Agenda Item No. D3 Appendix 1

KEY PARTNER CONCORDAT

Between

DAVENTRY DISTRICT COUNCIL

And

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

DECEMBER 2008

1 + 1 One District and One County Voice

Daventry District Council – County Council Concordat

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Daventry District Council – Northamptonshire County Council Concordat

PURPOSE OF CONCORDAT

To signal the increased need for key partners to support mutual agendas.

To ensure coordinated and prioritised delivery of mutual agendas.

To show leadership and resolve in delivering mutual agendas.

Signed by:

……………………………………….. Leader of Daventry District Council

……………………………………….. Managing Director of Daventry District Council

……………………………………….. Leader of Northamptonshire County Council

……………………………………….. Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Council

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Daventry District Council – Northamptonshire County Council Concordat

BACKGROUND

There is a growing positive relationship between Daventry District Council and Northamptonshire County Council.

Northamptonshire countywide initiatives, such as the Local Area Agreement, require our collective commitment.

West Northamptonshire-wide initiatives, such as ensuring infrastructure- led MKSM growth, require our collective commitment.

Daventry district-wide initiatives, such as economic regeneration, require our collective commitment.

Collaborative working is normal practice, but its momentum needs to translate, ultimately, into delivery of tangible benefits to the public.

This Concordat sets out principles reflecting the way in which Daventry District Council and Northamptonshire County Council will work in collaboration at both the political and administrative levels.

The Concordat is a commitment to embed a culture of mutual partnership support. It will therefore be a ‘living’ Concordat and capable of project and service update over time. It reflects the real world of constant change.

MUTUAL AIMS

Both Daventry District Council and Northamptonshire County Council are committed to this Concordat and share a vision to:

Build a Better Daventry District and Northamptonshire County overall

… and share objectives to:

Create and sustain thriving communities. Improve the economy by nurturing business, creating wealth and increasing skills. Protect and enhance environmental assets. Provide the necessary infrastructure to facilitate sustainable growth and improved quality of life.

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Daventry District Council – Northamptonshire County Council Concordat

MUTUAL CHALLENGES

Geographically, one of the challenges that Daventry district, and Northamptonshire county face is accommodating and harmonising population and development growth with existing communities and areas. This inevitable challenge is to be translated into opportunity.

Organisationally, actions to realise the vision and objectives, whilst responding to the specific growth challenge, cause Daventry District Council and Northamptonshire County Council to mutually recognise and accept that it is in the interest of our residents and customers to work together to:

Prioritise mutual agenda. Avoid duplication of effort. Adopt a problem solving approach and remove obstacles to progress as appropriate. Share resource. Improve project and service delivery.

MUTUAL AGENDA

Specific mutual tasks and responsibilities covered by this Concordat are:

A. Strategic Economic Assessment and Marketing (via Sub National Review and commissioned property/land assessments such as COPELA 3). B. Local Economic Development and Regeneration (via Daventry Masterplan and Town Centre Vision for example). C. Strategic Planning of Growth (via Local Development Frameworks and Masterplanning). D. Strategic Waste Planning and Management. E. Local Customer Management (via One Stop Shop and media releases). F. Strategic and Local Scrutiny Support (via formal Overview and Scrutiny legislation).

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Daventry District Council – Northamptonshire County Council Concordat MUTUAL BENEFITS

Arising from the mutual agenda should be delivery of key benefits, namely:

A1. Mutually agreed COPELA3 method and findings. A2. Mutually agreed economic assessment as relating to Daventry District.

B1. Mutually endorsed Daventry Masterplan and Town Centre Vision. B2. Financial contributions given to, or at least not sought from, ICON project and other such projects designed to achieve mutual agenda and mutual benefits.

C1. Mutually endorsed Development Plan and Transport Plan documents for statutory planning. C2. Enhanced library provided by Northamptonshire County Council within Daventry at Site One (north of High Street).

D1. Mutually agreed waste disposal arrangements after Landfill Site is declared full.

E1. Northamptonshire County council services offered in Daventry District Council’s One Stop Shop. E2. Mutually agreed media releases on mutual agenda and its delivery.

F1. Member and officer participation in joint overview and scrutiny of mutual agenda delivery, in order to foster continuous improvement.

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Daventry District Council – Northamptonshire County Council Concordat

MUTUAL GOVERNANCE

The Concordat is not designed to cause a formal bureaucracy in support. It does not have legal force or override any legal obligations that affect delivery of the mutual agenda. It is terminable by either party serving notice on the other, but this does diminish the intention and resolve of each party to ensure a long and productive joint working arrangement and culture. The Concordat is designed to be practiced and binding in honour.

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