Community Planning (Jackie Dix, Alison Palmer) [email protected]
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DNITY PLANNNG BRIEFING Community Planning Quarterly Briefing October to December 08 This is a quarterly briefing designed to give everyone involved in the community planning process across the Caerphilly County Borough, as well as wider audiences, an overview of progress on the Community Strategy. Information has been supplied by each of the co-ordinators leading on different themes of the Community Strategy. Community Planning (Jackie Dix, Alison Palmer) [email protected] Caerphilly Local Service Board (LSB) The LSB has endorsed a research report and strategy it has commissioned on developing Shared Approaches to Citizen Engagement. This work is to be rolled out across the borough through a multi-agency group. Juliet Martinez, Welsh Assembly Government, has spoken to the LSB on the Wales Spatial Plan (WSP). The WSP is an overarching framework document and an integration tool for policy and investment. It shapes the Welsh Assembly Government’s national policy and sets a regional context for local plans and policies and the work of LSBs. Colin Palfrey, Cllr Lindsay Whittle and Chief Superintendent Alun Thomas from the LSB gave evidence to the National Assembly for Wales Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Inquiry into local service boards in September. The message from the Inquiry has been positive to the benefits of the LSB approach. A transcript of the meeting and the written evidence is available via the following web links: http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees- third1/bus-committees-third-hwlg-home/bus-committees-third-hwlg- agendas.htm?act=dis&id=97585&ds=9/2008 http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus- committees/bus-committees-third1/bus-committees-third-hwlg- home/bus-committees-third-hwlg- agendas.htm?act=dis&id=99427&ds=9/2008 Please contact the relevant co-ordinator if you require further information on any of the above or Community Planning, Penallta House Tredomen Park, Ystrad Mynach CF82 7PG 2 Andrew Davies, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, joined the LSB members for their meeting in October for an informal discussion about the progress of Local Service Boards. Caerphilly LSB Members at the meeting with the Minister Front Row: Andrew Davies AM, Cllr Lindsay Whittle, CCBC (Chair), Mike Bridgman, GAVO Back Row: Chrissie Hayes, tLHB, Stuart Rosser, CCBC, Colin Palfrey, tLHB, Chief Superintendent Alun Thomas, Gwent Police, Richard Davies, WAG and Colin Jones, CCBC. Members of the Local Service Board and the support team attended the Assembly’s Local Service Board 2008 Conference in November to take part in the workshops and panel discussion as one of the pilot areas. Speaking at the conference Andrew Davies said he has been encouraged by the progress of the pilot LSBs and that LSBs will need to demonstrate ‘ambitious leadership’ in making partnerships work and taking forward a small number of demonstration projects. Community Planning Officers Network The autumn Network meeting focused on the Proposed Local Government (Wales) Measure concerning community planning and service improvement. The 2007 Local Government Act paved the way for the measure on community planning and introduced a 'duty to cooperate' in community planning. The proposed measure emphasises that councils still have the lead role in community planning and states community strategies must have action plans with monitoring and review built it. A statement on progress with community strategy objectives will need to be published every two years, setting in motion a cyclical process. Links to relevant documents • Proposed Local Government (Wales) Measure. http://www.assemblywales.org/ms-ld7221-e.pdf • Explanatory Memorandum. http://www.assemblywales.org/ms-ld7221-em-e.pdf 3 The Community Strategy Standing Conference The Autumn Standing Conference continued the review of the Community Strategy with an opportunity to view the strategic and crosscutting partnerships’ achievements over the past four years and to comment on the proposed future actions. It was also an opportunity for the consultants, Navigant, undertaking the review of the Council’s regeneration strategy – “The Smart Alternative” to discuss the regeneration of the county borough with the standing conference members in a workshop session. Area Steering Group The Upper Rhymney Valley Area Steering Group meeting in September saw the election of a new chair following the resignation of Neil Protheroe (representing Rhymney Partnership) who had chaired the steering group since the re-launch. Congratulations and welcome to Tyrone Powell (representing Fochriw Partnership) who takes on the chairmanship and our best wishes and thanks to Neil. A joint meeting of the Area Steering Groups took place in October. The meeting brought together ASG members from across the county borough for a presentation on the Local Development Plan and an opportunity to discuss the plan with officers. The meeting also gave members an opportunity to be part of the Community Strategy review, specifically looking at the progress since it was published in 2004 and the proposed actions for the next four years. Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee A special Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee was held in November to enable members to look at progress with the Community Strategy since it was published in 2004 and the proposed actions for the next four years. The review of the Community Strategy will be complete in Spring 09. Working with the Voluntary Sector in the Caerphilly County Borough 2008 to 2012 – is a new Compact agreement between Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO), Caerphilly CBC, Gwent Police, Gwent Police Authority, Caerphilly Teaching Local Health Board with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service joining for the first time. This is a key document for community planning which provides the framework for the voluntary sector and other Compact partners to work together. The Compact was launched in November at the One Beat Voluntary Sector Awareness Day. 7922-47 Compact 7922-47 Wlsh3.pdf (3 M... Compact3.pdf (3 MB) 4 Living Environment (Paul Cooke & Natalie Davies) [email protected] New Partnership Structure As part of the review of the Community Strategy, the Living Environment Partnership has been undertaking a major review of its achievements to date, structure, membership, objectives and future priorities. As a result, some significant changes were agreed in September. The Partnership Group has become more streamlined, consisting of 13 representatives from 8 key organisations, and will provide strategic direction and guidance. There is then a broader set of Partners forming a collective which will be known as the All Partners Group, which will develop operational action plans and deliver the practical work of the Partnership. The new structure will enable the Partnership to engage a broader set of Partners equally, and in a more efficient and manageable way than before. Election of a Partnership Chair and a Vice Chair In September, Anthony O'Sullivan, CCBC Director of the Environment, was elected Chair of the Partnership and Sue Mabberley of the Countryside Council for Wales was elected Vice Chair. Working Groups The review of the work of the Partnership has resulted in a focus on 3 priority areas, local environmental quality, the great outdoors and climate change with the following working groups being set up: • Local Environment Quality - bringing together work on sustainable homes, community involvement in environmental improvement and community safety • Great Outdoors - a Beacon project focusing on improving accessibility of the countryside, enhancing public transport links, identifying and removing barriers to countryside activity, and creating new opportunities for visitors. The project links with the Valleys Regional Park programme, Mentro Allan, the Health Social Care and Well Being Partnership and the Regeneration Partnership • Climate Change - leading on the county borough’s response to climate change. It will research and prepare a Climate Change Strategy for the county borough and will identify and initiate priority projects. Climate Change was approved as a Beacon project in 2007. Living Environment Annual Report 2007/08 and Action Plan The Living Environment Partnership has published an annual report and developed a strategic level action plan. Communications Strategy The Partnership are beginning to develop their Communications Strategy, which will set out the principles for how they will ensure that the work of the Partnership 5 reflects the outcomes of consultation with residents, and also how successes will in future be communicated to the public. Regeneration (Jane Roberts- Waite & Jan Bennett) Regeneration Programme The Council, in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government Department for Enterprise and Innovation have appointed Navigant Consulting to develop a new regeneration strategy for the County Borough. Regeneration Strategic Partnership At the last meeting of the Strategic Partnership in November members received a presentation on the new Mental Health and Well Being Action Plan and took part in a discussion with Navigant Consulting about their role and purpose in relation to delivering the regeneration element of the Community Strategy. The first Caerphilly Employment Expo was held on 3rd September at Ystrad Mynach College. The event, funded by Jobcentre Plus attracted over 500 people all of whom were seeking help, support and access to employment opportunities. Over 50 standholders