TAKING A PARTNER
In a world a washed with buzzwords and short-term phrases, it is good to see that partnership working is something that still means something in some quarters, these quarters being the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the County Councils Network (CCN).
The two have recently published the Working Together for Communities publication, which showcases some excellent examples of local (parish and town) councils joint collaborative work with county councils.
The publication sets out how county councils and local councils are working together to engage local communities and deliver positive outcomes.
The CCN and NALC have a strong history of working together at a national level, and many shared examples of good practice from within both networks, and both hope that this new publication is useful in highlighting some of those, and spreading new ideas as we deal with the challenges ahead.
We see in Lancashire and Northamptonshire how the creation of charters across the above tiers of local government can make a real difference in communities, by providing police community support officers and training and development opportunities for local councillors and officers.
In Worcestershire the different tiers are working together in Local Area Agreements, Local Strategic Partnerships, Comprehensive Area Agreements (the late CAAs) and Local Strategic Partnerships. While in Hampshire, grant funding from the county council has enabled more local and efficient schemes in nature conservation, environment protection, and enhancement of national parks.
It is rare to see innovative work bettered than in Norfolk. The county council has taken participatory budgeting (this is where decisions over how budgets are spent, is taken by local people and communities) to the local councils, so projects like a St George’s Day village celebration, commons restoration project, outdoor exercise system and a village hall film projection system could happen.
Cllr Tim Palmer, chair of CCN said: “In what will be the most challenging financial climate for the public sector in recent memory, harnessing the power of local self-reliance, of community knowledge, and of the public spirit, will be ever more important. The local council sector has proven that it is a key mechanism through which those assets are put to work.
“The CCN and NALC have a history of working closely together to deliver for the communities our members serve, and given the fiscal climate, we agree that the time has come to redouble our efforts to ensure that best practice is shared across the country, and the best possible outcomes delivered on the ground.”
Cllr Michael Chater, chair of NALC, said: “As the tier of government closest to the people, local councils are a vital and sustainable part of our community governance in England.
“The grassroots of our democracy works tirelessly to represent the local community, providing services to meet local needs and working to improve quality of life and community well-being.
“More than ever before we need local councils to be able to play their part in meeting the economic, social, environmental and political challenges facing our country, now and in the future.
“But our 9,000 local councils and their 80,000 local councillors cannot do this alone and collaboration is so critical for our modern public services. So I am delighted that this publication highlights just a few examples of where the first tier of local government is working in partnership with county councils.
“We believe there is a fundamental need for greater recognition of the positive contribution local councils make to life in our communities and for citizens. Sharing good practice is just one way we spread innovation and help tell their story to show how real grassroots localism in action is making such a big difference.”
Councils across different tiers may not always agree about means, and sometimes will disagree about ends, but they are crucially at one in recognising the importance of our partnership, the need to involve local people in the decisions about the future of the places in which they live and the planning and delivery of the services which they receive.
They believe there is a fundamental need for greater recognition of the positive contribution local councils make to life in our communities and for citizens. Sharing good practice is just one way we can spread innovation and help tell their story and show how real grassroots localism in action is making such a big difference.