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Next Steps for Team Hackney – Discussion Paper for Team Hackney Partners

17th September 2012

I. Introduction

The Team Hackney Partnership was reviewed in June 2011 which resulted in a number of changes, as well as a revised purpose and priorities being agreed. However as policy reform and institutional change continue apace and resources remain constrained, it is important to revisit the structure, function and effectiveness of the Local Strategic Partnership. In parallel a review of community engagement is being undertaken and there is an opportunity to align the two reviews.

This paper sets out some initial proposals and key discussion points. Appendix 1 provides gives the current Team Hackney strategic partnership structure.

These proposals will be shared with all members of Team Hackney during September and October. All thematic partnerships will be invited to discuss the proposals in their meetings. There will also be a specific discussion with the Community Empowerment Network in October. All members of Team Hackney, thematic partnerships and sub groups will also be invited to submit views in a survey which will be circulated in late September. Partners will have until 19th October to get back with comments.

Following this discussion, the Team Hackney Board on 1st November will be asked to agree a final version of proposals. If they agree the proposals, the aim would be to implement the proposals by 1st April 2013.

The key questions for discussion by partners are in yellow boxes at the end of each section.

II. Scene setting

This first section considers some of the key institutional and policy drivers which influence partnership working and which have informed these proposals.

Public sector finances

The Comprehensive Spending Review 2010 and anticipated continuation of public sector funding reductions places a greater financial strain on all partners. As a result it may be more difficult for partners to find the time to engage with each other and work in partnership, although the funding constraints increase the need for partners to work together and avoid duplication. The reductions to local government funding specifically make it more difficult for local authorities to maintain support for strategic partnership working.

Community and neighbourhood engagement

The public funding constraints also place a greater onus on residents to contribute to community well being and community life – whether by taking greater responsibility (e.g. litter picking) or getting more involved in delivery. This may require partnership working to reach residents’ and neighbourhood level community organisations.

The Localism Act introduces changes to the role of local government in relation to community empowerment, particularly in the context of asset management (the right to buy) spatial planning (neighbourhood planning), public service delivery (the right to challenge) and electoral democracy (the use of local referenda). It raises a number of questions for place shaping and for how partners work together on this.

The reforms to welfare, housing and public service reform outlined below also create a need to work in partnership to engage with people to ensure that they understand the changes and the impact it will have.

Welfare, housing and public service reform

Welfare and housing reform will impact those on benefits and low incomes and the most vulnerable, and requires a continued partnership wide response to identify how the impacts can be mitigated. Health reform and specifically the transfer of Public Health to local authorities, the set up of the Health and Well Being Board and Healthwatch introduce new partners and a new form of governance. The reforms also create new opportunities for partnership working around health improvement, awareness and promotion and preventative work, especially when coupled with proposed reforms of adult social care. These place a new duty on local authorities to promote preventative care and support and emphasise the need to reduce social isolation and engage people with support needs in local networks and groups.

The reform of education gives schools a greater level of autonomy and requires a different and more direct involvement of schools in strategic partnerships to meet the remaining duty to co-operate. The Children’s Trust Board remains a statutory board but it is given much greater flexibility and can operate as a sub group of another partnership.

Securing opportunities

The discussions about how to secure the benefits from the legacy plans for the Olympic Park continue to require co-ordinated partnership working with the newly established London Legacy Development Corporation and with the Media Centre. There is also a need to consider the future working between the 2012 Host Boroughs. At the same time, Hackney continues to see local growth - in hospitality and the night time economy, in the hi tech industry sector and in retail businesses supporting new local markets. Transport improvements have also made it easier to access opportunities in neighbouring boroughs and the City.

Local priorities

The three year review of the strategic borough priorities as set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy identifies key recommendations for all local partners. These are: managing growth and change, identifying and maximising employment opportunities, helping the long term unemployed move closer to employment, implementing the child poverty and family well being action plan and reviewing community engagement.

The proposals for the next steps respond to these key drivers put forward an arrangement that is flexible and as light as possible in terms of bureaucracy. The proposals aim to maintain and build on the very strong partnership ethos that has been developed in recent years.

III. The proposal and key discussion points

1. The proposed purpose of the partnership

To maintain and review our strategic vision for Hackney

  • To build an understanding and routinely review the shared vision and strategy for Hackney (as articulated in the Sustainable Community Strategy)
  • To establish shared positions and accountability for delivery of the vision and strategy
  • To share updates on the way individual partners’ services and structures are changing, which may affect the shared vision, and impact on the work of other partners

To take a problem solving approach to tackling cross cutting issues and priorities

  • To identify and agree to work together to address complex problems and persistent inequalities and the underlying issues which no single agency could solve on their own
  • To enable a longer term and preventative approach, rather than trying to fix the problems as they arise
  • To be responsive (but not reactive) to new issues as they arise (e.g. a new emerging need in a community or a change in public funding)
  • To promote efficiency and share resources, relevant expertise, intelligence and knowledge

To promote and encourage a collaborative approach to policy and service delivery that takes account of partners’ perspectives

  • To enable a diversity of perspectives to help shape the vision, strategy and problem solving and to bring in new perspectives as new agencies come into being
  • To create a platform through which trust is built between different partners, despite differing agendas, perspectives and organisational cultures

2. Proposed recommendations for the future of partnership working

2.a Outline of Proposed Partnership arrangements (see page 6 for diagram)

The proposed partnership consists of three groupings which will continue to be supported by London Borough of Hackney:

  • The Team Hackney Partnership
  • The Team Hackney Leadership Board
  • Statutory Partnership Boards that currently exist under the Team Hackney Partnership

There is also the option for partners or a specific service to retain existing groups to network or exchange information if partners or specific services feel this is required, and are able to resource. These would not be centrally supported by London Borough of Hackney.

Partnerships which currently exist under Team Hackney and which are required by statute will also be retained, although these will also be reviewed in the next few months. In the first instance it is also proposed to maintain a senior partnership group that focuses on employment. This will sit alongside these arrangements.

The Team Hackney Partnership is proposed to include membership from:

  • Members of the Team Hackney Leadership Board
  • Statutory partners from existing thematic partnership
  • A pool of representatives from local providers
  • A pool of representatives from the local community including faith groups
  • Community and public forums where there is a statutory duty to engage (e.g. Healthwatch)
  • Scrutiny Chairs

The Team Hackney Partnership will formally meet at an annual event. This event will aim to review progress against the Sustainable Community Strategy. Partners will be expected to contribute to workshops focusing on specific emerging issues. The review of progress will include community insight from community engagement work (including ward forums) and from community representatives.

The Team Hackney Leadership Board is proposed to include membership from:

  • The Mayor and relevant Cabinet Members
  • Chief Executive of the key statutory organisations in the borough and key relevant directors as nominated by the Chief Executives (including the Clinical Commissioning Group once they are accredited)
  • Chief Executive of the key voluntary sector umbrella organisation (HCVS)
  • Community representatives
  • Relevant Cabinet Members
  • Business representatives from corporate business and from local business
  • A head teacher

The Board will meet every six months to:

  • Consider progress against key priorities as set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy
  • Identify the complex issues that require partnership action (for example in relation to welfare reform)
  • Prioritise the partnership actions which are required in response to the issues identified (it is proposed that no more than two or three actions are identified each time)
  • Routinely review progress and decide when the action is complete

The group would need to be informed by:

  • A trend pack or state of the borough report that summarises progress

It is proposed that for each partnership action, there is a board member who acts as champion. The champion would be accountable for ensuring that the partnership action is taken forward, and they would be supported by officers who have a role in supporting the partnership (currently the Policy Team). The partnership action which is required is not prescribed. For example it could take the form of a time limited task and finish group, an event about a specific issue or it could be assigning a senior officer to work with others to trouble shoot a particular problem.

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Proposed structure

Appendix 1

Current Strategic Partnership Structure