Basingstoke & Dean LSP

“Leading Change for Basingstoke and Deane”

3 December 2007

“Leading Change” was the focus of an event hosted by the Basingstoke and Deane LSP targeted to engage elected members and the Board members of partner organisations.

The aims were to raise awareness and start to prepare for the new government expectations of partnership working; where local people are put at the heart of services.

Targeted at those in a governance role, the event attracted 49 delegates from over 20 organisations.

Introductions given by the Chair of the LSP, Stephen Sheedy, and the Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Cllr John Leek, laid out the new agenda for partnership working and the respective roles of the LSP and elected members.

Audience “voting” equipment was used to test how the audience felt connected to the LSP, and their views on partnership working. An example is:

Short presentations from three partnerships in the borough covered:

• Reducing re-offending (a partnership between the police, probation service, local authority and other criminal justice agencies)
• Reducing the number of evictions of vulnerable people involving BDBC, social housing landlords, and the voluntary sector,
• Increasing play opportunities through a mobile play scheme (Basingstoke Play Limited, working with the borough and parish councils and others secured lottery funding)
  

The Chief Executive of Basingstoke and Deane BC, Tony Curtis, outlined the  major social, economic and environmental challenges that will be facing the Borough communities over the next two decades; reflecting that none can be addressed without working in partnership. Discussion groups considered the opportunities and barriers to partnership working, Key areas for action were identified as:

• Communicate – the purpose, working and success of the LSP widely within partnerships
• Tailor communication to specific groups – e.g. elected members via newsletters and overview committees
• LSP Board members to feed back to their sectors
• Review LSP membership – have we got the right representation? Need strong leadership in all our partnerships
• Review the Community Strategy – use a strong evidence base
• Develop longer term funding plans e.g. five years
  

These will be taken forward in the coming months as part of a review of the LSP

For more information on the Basingstoke & Dean LSP visit www.basingstoke.lsp.org