ITEM 6
FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR COLLABORATION IN YORKSHIRE & HUMBER
Purpose
• To set out options for future arrangements based on existing work and the changing context for councils and the public sector. In particular, given the forthcoming budget reductions, to consider the most cost effective approach to collaboration.
Executive Summary
• Collaboration between councils, police, fire and national parks has been organised through voluntary, subscription based associations: LGYH since 2006 and prior to this LGMB and ALA from 1980s onwards.
• The context for collaboration is changing; • There are new agendas of localism and decentralisation: major efficiency and public service transformation. The scale of budget cuts and the need to work across boundaries will be critical for councils, police, fire and national parks. • Do we want to continue to collaborate across the public sector and across Yorkshire and Humber in this new context? • What would we want to collaborate on? How would this be facilitated and how much would that cost? These are the key questions raised in the report.
• The paper looks at what makes collaboration successful; what issues we might want to work on and especially highlights: - workforce agenda and employers organisation - political and chief executive co-ordination and leadership - transformation of public service which means working with existing organisations such as the strategic Health Authority and Police on issues of common interest to all councils.
• The paper highlights three options which have been developed and have taken account of what is happening in other regions; in the medium term it recommends a small secretariat with equally small employers in the light of budget constraints.
• There may be the possibility of national funding for improvement to support collaboration of councils in Yorkshire and Humber and options allow for bolting on capacity to develop as councils would wish to.
• There is £500k available from previous Yorkshire and Humber Assembly reserve to potentially redistribute.
• The report includes a timeline which sets out the process for making decisions.
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SECTION 1: THE CURRENT WORK AND FUNDING BASE OF LGYH
1. LGYH was established by councils in Yorkshire and Humber in April 2006. It was established as the regional partnership of local authorities to enable them to collaborate on issues of common purpose. Since 2006, the partnership has developed both its role and membership which has grown to include Police, Fire and National Park Authorities.
2. From its inception Councils made LGYH responsible for supporting and developing the Local Government Improvement and Innovation Partnership (LGIIP), a role previously undertaken by the Association of Local Authorities. LGYH successfully managed the £4.5m of Capacity Building Funds to support councils in Yorkshire and Humber. Following national developments this LGIIP became the Regional Improvement Partnership and then to the now Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, managing around £27m over the period 2008/2011.
3. Following the Government’s Review of Sub National arrangements, Councils agreed to extend the role of LGYH and in 2008 it took on the role of Leaders’ Board and created a strategic partnership with Yorkshire Forward to deliver the Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS). In addition Leaders agreed that the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly should be abolished on 31 March 2009 and that the role, functions and funding previously managed and delivered by the YHA on Housing and Planning be transferred to LGYH.
4. Comprehensive details of the activities delivered and managed by LGYH during the year 2009/2010 are shown in the Annual Report which is at Annex A.
5. Following a decision by the new Coalition Government earlier this year, the Leaders’ Board has been abolished and the Joint Regional Board partnership dismantled as the IRS has also been abolished. The funding previously provided to LGYH by CLG for the functions of Housing and Planning were withdrawn and therefore, LGYH has reduced its staffing numbers significantly to take account of this sizeable budget cut. In anticipation of a tighter budget we have also relinquished the lease on King Street.
6. LGYH has reverted to its pre-Leaders’ Board arrangements with an Executive made up of Leader representatives from each of the four functional sub-regions. We need to take the opportunity to renew and reconsider the focus and nature of local government collaboration in Yorkshire and Humber starting from answering the question whether we need to collaborate in the changed context.
SECTION 2: THE CHANGING POLICY, FISCAL AND GOVERNANCE LANDSCAPE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR
7. Leaders have requested a review of arrangements given the significant changes in the operating context. This includes the government proposals for: a) Localism and Decentralisation Agenda
• Development of new local governance arrangements including creation of elected police commissioners and shift in accountability for public health and abolition of PCTs. • Forthcoming White Paper proposals developing the Big Society theme creating resilient, self sufficient and self determining neighbourhoods and communities. • New Performance Regime reflecting local accountability and sector led challenge • Significant budget challenges, reduced budgets and focus on productivity and efficiency.
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b) Changing Regional Architecture and Focus on Sub-Regional Working in Driving Economic Growth
• The closure of regional Government Office. • Closure of Regional Development Agencies and creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).
c) Focus on Rebalancing the Economy and Deficit Reduction
• Impacts on public sector spending and policy approaches on the government role in addressing issues. • Abolition of CPA and removal of Audit Commission role in performance management to reduce costs of inspection. • Focus on private sector lead role in driving growth and on building an enterprise economy.
SECTION 3: CHANGING CONTEXT FOR COLLABORATION
8. Existing arrangements were geared to a different context. To be fit for purpose we need to consider what collaboration is needed in the new context and how best to organise and apply scarce resources.
Responding to Structural Changes
9. The closure of Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber will leave specific functions which will require local councils and police and fire to continue to collaborate. This includes:
• Resilience, Flooding and Emergency planning. • Relationships with Whitehall. • Support to policy innovation across sectors particularly voluntary and community sector. • Sustainable development including climate change.
10. The functions fulfilled by Yorkshire Forward will predominantly transfer to LEPs. Discussions are taking place with businesses regarding Cross LEP work which may still be required to be commissioned by LEPs.
11. The functions formerly relating to the Integrated Regional Plan or Regional Spatial Strategy and Joint Regional Board will move to local and sub-regional level. How much is done through LEPs is yet to be determined. There may also remain a requirement for light touch collaboration between LEPs and strategic planning between councils on planning, transport and housing issues.
12. The Strategic Health Authority will go and there will be a regional arm of the new NHS management body. PCTs will disappear and GPs will commission locally and Public Health function will transfer to councils. This has major implications for councils across the area and we are currently working with Health agencies, social care and children’s directors to manage and influence the development of this agenda. Critical issues include standards, safeguarding and maximising resources across agencies. Meeting the challenge of tackling health inequalities using knowledge transfer and networks to drive the agenda will be a priority. Place based commissioning and procurement presents a challenge and opportunity.
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SECTION 4: KEY AREAS FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION
13. Three main areas are identified as priority opportunities. a) Ensuring Effective Public Sector Transformation and Reducing Costs
• The Localism and Decentralisation Bill which will be published in the autumn will potentially require collective response from Councils both in terms of responding to the proposals and collaborating on any common areas in terms of implementation.
• A renewed focus for collaborative work on improvement is needed. The drive for productivity and efficiency will need to continue both at functional sub-regional level, across functional sub-regions and between councils.
• The drive to reduce costs and meet budget reductions means radical and new approaches. The strengthening of collaborative capacity to drive this would make sense.
• Current proposals and work on social care, children’s services, and cultural services are in place and need to be stepped up.
• The focus of the RIEP has been more on improvement rather than efficiency although it has already delivered £69.43m efficiency savings to date. It is predicted to exceed £150m by the end of the programme.
• The network of Directors of Finance have recently focussed on more collaborative working and the Total Capital work and dialogue with Treasury have sought to develop practical responses to the current financial situation.
• With Health collaborative working is proving critical to ensure effective cross boundary working. There are significant workforce issues to be tackled and stimulation of new markets and use of healthcare technology.
• With Police the emphasis on localism and local accountability including the proposals for elected police commissioners requires a collective response. As police authorities are currently members of the existing collaborative arrangements how the future accountability of police and health will operate at the local level is of specific interest.
• With Communities and Partners ensuring there is effective public service delivery is a priority for councils and the development of post LSP models is underway. Whilst there is some work nationally and locally on this there may be benefit in collaborative arrangements which provide challenge and in the spirit of sector led challenge offer mutual support and share learning.
• Police and Fire authorities have developed significant partnerships across the four functional sub-regions to reduce costs and secure operational efficiency. b) Strengthening Collaboration on Workforce and Organisational Development and Negotiations with Trade Unions
14. Councils are still significantly large employers and there are major workforce challenges ahead. We have been co-ordinating a strategic approach to this in Yorkshire and Humber, building leadership and capacity. There is a sound argument for councils continuing to collaborate on these issues both in economy of scale terms and in scale of influence terms. Key areas include:
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• Workforce planning across the public sector. • Greater workforce productivity e.g. cost reduction, managing talent across organisations. • Developing organisational capability and capacity to deliver the future shape of councils and manage workforce impacts. • Advice on new ways of working and organisational structures e.g. mutualisation of service delivery. • Joint arrangements with the Trade Unions and Joint Secretaries dispute resolution/advice. • Advice services, research and consultancy support on a range of Workforce/OD issues as driven by the needs of councils. c) Strengthening Sectoral Collaboration to Improve Effectiveness and Reduce Costs between National, Regional and Sub-Regional Organisations
15. In the past there has been: • Only informal and ad hoc relationships between regional collaborations of councils and the LGA. • A lack of structured connections between Regional Employers Organisations and the National Employers. • A lack of integration of RIEPs into the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency. • A lack of co-ordination on the use of European capacity at National and Regional levels.
16. All this is changing – Chairs of Regional Local Government Organisations are now on the LGA Executive, there is a review of the improvement agenda and we, as a regional employers and chair of the national network, are leading discussions on how this should operate in future.
17. There are changes to National local government arrangements; integration of Local Government Group. There is a new focus for Local Government Improvement and Development. There is also a consultation on the Top slice given to Local Government from Central Government. It is important that this funding is seen as part of the overall picture of spend on collaboration. There have been early discussions which could see resources applied to Yorkshire and Humber based improvement activity going forward.
18. Whilst retaining the ability to respond bottom up and develop approaches from the experience of councils in Yorkshire and Humber, it is important to connect to councils both across the North and with specific interests such as Cities or Districts and to work nationally to influence government on behalf of local government.
SECTION 5: WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR ARRANGEMENTS IN YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER?
19. Firstly, we need to determine whether, in the light of these changed conditions and potential areas for collaboration, in what ways do we want to continue to collaborate in Yorkshire and Humber taking into account the needs for collaboration at local, sub- regional and regional level will vary.
20. Secondly, which areas we want to collaborate on and at what spatial level the nature of the capacity we want to support this.
21. Alongside this is the cost of this collaboration, together with the costs of other collaborative arrangements such as LEPs and functional sub-region secretariats/Yorkshire Cities. This also includes the discussions on National collaboration and the future use of top slice funding from government to the sector. 5
a) How Do We Sustain Effective Collaboration?
22. Effective collaboration requires the following elements:
• Secretariat and support to enable political discussion/leadership - political Leadership including Leaders and Portfolio Holders - the Chief Executives’ Group - the Employers’ Committee
• Support and development - to work emerging from political discussion and Chief Executives’ Group - of officer delivery networks such as OD/HR network: Climate Change: Culture: Social Care and Childrens.
• Relationships management and brokerage - with National Local Government bodies, - with CLG and other government departments - with specific organisations including pan-regional e.g. Environment Agency, Association of Colleges, Yorkshire Universities.
• Commissioning of activity and research - On common strategic issues such as Work Foundation work on impact of public sector reductions on local economies.
• Programme management and co-ordination - Of activity commissioned for example RIEP programmes and projects. b) How do we judge what we want to collaborate on in the future?
23. The principles that guide this would be where we can work together:
• Adding real value • Not duplicating effort. • Learning from each other. • Adding weight to our influence on common issues.
24. Collaborating to secure or keep functions/powers in Yorkshire and Humber rather than have them go back to the national level i.e. a platform for decentralisation would also be a part of the judgement. c) What are Other Regions doing?
25. All regions are retaining a capacity to collaborate of between approximately 10 and 20 staff. There are differences of capacity and function. For example the North West has a minimum secretariat as in our options, however, it has 12 employers side rather than our proposed 3.
26. Annex B (attached) details the current staffing in other regions. We have historically retained the leanest structure and in the light of all the changes we would still do so.
SECTION 6: WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS TO TAKE EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION FORWARD?
27. These options are based on maximising the existing infrastructure whilst minimising costs during this period of transition. We did consider the alternative of no separate secretariat, however, the scale of change over the next year and the pressure on and nature of sub- regional secretariats led us to propose two year options reviewable after the first year to facilitate transformation and discussion. 6
28. The RIEP programmes end in June 2011; the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber, Strategic Health Authority and Yorkshire Forward will be in transition during the next 18 months. Costings are for two years only.
Option 1 – Core Functions
29. This would be the Secretariat and the Employers’ functions. The staffing team would be the Chief Executive, 4 staff in the Secretariat and 3 in the Employers’ Team (plus 2 admin apprentices). The cost of salaries and on-costs plus minimal overheads and administration would be covered by subscription income, subscriptions would be reduced by 20% for the 2011/12 and 2012/13 financial years. Subscription income would fall from £945k in 2010/11 to £756k in 2011/12 and then to £605k in 2012/13.
Option 2 – Core Functions+ Plus
30. This would be the Secretariat and Employers’ functions as in option 1 but would also provide greater capacity to meet demand led work from Councils eg Europe, Health and Social Care etc. The staffing team would be the Chief Executive, 7 staff in the Secretariat and 3 in the Employers’ Team (plus 2 admin apprentices). The salaries and on-costs plus minimal overheads and administration would be covered by subscription income, subscriptions would be reduced by 10% for the 2011 and 2012/13 financial years. Subscription income would fall from £945k in 2010/11 to £850k in 2011/12 and then to £765k in 2012/13.
Option 3 – Core Functions+ Plus and Improvement Hub
31. This would be the functions as in option 2 but would provide greater capacity to address innovation, efficiency and improvement across the public sector. The staffing team would be the Chief Executive, 7 staff in the Secretariat, 3 in the Employers’ Team, 2 to work on Improvement (plus 2 admin apprentices). The salaries and on-costs plus minimal overheads and administration would be covered by subscription income, subscriptions would be held at the same level as 2010/11 for the financial years 2011/12 and 2012/13.
32. In addition to the above financial issues it is also appropriate to make clear that at the end of the life of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly balances were transferred to LGYH. A large part of the balances have been used to cover transition and redundancy costs. Now that those functions no longer exist and the liabilities arising from them have been addressed it is proposed that the remainder of the balances, £500k, are distributed to councils pro-rata to the council’s level of subscription to LGYH.
SECTION 7: ADDITIONAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN DECIDING ON OPTIONS
Current Legal Status and Position
33. The current legal status of LGYH is that of an employers’ association established under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Consolidation Act.
34. This legal status applied to the Employers’ Organisation (Local Government Management Board) prior to its integration into the new LGYH in April 2006. This legal status allows LGYH to employ staff, hold bank accounts etc and also allows certain benefits re VAT. So long as the organisation carries out the employer association function as one of its functions this legal status can continue. External legal advice was taken on this point when the majority of Yorkshire and Humber Assembly functions were TUPE transferred to LGYH in 2009. Therefore, the current legal status of LGYH can be used for future arrangements so long as one of the functions to be carried out is that of an employers’ association.
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35. The Constitution of LGYH and of the Employers’ Committee can be amended by them at the AGM or a specially convened meeting of either body with the required quorum.
Reviewing Skills and Structures
36. The existing capacity has been built incrementally to match the previous collaborative agenda. It would be necessary to focus some of the resource and reconsider the structural arrangements for the leadership of the agendas.
37. The Chief Executives’ Group has played an increasingly critical role in leadership and development of the agenda. The RIEP structure has engaged Members and Officers. There may need to be a more dynamic task and finish approach to the work with Members and Officers working together rather than intensive separate networks.
38. If the new arrangements were to pick up new responsibilities such as co-ordinating on resilience or independent brokerage on “social enterprise management buy outs” these would require new skills and capacity.
39. There may also be a need to consider engagement with other sectors on specific issues and how the challenge function will be exercised. This could include closer working with other public sector bodies working on the same agenda. The Independent Sustainability Board has suggested the need to consider how we will integrate challenge in the new arrangements. This could link to the work being developed by the Scrutiny Members Network. Would we need the capacity to measure progress across LEPs and FSRs and would an integrated intelligence and resource capacity make sense?
Conclusions
40. Over the next two years Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber and Yorkshire Forward will close and the Local Enterprise Partnerships and sub-regional structures will develop. It is proposed that a two year plan be agreed to co-ordinate the transition and respond flexibly to the changing conditions.
41. During this period the National Sectoral Organisations – the LGA, Improvement and Development of Local Government and National Employers will have also completed a review and revised arrangements.
42. In this paper we have set the issues to be considered and some options for future organisation. The following timeline sets out the process for making decisions in accordance with the budget setting process of LGYH and allowing for the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
17 September South Yorkshire Leaders 27 September West Yorkshire CEXs 27 September Leeds City Region CEXs 7 October Chief Executives’ Group 8 October Humber CEXs 8 October Local Government North Yorkshire and York Leaders & CEXs 14 October Leeds City Region Leaders 20 October South Yorkshire CEXs 21 October LGYH Executive (former Leaders’ Board) 5 November Humber CEXs 11 November Humber Unitary Leaders’ Group 25 November LGYH Full Membership (LA Leaders, Fire, Police & National Park Authorities)
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Local Government Yorkshire and Humber
Annual Report
2009 - 2010
1 Contents
Page
A message from our Chair 3
Section 1 – Strategic Regional Partnership Issues 5
Economic Development and Inclusion 6
Transport 8
Housing and Regeneration 10
Strategic Planning 13
Section 2 – Strategic Local Government Issues 15
Climate Change 16
Community wellbeing and Neighbourhoods 18
Tackling Health Inequalities 20
Strategic Infrastructure 22
Culture and the 2012 Games 24
Section 3 – Local Government Business Achievements 26
Improvement and Efficiency 27
Workforce and Organisational Development 30
Developing the Functional Sub-Regions 34
Europe and International Working 36
Section 4 – LGYH Organisational Achievements 38
Section 5 – Summary of Member Attendance at LGYH Meetings 42
Section 6 – Summary of Accounts 2009-2010 (to be included after audit) 44
2 A message from our Chair….
It is always good to look back and see how much has been achieved over the past year. The pace of change and challenges that have faced us this last year make what we have achieved together even more satisfying.
We have all as Councils, Fire, Police and National Park Authorities faced increased demands as a result of the economic downturn. So we have had to work together to respond and support the people and communities we serve.
Our Regional Partnership has helped us deliver through enabling us in this region to secure approximately 1000 Apprenticeships for young people and become the leading region in the country on this. It has also enabled us to make sure that people struggling to pay their mortgages can take advantage of Mortgage Rescue through the breathing space scheme run by Wakefield Council on behalf of all local authorities in the region.
In responding to the recession, we worked well in partnership with our colleagues at Yorkshire Forward through our Joint Regional Board and our Regional Minister, Rosie Winterton MP.
We have also worked together to promote nationally both the devolution of power at a local level and the recognition that working at the functional sub-regional level is the best way to promote the economic future of places in the region. We have supported functional sub-regions in developing capacity and strategy and we have supported the Humber in particular on ensuring that the Toll on the Humber Bridge was frozen and not increased.
We are the lead regional improvement partnership on cohesion and have influenced the national agenda on Prevent supporting Councils and Police Authorities in particular in their work at local and functional sub-regional level. We have also done promotional work with young people particularly promoting local government as a career to young people and supporting authorities to ensure the recruitment and retention of young talent.
We have supported each other through difficult situations in particular we have exchanged good practice on improving Children’s Services and through the support of professional networks we are creating understanding and action on tackling the big social issues that face us in the region such as health and inequalities. A highlight this year was the session Chaired by Cllr Kris Hopkins with Professor Sir Michael Marmot where we worked with colleagues from health to better understand what we need to do in this region and the places we represent to make sure that everyone gets a fair chance in life.
3 We are the only region in the country to have signed up explicitly to work together through a mutuality framework to support and challenge each other.
Next year the challenge will be making this a reality.
Last year we faced the challenge of integrating the work on planning and housing within LGYH. In the coming year we face major challenges as Councils, Police, Fire and National Park Authorities in not only tackling the wider strategic issues that face us such as climate change and promoting economic growth. We will need to do this in the face of major public sector financial reductions.
We have always worked in this region on the basis of what we think works for us and not just on what the Government tells us. We will need to seize the opportunities the coming year presents us with to work together across the wider public sector and I would argue across borders within Europe to make sure that we do the best once again for the people we serve through working together.
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Section 1
Strategic Regional Partnership Issues
5 Economic Development & Inclusion
The last twelve months have seen the UK economy move out of recession - but this recovery remains extremely fragile and significant challenges remain for many of our local economies across Yorkshire and Humber, with vulnerable local job markets and high levels of unemployment remaining. Nevertheless, over the last year local authorities have continued to demonstrate impressive economic leadership for their local economies and their citizens, building on the LGYH “Economic Pledge” established by our Membership in late 2009.
This work towards economic recovery has been supported by LGYH, in particular, by our work to boost the capacity of councils to work together in their economic geographies – i.e. Leeds City Region, Sheffield City Region, Hull & Humber Ports City Region and York & North Yorkshire. These economic “Functional Sub Regions” (FSRs) better represent real-life employment markets, travel to work patterns and business agglomerations than the region as a whole; and a core focus for LGYH has therefore been to work with economic partners, such as Yorkshire Forward, to change their culture of working at regional level to instead direct resources and the basis of strategy-making to the four FSRs.
The “Forerunner” status granted to Leeds City Region, to trial new, innovative ways of delivering economic growth at the city region level, has been a significant development in shaping wider thinking across Yorkshire and Humber in terms of how we can work most effectively together as local authorities to deliver prosperous and more resilient local economies. This will remain a priority for LGYH over the coming months.
In addition to supporting the collaborative, local authority working to drive forward future economic prosperity in Yorkshire and Humber, we have also focused on the current and continuing issues facing our local communities following the recession - in particular the entrenched problems of worklessness in some of our communities. This includes our responses to the national “Tackling Worklessness Review”, led by the Leader of Barnsley, Councillor Stephen Houghton, to get more people back into the workplace - particularly those individuals and groups that were already struggling in the labour market before the recession hit.
Key achievements in the area of economic development and inclusion over the last year include:
• Embedding new collaborative working arrangements between local government and the region’s economic development agency, Yorkshire Forward - through the Joint Regional Board - to ensure that strategic economic growth and investment decisions reflect the needs of local government and their local communities.
6 • The facilitation of significant RIEP funding, in the order of £1m, to build the capacity of the Leeds, Sheffield, Hull & Humber ports City Regions and York & North Yorkshire Partnership, to join up local authority activity more effectively and work towards collaborative economic strategies that reflect our local economies. This includes specific support to take forward FSR-level Economic Assessments and to the Leeds City Region to help realise their “Forerunner” ambitions. • The publication of groundbreaking research into the impact of public sector cuts on local economies by the Work Foundation. As well as promoting new ways of working to help local authorities manage the impact of cuts in their local areas, this work is also ensuring that key decision makers at regional and national level are fully aware of the disproportionate impact such cuts will have on the local economies in Yorkshire and Humber. • Securing £100,000 of funding from the Department for Work & Pensions, supplemented by £150,000 of wider RIEP funding, to establish an innovative, “action-learning” based Worklessness Network, to test out new ways of working in local authorities to support those with the most complex needs get back into work. A dedicated innovation fund and Worklessness Coordinator are being supported by this funding, providing a resource to local authorities and partners, particularly to develop strategic links with key Third Sector organisations. • Working with PricewaterhouseCooper to explore new, practical ways for local authorities to maximise the opportunities for efficiency savings and economic benefits by adopting ‘Total Capital’ approaches – i.e. generating better value for money by joining up economic investment and public sector asset management. • FSRs have been supported to establish sustainable sub-regional networking, to ensure that their economic and spatial planning at the sub regional level reflects and complements local community and “quality of life” needs. This includes the provision of dedicated Local Improvement Advisor support to the FSRs and a number of highly successful workshops with their Local Strategic Partnership managers. • Supporting the FSRs and local authorities on the production of Local Economic Assessments (LEAs) – partly in response to the new LEA “Duty”, but most importantly because these assessments are what local authorities say they need, in order to plan their economic futures together as we emerge from recession. This includes our work with the European and Regional Business Economic Development Unit (ERBEDU) at Leeds Business School, to help ensure local authorities understand the far-reaching implications and potential of LEAs – such as the associated Worklessness Assessments, Child Poverty Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals. • We have supported councils to provide further new employment opportunities for local communities through the Future Jobs Fund network, including bringing in Local Improvement Advisor support.
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Transport
While transport continues to be a major concern for Local Authorities in Yorkshire and Humber there have been many developments across the region in the last year. Following the new arrangements that were established in 2009 Yorkshire Forward led on the Regional Transport Advisory Board with support from Local Government Yorkshire and Humber. Both organisations have facilitated the Board, providing advice to Government on transport priorities and funding allocations, as well as ensuring that local authorities and the functional sub regions (FSRs) are instrumental in shaping the development of transport priorities for the region.
The Regional Transport Advisory Board has addressed a number of strategic issues facing the Yorkshire and Humber Region in the past year. The main topics discussed and debated by the Board during this period included:
• The Delivering a Sustainable Transport System (DaSTS) workstream
• The Regional Funding Advice (RFA) in relation to transport schemes;
• The transport input into the Yorkshire and Humber Strategy; and
• Developing a regional perspective on High Speed Rail. A recurrent theme throughout the year and that spanned these issues was the impact of the recession and the reduced availability of public funding to deliver transport schemes over the forthcoming years.
Delivering a Sustainable Transport System ‘Delivering a Sustainable Transport System’ (DaSTS) sets out the latest National approach to transport and looks to set a new framework for investment in transport infrastructure through focusing on the wider outcomes that investment in transport achieves. This includes placing emphasis on the wider policy goals that transport needs to achieve, include carbon reduction and increasing economic growth through improved connectivity. At the beginning of 2009 this placed a responsibility on each region to develop a work programme, encompassing the studies needed to understand the transport problems and potential solutions facing the region and sub regions. This was submitted to Government in June 2009 and the agreed list of studies to be undertaken by the region was finalised in the autumn.
8 Regional Funding Advice The Regional Funding Advice on transport has been the focus for much activity over the last twelve months, in particular the need to agree a programme of major transport investment over the coming years that is both deliverable and meets local authorities’ needs – a difficult and sensitive balance to strike, but one which has nevertheless been achieved successfully. Work throughout the year has therefore included the development of a new methodology to re-profile the region’s current profile of investment in transport.
High Speed Rail A key priority for LGYH over the course of the last twelve months has been to make a clear and robust case for a high speed rail link between Yorkshire and Humber and London and the South East of England, as this has become increasingly important on the national political agenda. The huge scale of potential economic benefits that could be generated in Yorkshire and Humber, as a consequence of having access to the high speed rail network, meant that a concerted level of work was undertaken to make the regional business case for this link. This included the publication by LGYH and Yorkshire Forward of a joint position statement, demonstrating the benefits of high speed rail coming to the region, followed by a joint cross party submission to the then Transport Minister, Lord Adonis. In the letter Local Authority Leaders stated their belief that High Speed Rail would transform local economies across Yorkshire and Humber and lobbied government to ensure that any new network links our communities with the capital. Following this influencing activity Government announced a preferred route network for high speed rail that reflected our Leaders’ ideas and suggestions. In addition to maintaining pressure on the new Government to deliver against these plans, the coming months will see LGYH working to ensure that there is no detraction from other, crucial investments in the region’s transport network, particularly rail.
Humber Bridge Toll LGYH also worked with partners, particularly those in the Hull and Humber Ports city region, to campaign for a freeze and reduction in the level of toll across the Humber Bridge. The level of toll represents a significant blockage in realising the full potential of the City Region and, following our collective influencing activity, the Government agreed to a freeze in the tolls, rather than a previously planned increase. We will continue to campaign for a reduction in the toll – one of the highest in the UK – to bring it down to a level that will allow the free flow of employment and other opportunities across the Humber, and unlock the enormous potential of this part of our region, which will benefit all of our local authorities.
9 Housing and Regeneration
To be a successful and sustainable region, we need attractive housing that provides a wide choice of affordable, decent homes in good quality places where people want to live. Yorkshire and Humber has a range of thriving housing markets that provide excellent quality homes and environments, but there continues to be an imbalance between the housing markets in different parts of the region. Yorkshire and Humber also faces a particular set of housing challenges which have been complicated by the economic downturn.
Popular, high value areas - especially in North Yorkshire, the western parts of Bradford and South Yorkshire, North Leeds, Harrogate, parts of East Riding and York - are ‘overheating’ and becoming increasingly inaccessible to local people and key workers. By contrast, the decline of traditional industries has led to great changes in many inner urban areas. This, coupled with increased household mobility and shifting aspirations has created a complex picture of housing need and demand.
The Yorkshire and Humber Regeneration and Housing Board has always been recognised as a strong and effective board in terms of delivering innovative approaching to housing challenges, that reflect local needs. Now, within LGYH’s structures, it is building on these strengths to embrace a wider regeneration remit and join up more effectively with planning, transport and economic development to deliver a wider set of local outcomes.
The key achievements detailed below show a range of both strategic and delivery based initiatives, all designed to improve the number, range and quality of housing across the region.
Yorkshire and Humber Housing and Regeneration Board Proposition
In the face of deepening public sector cuts, the Regeneration and Housing Board decided the time was right to demonstrate to the Government that investment in regeneration in this region would help the whole country to achieve economic growth. The Board wanted to show that the successes which have already been achieved, and the appetite to continue to achieve economic growth in challenging time, cannot be set aside in an environment of public sector cuts. The ‘Proposition’ aims to make clear the benefits that investment can bring to this region, and the benefits that economic growth in Yorkshire and Humber will bring to the whole of the country. The Regeneration and Housing Board Proposition sets an exemplar for how a strong partnership between national, regional, sub- regional and local partners can achieve those things which we all want from regeneration - sustainable, equitable growth for all communities.
The Proposition also represents the beginning of a dialogue with the new National Government, to demonstrate how local authorities in Yorkshire and
10 Humber and their partners deliver on the shared agendas of driving forward economic recovery, delivering the housing improvements that local communities need to enhance their quality of life, and reducing our impact on the environment
Mortgage Rescue
In September last year the mortgage rescue scheme `Breathing Space’ was launched, to help home owners in danger of repossession to get financial assistance to help them over difficult times. The scheme is run by Wakefield Council on behalf of all local authorities in the region, and is funded through the Regeneration and Housing Board’s Private Sector Renewal Pot.
Affordable Housing
Over the last 18 months a comprehensive online toolkit has been developed to directly support local authorities in their delivery of affordable houses. Built in partnership with local authorities and housing partners this web-based toolkit is designed to provide accessible, up to date, practical support and guidance on all aspects of delivering affordable homes in local areas. A set of interactive seminars have been held to train local authority officers on using the website: www.deliveraffordablehomes.co.uk
Rural Housing
LGYH have published a Rural Affordable Housing Delivery Guide and taken this forward with further work to tackle rural delivery issues.
Successful events have been held in the North and South of the region, which provided essential networking and highlighted partnership opportunities. For example, local authorities in South Yorkshire are currently working together to investigate the possibility of a joint resource in that area for addressing these problems. This guidance also helped to inform the development of the wider online toolkit and will become embedded within it.
Developing a Regional Evidence Base
A comprehensive Regional Housing Evidence Base report has been published and disseminated widely with sub-regional and local authority partners. The report highlights key issues and policy implications for local authorities, the functional sub-regions and the region as a whole.
As part of the initial development stages of the proposed Yorkshire and Humber Strategy, the Housing and Regeneration Board commissioned a piece of work to look at what housing evidence existed, what issues the region was facing and what gaps there was in this evidence. By working with our sub-regional and local
11 partners this has resulted in a comprehensive report that provides an analysis of the key issues and, critically, the policy implications arising from this.
As a way of making this information relevant at a very local level, functional sub- regional and city regional seminars have taken place to help support local policy development.
Housing Market Intelligence
As a direct response to the economic downturn, and subsequent impact on the housing market, LGYH produces a briefing for each local authority giving information on such issues as house prices, number of house sales, affordability and so on. The briefing is prepared approximately 6 times a year, and often generates further requests from local authorities for more detailed briefings in very local areas.
Building Support for Mixed Communities
In September of last year LGYH held a joint event with Shelter to share best practice on the challenging issue of delivering much needed social rented housing and other social provision (such as hostels and Gypsy and Traveller sites) in local communities.
Amongst other things, this strategic seminar explored ways of building support for new developments and shared best practice in holding public meetings for developments with a social or supported housing element.
12 Strategic Planning
Strategic planning determines how much large-scale development should broadly go where in the long term, and tackles big issues affecting several local authorities but which no local authority can address on its own. Such “cross- boundary” issues include: infrastructure; scale and distribution of housing; employment land provision; flood risk and water management; renewable energy; waste management; minerals supply; the spatial distribution of settlements and their ability to accommodate development.
By choosing to deal with these key issues at a strategic level, local authorities can save time and resources, and are more likely to work towards robust outcomes capable of withstanding scrutiny at any formal public inquiries. This “built-from-local” approach has helped to inform and develop the evidence base and policy at the Functional Sub-Region (FSRs) and regional level. It has also helped local authorities, through input, guidance and training, with Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) and planning applications of regional significance; as well as saving councils money by way of leading joint studies on key issues that affect more than one local authority. . Key achievements over the last year include:
• Functional Sub-Regions (FSRs): provided on-going support to sub regional partners by seconding planners to each of the four FSRs to help develop sub-regional approaches, support sub-regional boards, and set up and facilitate specific support groups • Sub-regional spatial planning assessments: prepared four, dedicated sub- regional spatial planning assessments with the FSRs to help meet their evidence base needs and determine sub-regional and regional priorities - taking a genuine built-from-local approach reflecting local authorities’ LDFs • Sub-regional Water Cycle Scoping Study: secured funding from 7 different partners for work needed to inform growth point bids (by Leeds City Region, Sheffield City Region), leading to major cost savings in the order of £200,000 for local authorities, had each done their own study. • Renewable energy study: secured £150,000 from the Government to examine potential renewable energy resources and ways of achieving a low carbon economy – again saving local authorities around £200,000 had they done the work themselves. • Regional Flood Risk Appraisal: prepared appraisal in-house to deliver value for money, increase expertise within the local authority family and consulted all local authorities on a confidential basis to minimise potential problems and ensure solutions are built-from-local • Infrastructure: set up “Infrastructure Hub” on website to help provide guidance and signposting for local authorities preparing Infrastructure
13 Delivery Plans (as required nationally), liaised with utility companies on the development of collaborative planning strategy and facilitated three related conferences on infrastructure with utilities present (for further details, see section on ‘Infrastructure’) • Employment land: worked with partners to collate evidence on the availability of employment land at a local level and draw out key messages for FSRs, including the identification of strategic sites for development and a region-wide methodology for translating job growth forecasts into requirements for extra floorspace • Housing: worked with local authorities to develop a methodology for determining the scale and distribution of new housing needed within FSRs, taking into account: overcrowding, affordability, quality of current housing stock, housing demand, housing markets, land availability • Waste: provided chair for Regional Technical Advisory Body on Waste and liaised with the Environment Agency to produce region-wide Waste Data CD to help local authorities plan for waste Development Plan Documents and meet requirements of the Landfill Directive • Implementation: prepared guidance for local authorities facing specific difficulties with key issues (eg Infrastructure Hub, Renewable Energy Toolkit, Affordable Housing Toolkit) and assisted local authorities and developers with pre-application inquiries • Regional Spatial Planning Board: facilitated four Board meetings and prepared papers advising members on key issues relevant to collaborative planning strategies at the FSR and regional level, local authorities’ Local Development Frameworks and applications of regional significance, and Government consultations • Local Authority Local Development Frameworks: supported local authorities on 11 separate LDF Core Strategies and 13 Development Plan Documents (e.g. on waste, minerals, etc.) • Applications of major significance: considered 38 planning applications of potential regional significance and provided comments on 13 of these to local authorities • Other support to local authorities and others (e.g. supporting Hull City Council at the planning inquiry into its City Area Action Plan, influencing Natural England to work with local authorities to map green infrastructure on a FSR basis and save costs to local authorities)
14
Section 2
Strategic Local Government Issues
15 Climate Change
With our industrial base of power stations, oil refineries and chemical plants Yorkshire and Humber has one of the most carbon intensive economies in Europe. Population and housing growth will add further to the huge challenge of reducing our green house gas emissions whilst ensuring we are resilient to a changing and more volatile climate in the future. Set against these challenges are big opportunities. We have many of the natural resources, significant built infrastructure and a growing knowledge base that can help us lead the way to a low carbon economy.
The last year has seen activity move forward considerably in a coordinated way with positive outcomes around collaboration, leadership and adaptation to climate change. In addition to closer working with regional agencies and partners, significant funding through YoHr Space has seen the establishment of a Climate Change Board to drive forward projects that are designed collaboratively, built up from local knowledge and experience. The Local Area Climate Change Network of expert practitioners has been instrumental in shaping the programme, sharing existing best practice and managing projects through sub-regional partnerships.
Leadership Academies for elected members and chief officers have supported learning, raised awareness and highlighted solutions and opportunities for localities. As a result sub-regions are working more closely to develop longer term plans and to support one another to deliver against their performance measures. This will be further complimented by the Climate Change Skills Fund that will focus on the role of planning policy in tackling climate change.
Preparing for the expected impacts of a changing climate is a key risk that local authorities and their partners need to assess and manage. Through tailored support both those that are getting started and those leading the way have been able to enhance their understanding and capacity through a range of interventions. The Projections in Practice Week hosted by the Climate Change Partnership highlighted the new UK Climate Change Projections to all sectors with a week long series of events. Further targeted training and sharing of experiences has helped localities better understand their risks and how best to manage them.
Key achievements
• Through the Regional Improvement & Efficiency Partnership, YoHr Space, collaboration between local authorities and their partners is common place, with sub-regional partnerships established to improve performance and efficiency in tackling climate change • Local authority leadership on climate change issues through the Leadership Academies is visible with the level of action and ambition raised significantly. • Following the extensive Projections in Practice week - adaptation to climate change is better understood with tools and support signposted and available to all
16 • Practitioners are well informed on best practice and the implications of the Climate Change Act 2008 through learning and sharing at the Local Area Climate Change Network • Local Authorities are better prepared for the requirements of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme through a dedicated workshop, toolkit and guide • Wider national and regional partners engaged with local government through the Climate Change Partnership for Yorkshire and Humber on land management, business, transport, water, energy and waste
17 Community Cohesion, Wellbeing and Prosperous Neighbourhoods
Encouraging the sharing of intelligence, practice and experience across local authorities in the region in terms of delivering more cohesive and prosperous local communities, has continued to be a priority of LGYH over the last 12 months. Our aim is to support local authorities to enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of their citizens, by working together on issues of mutual concern and where we can deliver more effectively by joint working.
The membership of LGYH identified, in particular, community cohesion as a key priority for the region. Local authorities and partners are working hard to build communities in which people from different backgrounds get on well together, tensions are avoided, a sense of belonging is felt by all and people from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities and equal access to services.
We have continued to support local authorities and partners across the region in relation to the community cohesion agenda, and related priorities. The community cohesion programme has included a wide range of projects and initiatives across the region as well as specific support provided in West Yorkshire. Achievements relate to promoting shared understanding across the region, facilitating learning and good practice groups and networks, supporting elected members to drive the agenda and commissioning research as the lead region for these important areas of work.
Key achievements
• The Regional Community Cohesion Statement was launched at the LGYH AGM in June 2009. Activity to support the embedding of its principles has progressed throughout the year. • The Yorkshire and Humber Community Cohesion Network continues to meet on a quarterly basis and each meeting addresses particular cohesion issues relevant to local authorities and their communities. • A Regional Community Cohesion Elected Member group has been created to drive cohesion and provide political commitment across Yorkshire and Humber. • As the National Lead RIEP for Cohesion and the Prevent agenda, we have completed significant research projects aimed at identifying good practice in relation to engaging with Mosques and Madressahs, engaging with young people and working with the MAPPA [Note: What is MAPPA?] process. Additionally we are identifying best practice in terms of the implementation of strategies to embed Community Cohesion and Prevent. • LGYH is supporting regional Prevent activity funded by the Challenge and Innovation Fund, including support for workforce development programmes, individual projects and a regional good practice event. • LGYH has commissioned a range of learning and good practice events and workshops:
A regional Neighbourhood Management event has been delivered and is being followed up by a series of workshops
18 LGYH supported a regional event to promote the ‘City of Sanctuary’ initiative and this included viewing of the ‘City of Sanctuary’ film also supported by LGYH. A regional networking event to raise awareness of Participatory Budgeting was supported by LGYH and included viewing of the Participatory Budgeting DVD commissioned by LGYH with the Participatory Budgeting Unit. LGYH hosted a regional event to focus on the impact of migration. As a result of this a good practice report was created which has been widely circulated. A follow-up event will take place towards the end of 2010. LGYH has, with GOYH and the REP, commissioned two Local Improvement Advisors to run regional workshops to develop the skills of frontline and community activists. A successful workshop to explore the particular barriers faced by BME communities in terms of worklessness.
• LGYH has continued to support the West Yorkshire Community Cohesion Project Board and the following products are being used by local authorities and partners across the sub-region:
The ‘Cohesion in West Yorkshire’ statement has been updated to include developments in the Prevent agenda. Mapping of structures and roles of agencies involved in the Prevent agenda in West Yorkshire. Mapping of Prevent-related training products and materials used in West Yorkshire.
• LGYH has also continued to support the West Yorkshire Community Cohesion Project Group and has ensured that good practice is shared in relation to priorities such as the Migration Impacts Fund, the Challenge and Innovation Fund and Place Survey analysis. • LGYH worked with GOYH to support the West Yorkshire councils in their application to the Challenge and Innovation Fund for Prevent work. Three joint projects were successful, and LGYH has established, coordinated and supported a West Yorkshire Prevent Officers Group to ensure the successful and timely delivery of the three joint projects and share learning from the individual local authority funded projects. • LGYH has continued to support the West Yorkshire Tensions Monitoring Group which shares experience and practice in relation to monitoring and addressing community tensions. LGYH has delivered a workshop to review tensions monitoring processes in the sub-region and consider enhancements in consistency.
19
Tackling Health Inequalities
Tackling Health Inequalities remains one of the key priorities of Local Government Yorkshire and Humber and the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (YoHr Space). Over the year there have been some important developments on this agenda nationally, regionally and locally. Our Leaders and Chief Executives have worked closely with the Strategic Health Authority over the past year to ensure that Yorkshire and Humber is fully prepared to address issues relating to health inequalities, and where necessary innovate services to best meet the needs of the region.
The Region’s work on tackling health inequalities is being led by Councillor Jonathan Owen from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Chief Executive of North East Lincolnshire Council Tony Hunter. Both Councillor Owen and Tony have made a valuable contribution to the health agenda by ensuring that local authorities work closely with partners in health to be fully involved in driving forward this agenda. Special mention must also be made of the contribution of John Marsden, the former Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council who successfully led on this agenda up until his retirement at the beginning of 2010.
One of the main developments in the past year was the launch and implementation of the government review into health inequalities by Professor Sir Michael Marmot. The review looked at the health provisions across the country and identified not only where the main health inequalities were but the effect and cost implications they had on the rest of society. Local Government Yorkshire and Humber worked closely with NHS Yorkshire and Humber on an event, attended by Professor Sir Marmot that addressed the findings of the report and their impact on developing health policies in our region. This has now led to a region wide commitment to partnership working to tackle health inequalities and has ensured that the agenda remains one of the top priorities for local government in our area.
The Joint Improvement Partnership (JIP) has continued its support to the Regional Association of Directors of Adult Services and to the Directors of Childrens Services, and has provided support to local authorities where needed. This has led to cross boundary working and councils offering practical support and help to each other in times of need. Extensive work has also taken place with the JIP on transforming social care services and ensuring the local authorities are supported and effective in their delivery to local communities.
Key Achievements
• A successful joint event with Regional Public Health colleagues at which Professor Sir Michael Marmot presented the findings of the review into Health Inequalities. The roundtable was chaired by Cllr Kris Hopkins who stimulated a debate across the PCT, NHS and Local Government about how we could take forward tackling health inequalities in the light of the findings. In a facilitated session practitioners looked at how we can work together across health and local
20 government to enable empowered communities to tackle the conditions which are enabling health inequality to continue.
• Joint discussions between Leaders, Chief Executives and the Strategic Health Authority Chief Executive and Senior Health Colleagues to discuss how we can work together better. This has led to a review of why we have separate improvement programmes and whether we can integrate these to get greater impact.
• The Joint Improvement Partnership which is led by the Regional Association of Directors of Adult Services has delivered successfully on year two of a major programme of transforming social care services. Highlights include a show case event held in Barnsley which highlighted the work going on across the region. Different councils are leading on different elements of the work. Some good examples include best practice in the development of reablement services, support for the commissioning and development of micro-services, a regional strategic safeguarding network and a regional programme of work supporting learning and practice in the use of assistive technology.
• Directors of Adult Services and Chief Executives have played an active role on the NHS improvement programme ‘Healthy Ambitions’. This has worked on improving pathways of care and making sure there is better connection between Health and Social Care services.
• Strategic briefings of Chief Executives of developments in Health and Social Care were prepared and given by John Marsden and Tony Hunter as Lead Chief Executives in this area
21 Strategic Infrastructure
To achieve sustainable economic growth, it is essential to ensure there is sufficient capacity for “strategic” infrastructure. Such infrastructure is “cross- boundary” by nature, and links/underpins local authority aspirations for housing, economic development and regeneration. Critically, it tends to be owned and operated at a region-wide scale. Strategic infrastructure includes:
• public transport (road and rail) • flood defences, water supply and wastewater treatment networks • energy and communications networks (gas, electricity, telecoms) • minerals and waste facilities • key social infrastructure (hospitals, secondary schools, police command centres) • networks of green infrastructure critical to health and amenity.
Identifying and assessing capacity constraints and opportunities helps functional sub-regions (FSRs) inform decisions about future locations for development and investment priorities in the long term. Where there are constraints, it is important to address these. This also helps local authorities prepare Infrastructure Delivery Plans (IDPs) as required by national policy.
However, infrastructure provision is a complex issue affecting several local authorities but which no local authority can address on its own. Moreover, most providers operate at a regional scale (eg Yorkshire Water, CE Electric), and have indicated a preference to deal with LGYH and/or the 4 FSRs rather than all 22 local authorities on related issues.
As such, work by LGYH has aimed to:
• define and focus on strategic infrastructure to help local authorities • establish evidence on infrastructure • improve engagement in the strategic planning process by providers, many of whom are private companies • help local authorities with Infrastructure Delivery Plans for LDF Core Strategies by providing related guidance and support
Key achievements include (in addition to some of those noted under the previous “Planning” section of this report):
• Local Authority Infrastructure Steering Group: set up group to help local authorities prepare Infrastructure Delivery Plans (including an online infrastructure “hub”) and, in particular, consider what LGYH should focus on in terms of infrastructure in order to add value at a strategic level
22 • Strategic Infrastructure Report: further to liaison with Local Authority Infrastructure Steering Group, prepared report in-house (to save on costs and develop expertise) to identify “strategic infrastructure” types that LGYH should focus on, and discussed related infrastructure capacity in local authority areas with utility providers, thereby adding value to work by local authorities • The work with PricewaterhouseCooper on “Total Capital” approaches (see section 1 of this Report) is also helping inform more effective approaches to public sector infrastructure investment and management, that will drive out greater efficiencies and deliver enhanced economic benefits. • Infrastructure in Functional Sub Regions: developed composite maps for each FSR showing strategic infrastructure types to help colleagues identify and assess infrastructure capacity accordingly • Engagement of utility providers: Secured better engagement from utility providers in the strategic planning process, and held three conferences with utilities for local authority planners on infrastructure issues • Guidance: prepared guidance for local authorities facing difficulties on key issues such as the Infrastructure Hub and the Renewable Energy Toolkit • Government consultations: provided input into consultation on national policy statements for infrastructure, and helped FSRs to do likewise • Green infrastructure: influenced Natural England to work with local authorities to map green infrastructure on a FSR basis and help save resources
23 Culture and the 2012 Games
The 2012 Games
LGYH has been supporting local authorities to maximise their potential around the 2012 Games, specifically around the ‘Active and Engaged Communities’ chapter of the Yorkshire Gold strategy. This aims to encourage more people of all abilities, especially young people, to volunteer and be engaged in their communities. This will lead to Yorkshire and Humber being recognised as a great region for volunteering.
Whilst Yorkshire and Humber is determined to play its part in making the 2012 Games a resounding success it is also intended to ensure the region derives real benefits from them by securing a legacy of tangible outcomes that enhance the region’s well-being and prosperity. As a result, we have supported Tony Reeves, Chief Executive of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council as the regional Chief Executive Lead on the 2012 Games to promote this work across all our local authorities.
Key achievements
• Local authorities are working towards the goal of being a great region for volunteering and this year we have made great strides in building the mechanics to enable this to happen. LGYH and local authorities have been instrumental in pulling together all sectors to create the linkages needed to improve work and overcome barriers faced in the field of volunteering • Partners are now supporting the drive to ensure all volunteering places are registered on www.do-it.org to help increase the number of volunteering opportunities available • LGYH has supported the securing of the Personal Best Programme. Personal Best is a training and volunteer programme, aimed at helping people furthest from employment into long term, sustainable jobs • Local authorities have worked together to shape the Torch Relay in the region • There was an impressive regional response to the national Open Day weekend with many 2012 themed sporting and cultural events taking place across Yorkshire and Humber
24 Culture, tourism and the visitor economy
Culture and wellbeing are at the heart of thriving communities and LGYH has being working to drive a region wide programme of work including improvement and efficiency and sharing good practice. The Culture Network for Directors and Elected Members has continued to be a good resource for networking and promoting good work in the region, under the chair of Councillor Jane Evison who is the Elected Member Lead on Culture.
This network has also spawned task groups to take some real action on key issues. The task group on improvement and efficiency has secured funding to work on this agenda and is working closely with a range of partners to make the best of limited resources. In addition, the tourism task group is looking to evolve into a member led forum and should take shape after the local cabinets have been agreed in 2010.
Key achievements
• The Culture Improvement and Efficiency Working Group identified key areas for development, including the need to develop framework contracts, shared services and the building of an effective business case • The region secured funding from the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, Museums Libraries and Archives, and the Arts Council to implement an improvement plan. This was supported by Local Improvement Advisers and led by Culture Directors from some of our local authorities, including East Riding of YorkshireCouncil, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and Kirklees Council • A Tourism Working Group has been set up to drive forward this agenda. The Group is led by Wallace Sampson who is the Chief Executive of Harrogate Borough Council and Councillor Andrew Waller and chaired by Councillor Anne Hawkesworth from City of Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council. Early work for the group has focused on mapping issues and engaging with wider local authorities around contacts and data collection • Supporting Elected Members to come together to drive leadership around local authority led tourism
25
Section 3
Local Government Business Achievements
26 Improvement and Efficiency
In its second year YoHr Space has strengthened and developed political and managerial engagement, making significant progress in collaborative initiatives between our local authorities, Police, Fire and Rescue Services and Health Authorities on common concerns and priorities for improvement.
In year two we have been able to review our workstreams, prioritising additional support for economic growth, children’s services and supporting performance initiatives. We are able to demonstrate our achievements in-line with CLG efficiencies, national priorities and the regional strategy. Verified figures show actual efficiency savings (cashable and non-cashable) of £69.43m delivered in year two 1.
Our authorities recognise they are responsible for their own improvement but also acknowledge that this can best be achieved by working with others in the region and nationally. Our Mutuality Statement sets us apart, 22 local authorities formally committing to work together to share data and practices and engage positively with each other by offering and receiving support, networking and collaborating. Importantly this commitment is being extended to Police, Fire and Rescue Services and Health Authorities. This wider public sector commitment in the region will better equip us for taking on future initiatives including Total Place and Total Capital.
In Yorkshire and Humber we have supported local authorities as they come together in new, innovative ways to work collaboratively as City and Sub regions. There is enormous potential for these sub-regional approaches to secure sustainable economic growth and develop and generate even greater service improvements and efficiencies throughout the region, and beyond.
A highlight of year two has been the Corporate Improvement and Value for Money Board’s (CIVfM) work to develop the Yorkshire and Humber Improvement Framework working closely with Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber (GOYH) and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). The Framework sets out the process by which our authorities will work together to improve performance as a region. This is being achieved by embedding a culture in which local authorities direct their own improvement and value for money through mutual support and challenge.
This year has seen the implementation of the new CAA process and we have worked closely with local authorities and partners in the Audit Commission and GOYH to develop strong working relationships. This has proved invaluable in shaping and understanding the new arrangements and in ensuring that we are well placed to provide support where needed and share the good practice that has been highlighted in our region.
Year three funding will ensure we deliver our commitments to our local authorities, supporting them to deliver their efficiency and transformation priorities in difficult economic times.
1 This figure includes predicted figures of £20.3m from contracts formally signed up to the YORbuild procurement framework but which have not yet completed.
27 Key Achievements
• £69.43m actual cashable and non-cashable efficiencies in year two 2.
• Return on Investment of £8.60: £1 (based on actual spend to March 2010 of £7.23m).
• Total projected efficiencies of £152m by 2011.
• Unique Mutuality Statement signed by all 22 local authorities committing them to working together.
• Pro-active programme of support to gather information and share learning from Total Place official and unofficial pilots.
• Comprehensive support for performance including the Improvement Framework, Local Improvement Advisors (LIA) support and rapid response mechanisms to ensure a timely response to emerging needs.
• Continued commitment to our regional Economic Pledge to support councils and city regions to respond to the downturn and encourage sustainable economic growth in the current financial climate.
• Commitment to skills development in procurement. YORbuild, the Yorkshire and Humber procurement framework includes an innovative Employment and Skills strategy co-developed with Construction Skills.
• 95% of people surveyed in the December 2009 Perception Survey said we contribute significantly to raising awareness of improvement and efficiency issues.
• 85% of people surveyed in the December 2009 Perception Survey said we should remain an integral part of sector led improvement.
• The region now has a comprehensive package of support available for Children’s Services including a joint Directors of Children’s Services and Lead Member support network.
• The Carbon Reduction Toolkit has been shared across the region and has received positive feedback for being comprehensive and timely. This will be kept under review and follow up activity will be introduced as necessary.
• Yorkshire and Humber is the lead RIEP for Cohesion.
• Refreshed Procurement Programme in place with positive take up; contribution to national procurement manager post to support all RIEPs in good procurement practice widely across the sector.
• Yorkshire and Humber has continued to be recognised nationally for the quality of leadership and commitment to the improvement agenda.
2 This figure includes predicted figures of £20.3m from contracts formally signed up to the YORbuild procurement framework but which have not yet completed.
28 • Implementation of a range of innovative and community based projects designed to build capacity and support the region’s priorities. An example of which is ‘Get Connected,’ the Muslim women’s leadership programme.
29 Workforce and Organisational Development
The workforce agenda for local authorities has never been more demanding. With cuts in budgets, pay freezes and pensions high on the agenda, the need to create efficiencies and deliver services differently, sets a challenge to all local authorities in developing their workforce strategies and plans.
At a time of prudent cost cutting, it is still vital to continue with the work of supporting young people in their search for meaningful employment. Projects such as the Young People Project and Developing Apprenticeships in local government are leading the way in the region.
Support for Elected Members has never been more vital, with difficult decisions to make; the regional member development project has been creating real efficiency savings through the delivery of training, induction sessions and other development opportunities both regionally and sub-regionally.
The Workforce Team have developed effective networks to support both the strategic discussions needed by HR Directors and the practical collaboration of HR professionals in key areas such as the skills agenda.
The Employers’ Committee have provided political leadership of the agenda and have undertaken scrutiny exercises over the last 12 months to ensure the key outcomes are being delivered by the workforce projects.
In addition to delivering strategic workforce activities, we have also delivered our regular services of consultancy, advice and for councils and subscribers: our engagement/influencing work with national bodies.
Key Achievements
Partnership with LSC
• Worked with Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber and the National Apprenticeship Service to provide a regional assessment of Local Government's efforts to support young people through the economic downturn through Apprenticeships, Future Jobs Fund and the Backing Young Britain campaign. • Yorkshire and Humber has been recognised as the leading region in terms of the number of Apprentices employed within Local Government – see next section below for more details. • Five workshops have been convened by LGYH to support local authorities in their Skills Pledge commitments and to identify the action required for them to fulfil the requirements of the Pledge. North Lincolnshire Council is the first Council in the region to be recognised as fulfilling all the
30 requirements of the Skills Pledge and it is expected that other Councils will meet the requirements before September 2010. • The partnership between LGYH and the Learning and Skills Council continues to strengthen and has met all of its objectives for the first two years of joint activity. Strong arrangements are in place to continue this work with the newly formed Skills Funding Agency as LGYH continues to put in place the requirements necessary for Local Government to secure the support and resources required for the training and development of its employees. • Secured support from a Local Improvement Advisor to develop a model Volunteering programme for local authority staff aligned to local area agreement priorities around skills, worklessness and working with vulnerable individuals and communities. • In conjunction with LGYH Cohesion officers identified the critical workforce development needs of local authority staff working to support cohesion and the development of safer and stronger communities. • Supported the Directors of LGYH HR Network and the Chairs of the Skills, Young People, Children's Services and Managing the Downturn Networks to ensure that clear direction and challenge is provided and that a coherent agenda is coordinated across all the work programmes. • Through encouraging the production of workforce plans and development strategies - LGYH is ensuring that local government, as the biggest employer in the region, is influential in the development of the regional skills strategy and in the regional plans of the Skills Funding Agency and Public Sector Skills Councils.
Apprenticeships
The Growing Apprenticeships project has been highly effective in its support of Councils by:-
• establishing robust sub regional apprenticeship networks which have enabled both improved communication and learning through the sharing of experiences • benchmarking and highlighting good practice for the benefit of others; • sourcing and disseminating vital information about additional funding to support apprenticeship development • collaborating closely with NAS colleagues to secure specialist advice and assistance on training provision • producing briefings and guidance to support councils to overcome common problem areas • creating valuable regional intelligence through efficient management of data collection and collation processes • linking with other regional networks to support and influence production of national guidance
31 • feeding in specialist knowledge and expertise to assist development of wider 14-19 and worklessness strategies. • Development of a regional toolkit/guide to provide both strategic and practical help to Councils to support the development and/or enhancement of their apprenticeship programmes.
Achievements in Member Development
• £195k of funding secured to invest in member development across the region - supported by the authorities; • Increased support and training to help more authorities achieve the Charter for Member Development, with the first of our authorities aiming for the advanced ‘Charter Plus’ standard in 2010; • A programme of regional training events, for members and officers, informed by an understanding of their developmental needs; • An embedded culture of shared learning – more sub regional officer working, shared training and a well utilised and attended Member Development Network, chaired by LGYH; • A new focus on helping newly elected members understand their role as community leaders and encouraging more diverse and representative potential councillors. • Coordination and facilitation of a Fire Authority network for member development.
Engaging Young People
• The development of a new ‘young people friendly’ local government brand identity which can be used by authorities to promote the sector to young people. A vibrant and dynamic identity is a crucial tool to help attract and engage young talent and it is available to each of the 22 local authorities in the region for use on recruitment materials and information for young employees. • Hands-on sessions with young people in education (from primary to higher) to promote the work and reputation of local government so that young people understand what local government is and does, the range of opportunities available and how they can access employment. • The development of lesson plans and resource packs for use in schools regionally to integrate teaching about local government into the curriculum • The promotion of the range of opportunities within local government to young people online via the U-Explore schools website (accessed by almost 30,000 learners regionally) • Specially tailored sessions are being produced for use with young people who come under the NEET category (not in education, employment or training), to help them to understand what local government is and does, the range of opportunities available and how they can access
32 employment. These are being delivered in partnership with the Princes Trust. • The development of a DVD toolkit for authorities to help them retain young talent through the establishment of employee networks for young staff. Young Employee Networks are proven to help authorities retain and grow young talent, minimise isolation and provide a vital peer support system for young employees. • Encouraging authorities regionally to communicate and share best practice relating to the young people’s agenda. This is being achieved via regular meetings of the regional Young People’s Network Meeting and the establishment of a NING site which has been set up online to bring together the key stakeholders from each of the region’s local authorities with a remit around Engaging Young People.
33 Developing the Functional Sub-Regions
Functional Sub Regions have developed significantly over the past year. Leeds City Region has become one of only two in the country with Pathfinder status, which will ensure City Region authorities and partners will work together to deliver programmes that help minimise the impact of the downturn and accelerate the city region’s economic recovery. Work is ongoing across the region to ensure that the other three functional sub regions share in the learning and experiences that Leeds City Region gains through its role as a pathfinder.
LGYH and the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (YoHr Space) have supported the Functional Sub Regions throughout the past year and ensured they are fully involved in decision making across the region. This Annual Report has explained the main ways we have worked with the sub-regions in each of the relevant sections, which can be summarised as follows:
• LGYH has worked with the Functional Sub Regions on transport issues to ensure they are fully involved. This has included work on developing a sustainable transport system and regional funding advice. • We have prepared sub-regional spatial planning assessments with FSRs to meet Yorkshire and Humber Strategy evidence base deadlines, and ensure it takes a genuine built-from-local approach without jeopardising local authorities’ Local Development Frameworks • The region has secured funding from 7 different partners for work needed to inform growth point bids by Leeds City Region and Sheffield City Region. This has led to major cost savings for local authorities who would have spent about £220k if each had done their own study • Provided on-going support to FSR partners by seconding planners to the sub-regions to help develop sub-regional strategy, supporting sub-regional boards, and set up and facilitated specific support groups, such as the Humber Planning Officers Group • LGYH has developed composite maps for each FSR showing strategic infrastructure types to help colleagues identify and assess infrastructure capacity accordingly • LGYH and YoHr Space have provided support to unlock the enormous potential for new sub-regional approaches to secure more sustainable economic growth and generate even greater service improvements and efficiencies across Yorkshire and Humber . LGYH has facilitated the RIEP funding to build the strategic capacity of Functional Sub Regions - with around £1m committed over the last year - so that they can better join up local authority activity and deliver strategies that better match local economies – this includes the work around FSR Economic Assessments and the Leeds City Region Forerunner
34 • LGYH is establishing robust sub regional apprenticeship networks which have enabled both improved communication and learning through the sharing of experiences • We have developed sustainable sub-regional networking for LSP managers & FSRs ensuring ‘Quality of Life’ issues are imbedded in all aspects of the Yorkshire and Humber Strategy and FSR strategies • LGYH is supporting the production of sub-regional and Local Economic Assessments – through work with ERBEDU and Yorkshire Forward to ensure local authorities understand the far reaching implications of the LEAs. This includes supporting the development of Worklessness Assessments, Child Poverty Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals.
35 European and international policy working
Local authorities are central to the delivery of economic, environmental and social policy legislation and programmes initiating from the European Union and the wider international arena. Delivery has been demonstrated through the expertise developed through previous and current EU funding programmes within the region, and increasingly from the EU Commission Initiatives direct.
Enhanced influence, cooperation and collaboration at EU and international level are vital to promote business development and tackle worklessness, skills, health, migration, cohesion, energy security and climate change.
Given public funding constraints it is more important than ever that authorities pull their capacity and resource to have the maximum influence and get the maximum benefit from European Union.
Key achievements
• Councillor Roger Stone secured participation in a partnership bid on an EU Interreg IVC trans-national ‘Going Local’ energy and climate change project. This initiative builds the necessary partnership links, shared capacity and innovation to respond to future funding opportunities on shared priorities.
• Trans-national partnership and relationship development with Sweden, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Latvia and Luxembourg for future collaborative improvement project bids on ports, cohesion and transport.
• Securing one full and two permanent alternate representatives on the UK delegation of the EU Committee of the Regions for 2010-15 mandate with influence on key Commissions covering economy, research and education and territorial cohesion
• LGYH has agreed with Local Authorities to develop a cross party policy on European and International Working that will drive forward this agenda. This includes support to the European Officers Network and collaborative working within the region on EU and international issues, the development and delivery of study exchanges, potential secondments and to exploit funding opportunities.
• In May 2009 a delegation of Local Authority representatives travelled to Brussels for meetings and presentations on the European Climate Change Policy and funding streams that are available to Yorkshire and Humber to deal with the issues regionally. The delegation also learnt about how European policy and legislation is developed and how this impacts on UK legislation and Yorkshire & Humber. Another aim was to examine how other European regions have successfully taken advantage of European funding
36 and what type of work this has funded. An action plan is being developed on future plans for closer joint working in the region on climate change in a European context.
• LGYH has participated in Committee of the Region Open Days debates and seminars that focused on the future policy of climate change, cohesion and developing regional policy
• In November 2009 LGYH organised a Learning Exchange Study Tour to Rotterdam and Enschede in the Netherlands to focus on flooding and community cohesion and empowerment. This visit followed the problems Yorkshire and Humber has had with flooding in recent years and involved meetings and site visits with local authority representatives who are leading the way internationally in dealing with flooding. It is recognized internationally that the Dutch are leading the way in developing innovative and different approaches to both water management and coastal defenses and the tour encouraged a collaborative approach where we share good practice and experience between the two countries. The delegation also met with the Rotterdam Climate Initiative to discuss the ways that they are dealing with carbon capture, and issue that Yorkshire and Humber are heavily involved in and feel that we can learn from the Dutch approach.
• The delegation also met with representatives from public sector organizations who are working on the neighbourhood management, community cohesion, de-radicalisation and the empowerment agendas. Rotterdam was of particular interest due to its complex history involving right wing parties and the fact that they have recently appointed their first migrant mayor. Meetings focused on the International Switchpoint Radicalisation – a one stop shop approach to deradicalisation and anti-terrorism; the newly developed community of Stadtshavens which is renovating an old part of the port and specific projects that work with neighbourhoods involving community based action.
• Following the LGYH study tour to Duisburg in 2008 discussions have been undertaken with representatives from Duisburg about potential partnership working and during the study tour to Rotterdam, meetings were held with both Duisburg and Rotterdam representatives to develop this approach. As a result of the discussions both cities have committed to establishing a partnership and extending this to other EU cities.
• Input into European Social Fund programme mid-term review and Machinery of Government changes regarding the new Skills Funding Agency. Cllr Roger Stone signed the ‘Shared Services Agreement’ with the Skills Funding Agency and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Young Peoples’ Learning Agency.
37
Section 4
LGYH Organisational Achievements
38 LGYH organisational achievements
Following the abolition of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly in April 2009 LGYH found itself at the forefront of local authority collaboration and tasked with creating new regional partnerships with Yorkshire Forward. One of LGYH’s main achievements has been the smooth transition into the new arrangements , sharing the functions of the ex-Assembly between our organisation and Yorkshire Forward. This has led to a robust, effective and committed workforce that have made a strong impact on the region and its working.
It has been a busy and challenging year with local authorities trying to innovate and improve services despite the effects of the economic downturn. LGYH has further developed its collaborative approach during the past year to ensure that local authorities work together and not only share their difficulties but share each others successes too.
LGYH has developed strong governance arrangements across the region that has helped us to make quick and effective decisions, and drive forward many different agendas. This strong membership has enabled us to bring local authorities together and demonstrate that collectively they are much more powerful than as individual authorities. This has been demonstrated in the effective way that local authorities have participated in the Joint Regional Board and the way in which they have come together to make cross boundary and cross party statements to national government on issues such as high speed rail, salt production and police authority leadership.
At last years AGM we welcomed into the LGYH family the National Park Authorities and have worked successfully with them on issues throughout the year.
The past year has seen the work of Local Government Yorkshire and Humber and the local authorities we represent take a high profile role across the country. We hosted a well received exhibition space and networking dinner at the LGA Conference which enabled us to capitalise on its location in the region and promote the work of our organisation as well as that of the RIEP and the wider region. This was followed by fringe events at each of the party conferences and close working with the Smith Institute, HM Treasury and our colleagues within the LGA and IDeA. This has ensured that Yorkshire and Humber have built up and maintained a high profile in national politics.
Last year saw the fourth successful ‘Making a Difference Awards’ which celebrate those people and projects in local authorities who have gone that extra mile to either directly help citizens, make improvements to their local places or support transformation to bring about innovation or efficiencies. The Making a Difference Awards in 2009 received over 160 entries making them the most successful ever, demonstrated in the strong attendance at the ceremony in
39 Leeds’ Royal Armouries. 2009 also saw LGYH win an award of our own – the partnership working award at the Get On Awards for our regional partnership with the LSC.
Key achievements
• Strong governance has been developed across the region with a functioning Leaders Board, Regional Chief Executives’ Group, and regular full LGYH Membership meetings. The Boards and meetings are well attended and have a track record of strong and effective decision making. This model of governance and leadership is now embedded and recognised nationally as a model of good practice. • Leaders and Chief Executives have adopted named responsibilities for key themes and lead on developing these across the region. This has led to an increased focus on themes such as climate change and community cohesion and buy-in at political and executive level. • Working with Yorkshire Forward to develop the Joint Regional Board and Thematic Boards. By working closely together we have ensured a strong membership that has led the regional agenda and responded to the changing economic environment around it. • LGYH has successfully raised the profile of local government in the region through its close work with the LGA, IDeA, the Smith Institute and National Government. This has resulted in strong links between the region and national bodies, as demonstrated in a recent partnership between the regions’ Chief Executives and HM Treasury – with our region the only one to be invited to meet Treasury officials and have input into decisions on local government finance. • LGYH exhibited at the LGA Conference in 2009 with a large scale partnership focused ‘Yorkshire and Humber’ street. Working closely with Yorkshire Forward and Welcome to Yorkshire it was widely recognised as one of the most effective exhibition spaces at the conference and helped to promote the region and the innovative work of local government from across Yorkshire and Humber. • LGYH hosted three fringe events at the Party Conferences in 2009 on Transforming Government and promoting local leadership, devolution and innovation. These sessions were led by representatives of the LGYH Leaders’ Board and included contributions by Professor Robin Hambleton and Dr Su Maddock. The events were very successful and led to an improved profile of LGYH in political circles. • LGYH have successfully influenced national government on high speed rail policy by brokering a consensus cross party political view amongst the regions’ Leaders and lobbying politicians and senior civil servants on the Yorkshire and Humber proposals. This has been used in conversations with the LGA, National Government, HM Treasury and other regions.
40 • LGYH have worked with Leaders to develop other cross party consensus views in response to consultation on the future of police authorities, and in developing a localism statement to influence government and opposition parties on the agenda of place. • The 4 th Annual Making a Difference Awards were held in November 2009 and received more nominations than ever before – with over 160 entries in 11 categories. This led to the most successful Awards LGYH has ever held with over 320 local government representatives attending the awards evening in Leeds. • Following the abolition of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly (YHA) in April 2009 its functions were split between LGYH and Yorkshire Forward. One of the major organisational successes in the last year has been the seemless transition from old arrangements with the ‘new’ LGYH performing effectively and efficiently and the merging of YHA and LGYH staff and resources. • LGYH held a joint event with the Department of Health to discuss the impact on the health and tackling health inequalities agenda of the Marmot Review. Professor Marmot attended the event along with over 80 representatives of Local Government and Health organisations. This accompanied a special private dinner between Professor Marmot and the region’s Chief Executives. As a result of the dinner and event a regional network has been established to take forward the recommendations of the result and drive forward the tackling health inequalities agenda. A Local Authority Chief Executive is the lead on this agenda and he is working closely with other Chief Executives and health professionals to ensure this remains a priority for the region and that the agenda is advanced.
41
Section 5
Summary of Member attendance at LGYH meetings
(Leaders Board information to be added)
42
Minuted Local Government Yorkshire and Humber meeting attendance, out of three possible meetings between April 2009 and March 2010.
Authority Total Meetings Attended
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 3 Bradford Metropolitan District Council 3 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council 2 City of York Council 3 Craven District Council 0 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council 0 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 2 Hambleton District Council 3 Harrogate Borough Council 3 Hull City Council 0 Humberside Fire and Rescue Authority 2 Humberside Police Authority 3 Kirklees Metropolitan Council 0 Leeds City Council 3 North East Lincolnshire Council 3 North Lincolnshire Council 2 North Yorkshire County Council 1 North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority 2 North Yorkshire Police Authority 1 North Yorkshire Moors National Park 2 Richmondshire District Council 3 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council 3 Ryedale District Council 3 Scarborough Borough Council 2 Selby District Council 3 Sheffield City Council 2 South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority 2 South Yorkshire Police Authority 1 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council 3 West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority 2 West Yorkshire Police Authority 3 Yorkshire Dales National Park 3
43
Section 6
Summary of Accounts 2009 – 2010
To be added after audit
44 ANNEX B STAFFING IN THE REGIONS
The following information shows staffing levels across the 8 English regions at 1 September 2010.
Staff Numbers Other staff (e.g. Employment Total Secretariat Improvement and Efficiency Region Recent/proposed secretariat, policy, & Employment Overall Total organisational changes strategy)
East of England A reduced East of England EELGA EELGA 11 Improvement East 23 staff (plus 8 LGA structure took effect on Chief Executive plus 6 staff (plus an Apprenticeship 12 staff project / RIEP 01/09/10 Strategic Support team of 4 Manager & Apprentice that are funded staff) staff (plus 6 project staff on RIEP funded) housing and migration that are project funded)
East Midlands New East Midlands Councils EM Councils EM Councils 19 East Midlands IEP 25 staff (plus 8 structure in place 14 staff 5 staff 6 support staff (plus 8 programme RIEP funded staff) managers funded through projects) London Plans to reduce London London Councils Employers’ Secretary only 150 Capital Ambition Approx. 150 - 182 Councils significantly post 150-170 other staff though other Capital Ambition 12 fte staff (including Employers’ staff March 2011 including services arm staff do work on employment Secretary) issues North East ANEC North East Employers 14 NEIEP core team 23 staff 9 staff 5 staff 9 staff
North West NW Employers has recently 4NW North West Employers 15 NWIEP 21 staff (plus 5 restructured and 4NW is 3 staff 12 staff (plus 5 project funded) 6 staff project funded staff) currently under review. (It is likely a smaller coordinating body will be retained).
South East South East Councils South East Employers 20 IESE 45 staff 1 staff member 17 staff 25 staff SESL 2 staff South West South West bodies South West Councils South West Employers 20.5 South West IEP 34.5 staff restructured in July 13 staff 7.5 staff (Employers and L&D 14 staff (Corporate and projects) courses) West Midlands New name - West Midlands West Midlands Councils - West Midlands Councils - new 12.5 IEWM 22.5 staff (plus 30 Councils and reduced structure new structure agreed structure agreed 10 staff RIEP/funded project now in place 8 staff 4.5fte staff staff) (plus 30 RIEP/funded project staff)