Wards Affected : Aspley, Beechdale, Bestwood Park, Bilborough, Bridge
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Wards Affected : Aspley, Beechdale, Bestwood Park, Bilborough, Bridge, Bulwell East, Bulwell West, Byron, Report No Forest, Lenton, Manvers, Radford, St Anns, Trent, Strelley, Basford, Greenwood, Wollaton, Robin Hood, Executive Board Park, Clifton West, Abbey, Mapperley 23 December 2003 Report of Chief Executive Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham 1. Summary This report seeks endorsement of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham (Nottingham NRS), as agreed at the One City Partnership Nottingham (OCPN) Board Meeting on 22 October 2002. 2. Key Decisions This matter is the subject of a key decision because it has significant implications for the planning, delivery and evaluation of services and for future receipt of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. 3. Recommendations IT IS RECOMMENDED that Members endorse the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham (Nottingham NRS). That Members note that there will be further opportunities to explore and negotiate on the detail of actions and their implementation; that Members commit the Authority to active participation in implementing the Nottingham NRS; that Members identify any specific points within the Nottingham NRS that the Authority is unable to endorse at this time; 4. Reasons The Authority is a key partner in the One City Partnership Nottingham (OCPN), Nottingham’s Local Strategic Partnership and is currently represented on the Board by the Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Executive. The OCPN Board approved the Nottingham NRS at its Board Meeting on 22 October 2002. It requested that individual partners endorse it through their own governance arrangements and report back any specific points that they are unable to endorse at this time. The OCPN Board requested that this be done by 1 January 2003. Future receipt of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund from April 2003 is dependent on re- accreditation of the One City Partnership Nottingham. Agreement and implementation $vmdktxks.doc of a local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and commitment by public sector agencies to its delivery are key components of the re-accreditation process. 5. Background The National Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy is one strand of the government’s strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion – it is the area based strand and sits alongside other themed/ client focussed action including, for example, Welfare to Work, Teenage Pregnancy, Rough Sleepers. Members have already received a number of reports on the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy (eg Policy and Resources (Regeneration) Sub Committee 6/6/00, Executive Board 6/3/01). These set out the government’s national strategy for neighbourhood renewal and its expectations of action at local level. A report agreed by Executive Board on 4/12/01 set out the draft strategy for Nottingham under the following headings - aim; links to other key strategies and plans, including those of individual partners; proposed priority wards and neighbourhoods; proposed indicators; early stage delivery proposals, including strengthened area working arrangements; key questions for further consideration. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham has been developed over an extended period of time by the Strategy Sub Group reporting to the Board of the OCPN. This Sub Group is also working on the Community Strategy. It comprises officers from the City Council departments and partner agencies working on the key Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy issues, working with OCPN Board and Community Network members. The Nottingham NRS has been developed using the structure set out by Government – early feedback from GO-EM indicated that this was an expectation. Government stressed at the outset that a strategy to tackle the kind of complex and deep-rooted disadvantage that exists in the poorest neighbourhoods must be long term – 10 to 20 years - and the proposals in Nottingham NRS must be read in this context. It will take time for the actions within the strategy to be developed and implemented, but the OCPN seeks the sustained and collective commitment of partners to work towards the proposals for action as set out. The Nottingham NRS will also need to be revised over time, based on the experience of the Partnership of what works (or does not); changes within the wards/ neighbourhoods; local achievements against indicators and targets; the shifting demands and pressures on partners; and changing government priorities. $vmdktxks.doc 6. Proposals The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy offers the Authority a means, following the recent Corporate Assessment, to develop the “One City” concept of a socially and economically cohesive city. It provides a framework for setting priorities and a systematic evaluation of progress, for the city as a whole and in the most disadvantaged communities. The Nottingham NRS aims to make a significant and lasting difference to the “Tale of Two Cities”, and will need the whole hearted commitment of all partners. There are significant implications for the Authority in endorsing the Nottingham NRS, including : • Commitment, over the long term, to targeting/ re-focusing mainstream resources towards reducing the gap of disadvantage for the poorest wards • Commitment to using future allocation of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and other regeneration funding associated with the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal to “narrow the gap of disadvantage” • Commitment to developing the role of Area Committees to work in partnership with communities and other service providers, with a stronger focus on planning and evaluation of core services • Commitment to decentralisation of service delivery, when appropriate • Commitment to developing better information and intelligence at area/ neighbourhood level • Commitment to working with partners towards greater integration of services at the local level • Commitment to seek ways to use the Authority’s spending and other powers to promote local economic development 6.2 However, it is fully recognised by both government and the OCPN that the Strategy is long term and that many of these proposals will take time to be implemented. 7. Other Options The Authority could decide not to endorse the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham (Nottingham NRS). This could place the future allocation of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to Nottingham at risk. The Authority may wish to work with partners to re-think some details within the Nottingham NRS. This need not preclude endorsement of the overall Strategy and the general direction as set out. 8. Financial Implications There are no direct financial commitments arising from this report. Any action arising from the development of the Nottingham NRS that has resource implications for the Authority will require further approval. The Nottingham NRS should inform future policy led budgeting for the Authority. $vmdktxks.doc Continued Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to Nottingham is dependent on re- accreditation of the OCPN, and progress on the Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy is a key component of the re-accreditation process. Annexe 1 sets out current activity funded through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. Other regeneration (and mainstream) funding is also expected by government to be harnessed to the goal of “narrowing the gap” of disadvantage. Successful implementation will require the collective and sustained commitment and involvement of all partners. 9. Legal Implications There are no direct legal implications arising from this report. 10. Observations of Other Officers 10.1 There has been consultation with officers developing work within the Authority that could, by working with partners through the OCPN, address Actions within the Nottingham NRS (Section 7 – Implementation). These include officers working on access to services, area based asset management, consultation, voluntary sector strategy, procurement, Area Focus, regeneration programme management, policy led budgeting. They have indicated willingness and some enthusiasm to extend their activity to explore opportunities to work with partners. 10.2 City Council officers from the OCPN Strategy Sub Group (responsible for developing the Nottingham NRS) have been consulted on the content of this report. 11. Equal Opportunities Implications 11.1 The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy for Nottingham makes specific reference to the link between area based disadvantage and inequalities, and to the interdependency between tackling inequality and discrimination and successful neighbourhood renewal. 12. Corporate Objectives 12.1 The Nottingham NRS addresses most of the Authority’s Strategic Aims, particularly education, crime, health, work, housing, citizen participation, and its Core Values, particularly customers, regeneration, social inclusion, sustainability. 12.2 Actions within Section 7 of the Nottingham NRS “Implementation of the Strategy” promote activity already identified within a number of key City Council strategies and reports including - the Corporate Plan, the Social Inclusion Action Plan, the Corporate Performance Self Assessment, plans to revise and strengthen area working, corporate consultation arrangements, asset management, the Compact with the Voluntary Sector, review of the Procurement Strategy. They also follow up national requirements and proposals, for example the Local Government White Paper “Strong Local Leadership : Quality Public Services”, Byatt Report “Delivering Better Services for Citizens”, Social Inclusion Unit Policy Action Team (PAT) reports. $vmdktxks.doc 13. Best Value Accelerated improvement