local service delivery is provided by a wide range of statutory, independent, private and voluntary sector organisations. We need, therefore, to work closely with our partners in order to deliver better outcomes and value for money for local people.
2. This means working effectively at a regional and county level with the police, health services, Learning and Skills Council and other public agencies – and equally – at the local level with district, town and parish councils.
3. The Partnership Strategy sets out the County Council’s framework for partnership working (a copy of which has been made available in the Members’ Resource Centre). It includes:
· Why we work in partnership and our principles for partnership working. · Strategic Partnership working: The Oxfordshire Partnership and Local Area Agreement. · Our thematic county-level statutory partnerships. For example, the Children and Young People’s Partnership. · Non-statutory thematic county-level partnerships. For example, the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership. · Partnership working at the local level. · Involvement of elected Members in partnerships and the role of Scrutiny. · Accountability and equality. · Risk and performance management.
Principles of Partnership Working
4. The strategy sets out the following principles for working in partnership:
· All partners derive a benefit from working together. · Adding value often involves individual organisations having to surrender resources and or power (but not accountability) to the partnership. · Goals and priorities cannot be imposed but must be set collectively. · Partnerships need to recognise the statutory responsibilities of partner organisations. · The governance arrangements must ensure that partnerships are inclusive and the participants are clear about their purpose, roles and responsibilities. · The County Council role is to ensure that effective partnership working is in place rather than to lead every partnership. · Partnership lead roles should be shared in order to maximise the skills and talents available. · Partners need to trust one another and treat each other with respect.
In approving this strategy, the County Council is committing itself to abide by these principles and to encouraging other partners to do the same.
Financial and Staff Implications
5. Government funding is increasingly being channelled through partnership structures rather than individual public and voluntary sector organisations.
6. The current Local Area Agreement (2006-2009) includes targets that can only be met by several organisations working together in partnership. 12 of these targets have a financial reward as an incentive for improving performance. If all of these targets are fully met this will bring in an extra £16m of Government funding to Oxfordshire.
7. The County Council is currently working with the Oxfordshire Partnership and the Government Office for the South East to negotiate a new, larger Local Area Agreement (LAA2) from 2008 onwards. Any financial incentives are expected to be announced in the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review this Autumn. However, with up to 35 targets in LAA2 this could represent a considerable amount of extra funding for the county that can only be accessed through effective partnership working.
RECOMMENDATION
8. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to adopt the Partnership Strategy.
PAUL JAMES Head of Partnership Working
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Claire Evans, Oxfordshire Partnership Manager Tel: 01865 816077 claire.evans@xfordshire.gov.uk
September 2007
|