Local Participation Opportunities

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Page Aim

To bring together information about all LSPs, CENs, Citizens’ Panels, and other chances for people to influence decision making in the seven Coventry and Warwickshire Council catchments.  This will not only aid S&P work across the catchment but it will also give site visitors from other areas an idea of the sort of opportunities that exist to become involved in grassroots decision making.

Page Contents

More Inclusive Decision Making Nationwide.

More Inclusive Decision Making in the seven Coventry and Warwickshire local authority areas.

01      Council led opportunities:

Community participation in Council meetings.

Influencing decision making through Locality Forums.

Peoples Panels and other consultation arrangements.

 

02      Local Strategic Partnership led opportunities:

LSP background details.

Is LSP work transparent?

Is the LSP board open to membership / do members have a representational role?

What theme groups are there?

Are Sustainable Community Strategies sustainable?

Performance monitoring through LAAs and NIs.

 

03      Voluntary sector led opportunities:

Third Sector Assembly.

Local Infrastructure Organisation.

VCS / Council forums.

 

04      Community Sector led opportunities:

Community Empowerment Network.

Citizens Panel.

Coventry and Warwickshire Contact Details.

Overview.

Abbreviations Used in C&W.

 

Page Updates

This page will be periodically updated. 

 More Inclusive Decision Making Nationwide

 Note to everyone working on sustainability issues

Ok.  It wasn’t too long ago that all those of us involved in groups like Friends of the Earth, Jubilee Debt or Transport 2000 knew our role and knew our place.  Our role was to campaign on concerns using a long established range of tactics, and our place was on the streets – leafleting, petitioning, fundraising, stall holding, marching.

Fast forward a decade or so and the gameplan’s changed.  Yes, we can still do all that sort of stuff, but there’re now loads of extra ways we can help bring about the more environment friendly, fairer systems we seek.

For example, if you’re interested in promoting fair trade or transition or the Sustainable Communities Act where you live you can use the information on this page to discover how to engage with your own area’s decision making processes.

This page outlines how we can all work through local Councils, LSPs and with third sector colleagues.  It’s intended to both inform lobbying across Coventry and Warwickshire and urge site visitors from elsewhere to seek out the specific arrangements that’ve been made where you live.

Although introduced briefly below, the page doesn’t include comprehensive details of all the new options that can be pursued by us without first finding out what specific local opportunities have been created.  

There are summaries about innovations such as Duty to Involve, Duty to Cooperate, Duty to Respond to Petitions and Duty to Promote Democracy included in page 16’s Glossary.  Details about the Freedom of Information Act are included in page 08’s Helpful Lobbying Tools.  See also page 03’s National Initiatives.

 Terminology

An unnecessarily complicated aspect of local democracy working is confused terminology.  

Community Strategy

It was several years before the term Sustainable Community Strategy was standardised, with different areas publishing these documents with various titles, such as Community Plan, Vision Middlemarch or Sustainable Ambridge.  This was made more difficult by the existence of a number of other Council publications with similar-sounding names but different purposes, such as Local Plans and Corporate Plans.

LSP

Likewise, rather than appending the term Local Strategic Partnership to an area’s name, those involved in LSP inaugurations often chose names they felt were more user- or local identity- friendly: for example, Your Community Team or Casterbridge Forward.   For the sake of clarity this site generally uses the formal term or its abbreviation.

Citizens Panel / Peoples Panel

On this site the term Citizens Panel is used only when referring to those Panels established under the Sustainable Communities Act.  The term Peoples Panel is applied to those local stakeholder samples set up by Councils for periodic surveys.

Locality Forums

Locality Forums have been set up across the five Warwickshire districts, so that neighbourhoods can tell county, district and police public service representatives about their local concerns.  In North Warwickshire these are called Area Forums: elsewhere in the county they're called Community Forums.  In other regions they’ll have other names.

In Coventry the Locality Forum role is undertaken by the Community Empowerment Network, which also has other functions.

LSP board

LSPs are generally made up of a board plus theme groups working on SCS topics.  Many Partnerships will also embrace other groupings such as a Community Empowerment Network, a Young / Old People’s Forum, a Public Services Board  and an Operations Team responsible for, say, managing deadlines, publications or workloads.  The name given to the board is decided locally, eg: core group, management team, executive body, partnership hub.   

  

New Participation Opportunities Nationwide

National Statutory Measures

Innovative national measures include:

  Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004.  See page 08’s Helpful Lobbying Tools.

  Local Government Act 2000.  

This advanced central Government’s local government modernisation programme.  

The Act replaced authorities’ system of service departments and responsible elected councillor committees with one intended to be more efficient, transparent in terms of accountability and comprehensive in terms of local public service provision.  

Councils’ executive role was undertaken by a cabinet, leader or elected mayor, leaving backbench members to undertake overview / scrutiny functions (which could now also involve the public).  Overview and Scrutiny Committees hold cabinet to account, monitor service quality / cost effectiveness and promote engagement through constituency / consultation work.  

Council executives became responsible for decision making on routine service provision and for the implementation of budget, development, transport plan, Best Value, Community Strategy and other policy frameworks determined at full Council meetings.

  Participation opportunity

Overview and Scrutiny committees discuss forthcoming decisions, as well as those already taken.  As meetings are open and members can include VCS representatives or other stakeholders, they enable concerns about, say, climate change, recycling or public transport to be both raised at policy making levels and then monitored.

 

  Duty to Inform, Consult and Involve.  This makes community engagement a legal requirement, with local authorities having to give VCS groupings – particularly those considered excluded or hard to reach – opportunities to influence decision making.

  Duty to Co-operate – through this duty public sector agencies must co-operate as partner authorities (generally through LSP processes) to agree LAA priorities.

  The Duty to Promote Democracy and Duty to Respond to Petitions were introduced in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

 Call to Action.

  Participatory Budgeting (or the community kitty).

  Asset transfer.

  Comprehensive Area Assessment – from 2009 this has brought engagement and empowerment factors into local government inspection regimes.

More information about all these measures is currently included in page 03’s National Initiatives and page 16’s Glossary.  They have been introduced through Government publications such as:

  Strong and Prosperous Communities White Paper 2007.

  Communities in Control White Paper 2008.

  Local Government White Paper 2006.

  Community Empowerment Action Plan 2008.

  National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy 2008 – introduced Community Empowerment Partnerships.

  Principles of Representation 2008 – provided a framework for effective third sector participation in LSPs.

and through legislation including:

  Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 – introduced the Duty to Involve, and the legislation was accompanied by statutory guidance formalising LSP, SCS, LAA, VCS engagement and performance monitoring frameworks.

  Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 – introduced the Duty to Promote Democracy and Duty to Respond to Petitions.

All are intended to devolve democratic power down from central Government to local councils then on to communities.

 

Performance Monitoring

Local Performance Frameworks have LAAs at their core – their development is locally monitored by six public sector based inspectorates.  

To supplement this, the Comprehensive Community Engagement Strategy sets out how stakeholders (such as, say, VCOs working on sustainability) can monitor the performance of pubic service providers through each area’s Comprehensive Area Assessment and prioritised National Indicators

NIs and their linked local outcome targets can:

  Be used to track Council and partner performance in the chosen areas.

  Referenced when raising linked concerns.

  As 2011 will see the publication of new LAAs and NI priorities Councils and LSPs can currently be lobbied to give increased priority to S&P concerns.

 

LAAs and NIs

While Sustainable Community Strategies present an area's long term vision, Local Area Agreements set out agreed short term aims to help realise this.  However, for process participants and lobbyists it's necessary to appreciate what’s also important in locality working is the 35 National Indicators that an area has adopted.  These set Government and locally assessed performance targets which determine the focus of all policy making and resourcing.

More about LAAs:

  LAAs have contained up to 35 of the 188 National Indicators since the Comprehensive Spending Review of 2007.  18 of these 35 are assessed through each local authority’s biannual Place Survey.

  These are grouped into seven outcome areas: stronger communities, safer communities, children and young people, adult health and wellbeing, addressing inequity and exclusion, local economy and environmental sustainability.  

  Nationally launched in 2008 through the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, LAAs are intended to both reflect the hopes communities have for their future and establish local services performance framework.  

  They are statutory requirements in all 152 top-tier English local authorities, and it has fallen to their LSPs to prioritise their areas’ local outcome indicators.  

  Their introduction was to help establish the Government's national LGPF (Local Government Performance Framework) up to 2011 and simplify funding and administrative arrangements between central and local government.

  The Act introduced local authorities’ Duty to Involve and Duty to Consult and Co-operate and Area Based Grants.

It follows that a reassuring letter from your Council setting out any ways in which it's addressing a concern you've raised - say biodiversity or VCS empowerment - will have greater credibility if the area's decision makers have themselves defined the concern as a local priority.  

The establishment of NIs / local outcome targets followed widespread criticism of the high number of original LAA targets: areas now have had to identify just 35 indicators from the Government's set of 198.

 1      A full list of the National Indicators is published on:  www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/nationalindicator

 2      Find out which National Indicators have been agreed where you live:  www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk

 3      The LAA Tracker spreadsheet gives general information on which National Indicators have been adopted: www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageld-8399555

Each area’s current local outcome indicators were agreed between LSPs, top-tier local authorities and their Regional Government Office in January 2008.  While these 35 indicators allow areas to identify locally agreed priorities, there are an additional 16 mandatory education related National Indicators.

It should be noted that some areas have chosen additional indicators to those agreed with their Regional Government Office, but it's unlikely these will be given the same attention or resourcing as the 35 they've chosen to be performance assessed on by Government.

 

Council Led Participation

Traditionally public involvement in Council matters has been somewhat limited: eg through access to Councillor members, the ballot box or volunteering support to election candidates.  There are now a range of other opportunities available:

 Community participation in Council proceedings.  This may be through, eg, raising questions, committee membership, scrutiny / standards work or the input of expertise.

   Participation opportunity

Since the Local Government Act 2000, local authorities have been required to publish notice of the key decisions that will be taken during the subsequent four month period.  This can be a very useful information source.

 The various new statutory duties that can be used, eg  Duty to Involve, Duty to Respond to Petitions, Duty to Promote Democracy, Duty to Cooperate.

 Locality Forums - or other frameworks for community of place based consultations.

 Peoples Panels - or other consultation arrangements across the metropolitan / unitary / county / district / parish council catchment.

 

LSP Led Participation

Communities of both place and interest are offered representation through LIOs, CENs, TSAs and other Third Sector Organisations.

 LSP board work focuses on the production of Sustainable Community Strategies.  The main components of an SCS are a long term vision, proposals for realising this and details of review arrangements.

     Participation opportunity

The production of an SCS must entail consultation and other community input.  It is an opportunity for people to raise long term concerns about the local impacts of global economic, environmental and social unsustainability.

VCOs working on the consequent issues can organise meetings and invite council members to attend.

  LSP theme groups make an input into the production of their catchment's SCS, and delivery of agreed plans.

 LSPs provide the framework for SCS performance assessment through Comprehensive Area Assessments / prioritised National Indicator targets.

 Although not defined as partner authorities by the LGPIH Act 2007, communities of place and interest are offered LSP representation through LIOs, CENs, TSAs and other Third Sector Organisations.

 Participation opportunity

Could someone from your various local sustainability groups volunteer to track, audit and feedback on all relevant Council and LSP work?  Reports could then also be given to your area’s TSA, LIO and CEN.

 

Voluntary Organisation Led Participation

The Local Infrastructure Organisation (LIO) will lead this - in the Coventry and Warwickshire subregion there are three LIOs - Voluntary Action Coventry, Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action and Voluntary Action Stratford-upon-Avon.

 Participation in grassroots democratic processes is generally led by an area’s Local Infrastructure Organisations (LIOs); eg in Coventry and Warwickshire this is Voluntary Action Coventry, Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action and Stratford Voluntary and Social Action.

 Third Sector Assemblies (TSAs) are a recent development to empower both the voluntary and community sectors.

 Joint third sector / Council forums.

Community Led Participation

 Community Empowerment Network (CEN).

 Citizens Panel - as established under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

 Communities of place and interest can participate alongside more formal voluntary sector organisations in the work of an area’s TSA.

 Council and LSP website searches

The primary source of information about communities’ participation opportunities is the internet.  Many LSPs have their own sites, while others have pages on their area’s local Council website.  

To find the relevant information first access a local Council site, then use its home page search facility using terms such as:

 LSP

 Local Strategic Partnership

 SCS

 Sustainable Community Strategy

 Community Strategy

 Community Plan

 Sustainability

 National Indicators

The amount of information provided online varies from area to area, but pages are likely to include details about area processes, hyperlinks to other useful sites and downloadable materials, eg:

 Your area’s SCS.

 LSP purpose, objectives, terms of reference, structure, processes, history etc.

 LSP member organisations – some also give the names and contact details of representatives.

 LSP theme groups.

 LSP meeting dates, agendas and minutes.

 LSP news.

 FAQs.

 The LAA.

 The area’s Locality Forums.

 Narrowing the Gap.

 A funding search to help VCOs facilitate SCS implementation.

 

 Six key questions

More information pending.  These are the six key questions sent Coventry and Warwickshire LSPs’ points of contact.  They’re intended to reveal the extent of S&P input possible in each area’s democratic processes.

LSP led opportunities

LSP processes are intended to address democratic exclusivity and engage ‘hard to reach’ groups. There are countless VCOs working on sustainability concerns nationwide – most have a large number of grassroots supporters, several have local branches.  

a)      How does your LSP board give representation to these organisations?

b)      Apart from through an ongoing commitment to theme group work, how can VCO representatives agenda items for, and bring expertise to, your area’s LSP board meetings?  

Sustainable Community Strategies are intended to reflect areas’ long term visions.  Evidence of the world’s environmental, economic and social unsustainability increasingly demands urgent action (the Transition initiative presents perhaps the best examples of credible community level responses).

c)      Does your LSP periodically audit its SCS for anachronistic world view content?  If so please could you give brief detail of the last review.

d)      Has your LSP considered how to build into its work a systemic means to address the local implications of global unsustainability?

Voluntary sector led opportunities

e)      Have your Council and / or LSP given active support to the current development of a local Third Sector Assembly and how best to maximise its democratic potential?

Community sector led opportunities

f)      Is your Council periodically reviewing its decision not to opt in to the Sustainable Communities Act and establish a Citizens Panel?  Has your LSP been given a chance to consider the Act and whether to recommend opt in?  Please give details.

  

More Inclusive Decision Making in Coventry & Warwickshire

Acknowledgements

Particular items of C&W information, not available online, have been gathered from correspondence with local Council officers / members.  Many thanks to all local authority respondents for their kind assistance.

For more information about approaches and responses see page 20’s live Local Participation Log.

Coventry

Reply to letter of 01 Jun 09: Cllr Ken Taylor, Council Leader & LSP Chair, 22 Jun 09.  

Reply to letter of 17 Apr 10: Dawn Ford, LSP Manager, 29 Apr 10.

North Warwickshire

Reply to letter of 01 Jun 09: Steve Maxey Asst. CEO & Solicitor to the Council, 11 Jun 09.

Reply to letter of 17 Apr 10: Steve Maxey Asst. CEO & Solicitor to the Council. 25 May 10.

Nuneaton & Bedworth

Reply to letters of 01 Jun 09 & 21 Jul 09 from Jerry Doherty, Asst. Director, 12 Aug 09.

Rugby

Reply to letter of 01 Jun 09: Matthew Deaves, Communications Consultation and Information Manager, 15 Jun 09.

Stratford-upon-Avon

No reply to letters of 01 Jun 09 & 21 Jul 09 by 31 May 10.

Follow up sent 01 Apr 10 using Freedom of Information Act. Reply: Dave Nash, Strategic Director, 14 Apr 10.

Warwick district

Reply to letter of 01 Jun 09: Chris Elliot, CEO. 08 Jun 09.

Reply to letter of 01 Apr 10: Chris Elliot, CEO. 21 Apr 10.

Warwickshire county

No reply received to letters of 01 Jun 09 & 14 Jul 09 by 31 Mar 10.

Follow up sent 01 Apr 10 using Freedom of Information Act. Reply: Sarah Turpin, business support manager, 17 May 10.

Table: Coventry & Warwickshire’s S&P NIs

 National Indicators Selected for their Areas by Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council:

 

Sustainability / Participation Aims

CCC

WCC

NI 3: Civic participation in the local area (number of people from equalities categories having a local decision-making role or belonging to a decision-making group, compared with average for the local population).

No

No

NI 4: Percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality.

Yes

Yes

NI 7: Environment for a thriving third sector (may be judged by whether third sector organisations feel they are benefiting from local public bodies).

No

No

NI 167: Congestion average journey time per mile during the morning peak.

Yes

No

NIs 168–9: Roads and congestion.

No

No

NI 175: Access to services and facilities by public transport, walking and cycling.

No

Yes

NI 177: Bus passenger journeys originating in the authority area.

No

No

NI 183: Impact of LA regulatory services on the fair trading environment.

No

No

NI 185: CO2 reductions from LA operations.

No

No

NI 186: Per capita reduction of CO2 emissions in the LA area.

Yes

Yes

NI 188: Adapting to climate change.

No

Yes

NI 191:  Per capita residual household waste.

Yes

Yes

NI 197: Improved local biodiversity – active management of local sites.

No

Yes

         

 

Coventry

The information here was last updated during visits to the noted websites during June 2010.

Abbreviations

Page 15 of the site gathers together a comprehensive list of abbreviations used in S&P work.  These terms are used in the tables below:

CEN: Community Empowerment Network.

Liaison: cross-sector liaison through joint public / third sector forums, or other arrangements.  Note that in all local authority areas VCOs will influence councillors through their involvement in the sector as board members.  Influence will also come through the feedback of Council community project officers.   

LIO: local infrastructure organisation.

SCA: the term Citizens Panel is used on this site to refer specifically to those set up by Councils when opting in to the Sustainable Communities Act.

TSA: Third Sector Assembly.

  

01  Coventry City Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

Council meetings are open but there’s no provision for citizen participation.  

The consideration of petitions allows spokespersons to speak at meetings of the cabinet, cabinet member and scrutiny boards.

The City Council has six non-elected members of Scrutiny who deal with education matters.  These are representatives of teacher and faith organisations.

A non-elected representative is appointed from LINk (the health sector's Local Involvement Network) to consider health matters.

The Standards Committee has nine non-elected members who are recruited through newspaper advertisements.

Representations are allowed at planning committee meetings.

The Council also has a cabinet members’ advisory panel - the Disability Equality Advisory Panel, consisting of service users and representatives of voluntary organisations who work with people with disabilities.  

Locality Forums

The aims of Locality Forums will be met by Coventry CEN, which has additional functions.

Peoples Panel

The Council makes use of a household survey which is undertaken by the Coventry Partnership, and the Place Survey as prescribed by the Government.  Both surveys sample the views of approximately 1,200 people in Coventry.

The Inform, Consult, Involve Strategy is being rolled out by Coventry LSP.

Other

Information pending.

ICI strategy

Coventry City Council’s Inform, Consult, Involve Strategy will be audited here in due course.

 

 

02  Coventry LSP led Opportunities

Background details

Coventry Partnership first met in January 2002, a successor to the City Forum.  The executive board meets every two months; meetings commence with formal presentations then proceed through group discussions.

LSP openness?

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current SCS.

Information about Coventry Partnership and the Community Empowerment Network is readily accessible on the respective websites. The organisations also publish regular ebulletins.  Coventry's Sustainable Community Strategy is available both online and in hard copy form.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Coventry The Next Twenty Years.  The Coventry Sustainable Community Strategy

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

See page 21’s Model Strategy Audit.

During 2010 Coventry Partnership is involved in consultations on their SCS and will be publishing a revised version during April 2011.

 Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

A visit to the Partnership website during June 2009 showed that the Partnership Operations Group was made up of 10 members, representing Coventry City Council, Coventry Teaching PCT, VAC, Coventry CEN, West Midlands Police, Whitefriars Housing, Jaguar and Landrover, Community Safety Partnership and Learning and Skills Council. The Operation Group's membership was drawn from the Partnership Board:

Coventry City Council (6 reps), Coventry Teaching PCT, VAC, West Midlands Police (3 reps), Whitefriars Housing, Community Safety Partnership and Learning and Skills Council.  Other public sector organisations represented were Coventry University, Warwick University (2 reps), West Midlands Fire Service, Henley College, Job Centre Plus, Connections, Learning and Skills Council, Coventry Arts and Media,

Market sector representatives came from Jaguar Cars, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Quest Associates and Coventry Federation of Small Businesses.  

Voluntary sector representatives came from Voluntary Action Coventry, Coventry Law Centre, Coventry Cyrenians and Age Concern.  Coventry's Community Empowerment Network had five representatives.

All theme group members are identified on the site, together with their contact details.  The site includes forthcoming meeting dates and the minutes of recent LSP and theme group meetings.

Coventry also has a PSB, which VAC is also a member of.

 

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

The eight theme groups were introduced in 2003, with three of them led by voluntary sector representatives, who have seats on the board in this capacity.  The number of voluntary sector reps involved in each theme group is open, and although the CEN has negotiated two CEN places on each their actual memberships fluctuate.

 1      Economy, Learning, Skills and Employment

 2      Health and Well Being

 3      Community Safety Partnership

 4      Environment

 5      Housing

 6      Transport

 7      Cultural Partnership

 8      Equalities and Community Cohesion

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and below.

Table: Coventry NIs

Outcome Targets for Each Year of the City's Three-Year LAA.  This table is still being developed: information pending.

 

Coventry NI Data Access

Although the NIs areas choose are…

4      a key to identifying Council / LSP priorities, and

5      a way for citizens and other stakeholders to track their performance,

 …Coventry City Council website searches using the term 'National Indicator' (undertaken during March 2010) did not readily reveal:

6      the full set of 198 National Indicator choices

7      which NI targets the Council / LSP had chosen

8      the relevant annual targets over this three year period

9      whether targets are being met

NI information is most readily accessible on the dedicated national website www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk

Also see this site's Helpful Lobbying Tools.

Editorial comment

NIs' low local profile is not only at odds with their function as performance indicators but also their engagement and democratic potential - VCOs are encouraged to use Comprehensive Area Assessments to hold government to account "by coordinating themselves to influence assessments locally", with OTS guidance stating that the third sector should "maximise the contribution of the wider sector to the assessment process". See this site's page 16 Glossary for more information on Comprehensive Area Assessment processes.

It would, for example, be useful to know if all those involved in Coventry Partnership processes know who the local CAA lead is.

 

03 Coventry Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

The importance of Council support for TSAs

It is necessary for areas’ Third Sector Assemblies to be supported by their Councils in order to help maximise their democratic potential.

TSA

Coventry Third Sector Assembly

TSAs enable VCOs and communities to increase their influence in local, regional and national policy making and practice.  Two significant aspects of this are that:

9      TSAs will have mandates from local VCSs to pursue local concerns through local decision and provision making processes.

10     Local VCS will be able to develop proactive approaches to local issues.

Development of Coventry's TSA has been facilitated by the LIO through funding secured by the subregional Infrastructure Consortium from Building and Sustaining Infrastructure Services.  The need for an Assembly was formally identified in the CWIC 2004 Infrastructure Investment Plan in response to the Government's Change Up initiative.

In Coventry the TSA proposal was the subject of a consultation process involving over 500 VCOs; in May 2009 the idea and responses were discussed at a public workshop.  It was then developed through feedback to the sector which invited applications from VCO members wishing to become members of a city Cohort.  This Cohort is a representative selection of the city's third sector and is being established for consultation on any concerns that will be raised by a wider TSA membership.  It involves 34 Coventry VCOs in email exchanges.

A worker has been employed to gather sector ideas for use in compiling an Assembly strategy, and this has led to the identification of a the following objectives:

11     To increase the level and range of third sector involvement in planning / priority setting in Coventry.

12     To explore third sector issues of common concern.

13     To identify solutions and oversee their implementation.

14     To encourage the third sector to engage in consultations.

15     To encourage existing structures, forums and networks to build on successful practice and enhance their roles.

16     To support the development of a virtual Cohort representative of a wide range of third sector to build confidence, skills and knowledge in effective partnership working.

17     To develop a sustainability strategy for the Assembly.

Coventry's TSA was launched in November 2009.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

“The voluntary sector has recognised there needs to be a democratic structure that more proactively links to the LSP and individual public services…  (it) will undoubtedly look at civic engagement and building relationships with Councillors.”  (Source: letter to Links from Coventry LSP Manager, 29 April 2010.)

LIO

Voluntary Action Coventry

Despite a couple of name changes over the years, Voluntary Action Coventry has been the umbrella body for VCOs in the city since 1957.  

The organisation’s objectives are: "The promotion of any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the city of Coventry and in particular by assisting the work of statutory authorities and voluntary organisations engaged in the advancement of education, furthering health, relieving poverty, distress and sickness or in pursuing any other objectives which now or hereafter may be deemed by law to be charitable."

Voluntary Action Coventry undertakes the same work as other National Association for Voluntary and Community Action members elsewhere across the country.  This means it plays four roles within the VCS:

18     Development.

19     Service provision.

20     Liaison.

21     Influence.  

This means its work includes:

22     Supporting representation of issues relevant to local VCOs or the VCS generally.

23     Organising networks and forums to provide liaison with statutory, voluntary and community organisations.

24     Circulating information.

25     Providing advice on funding, volunteer management, charitable and constitutional issues, etc.

26     Providing occasional training or briefing sessions.

27     Promoting volunteering and helping volunteers find suitable opportunities through the VBase database.

28     Providing practical resources such as meeting rooms.

29     Signposting to other agencies with more specialist expertise.

30     VAC runs Volunteer Centre Coventry, which helps match volunteers and those VCOs needing some help, and the city's vinvolved.

Coventry’s LIO is represented on the Coventry Partnership board and in various process theme groups.  It has established four groupings to aid Partnership processes; these are a Health and Social Care Forum, a Children and Young People voluntary sector network, a volunteer co-ordinators forum and the VCS / NDC Partnership and LEGI economic regeneration initiatives.  

Voluntary Action publishes the regular Voluntary Action, and Partnership Informer newsletters.

 

Liaison

VCS / Council Forums

VAC lobbies “Council members and officers on the sector’s behalf when appropriate”.

 

Other

Health and social care

Coventry LINk.  This is a statutory network of health and social care providers and users established to gather and use feedback on services.

Young people

inVOLve.  inVOLve is a nationwide, area based, initiative enabling the 5 to 19s to become involved in decision and provision making.  This benefits those young people who participate by offering new skills and experiences, learning residences, certificates and accreditation - and a chance to make an input into local decision making processes.  The work offered includes website / graphic design, event organisation, speaking at meetings / forums, information gathering.  

  

04 Coventry Community Sector led Opportunities

 

CEN

Coventry Community Empowerment Network  

CENs were established to facilitate community LSP involvement in those 88 areas of Britain receiving Neighbourhood Renewal Funding.

Coventry’s CEN was established in 2002.  The network currently involves over 200 community groups, who meet at Saturday workshops and monthly meetings throughout the year to support each other, share information, publicise funding availabilities and take joint action on shared concerns.  

The CEN runs regular events and maintains a framework of sub-networks.  Information given on the Network website is supplemented by its regular news sheet, Speakeasy, and its office is a main access point for Coventry based community groups seeking any form of sector assistance.

A key function of Coventry CEN is its participation in Coventry Partnership, where it aims to take communities’ views “to a higher level”.  It has five places on the Partnership board and two places on each of the eight theme groups.

The places were originally filled by the CEN chair and four community advocates, employed by Coventry Voluntary Sector Council for five days a month and accountable to the CEN steering group.  As well as bringing a community perspective to the city’s Partnership board and theme groups – where the Network has a standing item on the agenda for meetings on community issues – the  advocates were also involved in the LSP’s sub-groups.  Since March 2006 the community advocates LSP role has been taken over by CEN representatives.  

Voluntary Action Coventry is responsible for channelling CEN funding and for employing the staff necessary to support its work.  The role of the Network in the production and delivery of Coventry’s Community Strategy should be viewed in terms of Strategy aims for 2003 – 2010; to improve the quality of life and services across Coventry and narrow the gap between priority neighbourhoods and the rest of the City.  Since April 2009 CEN has been independent from VAC: Coventry CEN Limited is self governing with an elected steering group and regularly publishes its Speakeasy newsletter.  

 

SCA

Citizens Panel (as established under SCA 2007)

 Coventry City Council informed the LGA it would not opt in to the Act.

 The Council undertook a review of this decision in March 2010.  This would allow it to “seek to learn from the successful proposals submitted by other areas and to consider whether to take part in future phases of this initiative".

 Participation concerns have been of particular interest to the LSP's Equality and Community Cohesion theme group.

 The Council has been developing an Information, Consultation and Involvement Strategy to improve resident / stakeholder involvement in decision making.   www.coventry.gov.uk

 A review whether to opt in to the Sustainable Communities act was postponed until after the May 2010 elections.  Information pending.

Opt in review?

The Council has thought it better to invest time in implementing the ICI Strategy than divert efforts to SCA opt-in expressing "some concern that there is no guarantee local people would see any results from their involvement in developing proposals under the Act, as only a small number of proposals will be selected to go forward".

 

Other

  Third Sector Assembly.  

  Coventry VAC has set up a TSA, which involves the CEN.

 Best practice

Coventry’s Community Empowerment Network has survived many of the problems that have led to other CENs’ closure.  See the website and the regular, very informative e-newsletters.

         

 

North Warwickshire

The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the NWBC website.  

01 North Warwickshire Borough Council led Opportunities  

Council meetings

There is public question time provision at full Council meetings. Seehttp://www.northwarks.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=459&documentID=746 for more information

There is no provision for public participation in committee meetings but in practice Councillors will raise most issues their constituents bring to their attention.

Standards board has 5 non-Council members, including 3 representatives from the district’s parish Councils.

 

Locality Forums

In North Warwickshire these are called Area Forums.  The borough is divided into four areas – north, south, east and west – and each Forum meets on a quarterly basis to discuss public service provisions.  

Forum plans will influence Sustainable Community Strategy processes.  The Forum also allocates funding to community led / NWBC community development team supported initiatives such as the North Arden Trail and local LEADER project.  www.northwarks.gov.uk/site/scripts/docments_info.php?categoryID=33308&documentID=390

 

Peoples Panel

The bi-annual Place Survey took place during 2008, using demographically representative samples.  During 2009 the Council undertook a household satisfaction survey.  Council divisions regular undertake specific consultations, eg the Forward Planning team consults on Issues and Options for the LDF.  NWBC plans to alternate bi-annual place and household surveys.

 

Other

The Council has a Borough Wide Tenants Forum – see www.northwarks.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=960&documentID=11

 

02 North Warwickshire LSP led Opportunities

Background details

In 2001, North Warwickshire established the North Warwickshire Community Partnership.

Since then the LSP says that: “much progress has been made to increase representation, establish a common vision, move to genuine collaborative working and address sustainable development”.

 

LSP openness?

There is no designated North Warwickshire Community Partnership site.  Information about the NWCP is included on the Council’s site.

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There are also details of a consultation about the latest SCS.

The site provides hyperlinks to LSP Board member organisations’ own websites:

Available downloads include the last SCS and the Partnership’s Terms of Reference.

A section on FAQs includes an opportunity for site visitors to ask their own questions.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Sustainable Community Strategy, North Warwickshire 2026,

The latest SCS is in production at the time of writing (June 2010).

The North Warwickshire Sustainable Community Strategy will set out three key priorities for improving the overall quality of life in North Warwickshire from 2009 to 2026. These are:

31     Raising aspirations, educational attainment and skills

32     Developing healthier communities

33     Improving access to services

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

See Model Strategy Audit of the North Warwickshire Community Plan 2004 – 2007.  A revised version of this was published for up to 2009.  

Information has been requested on the LSP’s own audit processes.

Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

The LSP Board meets quarterly, its membership includes representatives from:

34     NWBC.

35     WCC.

36     Parish Councils.

37     Warwickshire PCT / NHS.

38     Warwickshire Police.

39     North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.

40     Local schools.

41     Library service.

42     Learning and Skills Council.

43     WCAVA.

44     North Warwickshire Volunteers Centre.

45     Warwickshire Rural Community Council.

46     Older People’s Forum.

47     Wellness Matters North Warwickshire.

48     Community Transport.

49     Atherstone Civic Society.

50     Local business.

Third sector participation in NWBC decision making is primarily through "... the LSP, which influences the Council's corporate plan via consultations on major policies / decisions, and via specific work divisions of the Council does with these groups… most of the work our community development division does involves these groups."

A number of VCS organisations are represented on the board and theme group.  LSP participation is through involvement with its theme groups.    www.northwarks.gov.uk/mwcp/site/index.php

 

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

NWCP comprises the LSP Board and theme groups focusing on:

51     Children, young people and their families.

52     Education and lifelong learning.

53     Environment.

54     Health and wellbeing.

55     Safer communities.

56     Voluntary and community activity.

57     Choice, access and transport.

58     Decent and affordable housing.

Each group meets between four and six times a year although their work may be supplemented by task and finish arrangements.

The Partnership also involves a Theme Group And Lead Officers Group which is responsible for coordinating the implementation of its decisions and work streams between meetings.

 

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page.

  Best practice

The membership of North Warwickshire Community Partnership draws upon an impressive range of VCOs.  Since its inception in  2001, it has striven to be “a community of communities”.

 

03 North Warwickshire Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

A TSA has been established at county level.  More details can be found in the Warwickshire section below.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

Information pending on whether the Council has considered how best to maximise Warwickshire TSA’s democratic potential.

LIO

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

See the WCAVA entry for Warwickshire.

Liaison

Voluntary Action North Forum

Further information will be included about the input of Voluntary Action North Forum into the district's decision making processes.  The Forum discusses such matters as cross sector working.  Other examples can be found at www.northwarks.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=3088&documentID=778

Other

  

 

04 North Warwickshire Community Sector led Opportunities

 

CEN

No.

 

SCA

No.

 The Council initially decided not to opt in to the Act as it was "not aware of any community need or desire for change".

Opt in review?

The possibility of review was to be taken to the Leaders Liaison group when the LGA publish details of the submitted bids.

Leading Members have considered the LGA shortlist that had been submitted to the Government and agreed to monitor which schemes were approved and implemented, following which consideration would be given to whether any use of the Act could be made in the area. The Act was discussed at NWBC’s annual meeting with town and parish councils.

The original decision not to opt in to the Act was reviewed in June 2010. Iinformation pending.

 

Other

Third Sector Assembly

At county level.

  

 

Nuneaton and Bedworth

The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the NBBC and LSP websites.  

01 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

Stakeholders - eg individuals, VCS representatives and businesses - can speak at Council, cabinet and overview and scrutiny meetings.

Members of the local community are also co-opted on to the social scrutiny panel and the standards committee.

 

Locality Forums

In Nuneaton and Bedworth there are seven locality forums. These are open public meetings that meet four times a year at various locations within each locality, usually on a week day evening.

 

Peoples Panel

A number of residents are Peoples Panel members and are regularly surveyed on aspects of Council performance or proposals.

 

Other

Tenants Housing Group.

  

02 Nuneaton and Bedworth LSP led Opportunities

Background details

Nuneaton and Bedworth Partnership started life in 1999 as the Local Sustainability Partnership, later becoming the Community Plan Partnership Team, then gaining formal LSP status during summer 2003.

 LSP openness?

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current SCS and its delivery framework.

The Nuneaton and Bedworth LSP website includes a funding search enabling VCOs to locate bodies who may provide money to help them realise SCS objectives, and annual reports from the LSP and theme groups.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Shaping Our Future… Sustainable Community Plan 2007 – 2021 for Nuneaton and Bedworth

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

See Model Strategy Audit.

Information pending re the LSP’s own audit processes.

 

Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

 59     NBBC.

 60     WCC.

 61     Warwickshire Police.

 62     Warwickshire NHS.

 63     Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.

 64     Job Centre.

 65     Advantage West Midlands.

 66     Connections.

 67     Learning and Skills Council.

 68     The Chamber.

 69     WCAVA.

 

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

These reflect the SCS themes – Stronger, Safer, Healthier and Sustainable Community.  The last category is subdivided into environment, travel and access, town centres and economic development.

The LSP theme groups have VCS representation.

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and Warwickshire section below.

  

03 Nuneaton and Bedworth Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

A TSA has been established at county level.  More details can be found in the Warwickshire section below.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

Information pending on whether the Council has considered how best to maximise Warwickshire TSA’s democratic potential.

LIO

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

See the WCAVA entry for Warwickshire.

Liaison

Nuneaton and Bedworth Community Involvement and Supporting Communities Forums

Further information will be included about the influence of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Community Involvement and Supporting Communities Forums on the district's decision making processes.  The Community Involvement Forum meets three times a year to network and facilitate input into decision making processes.  

Nuneaton and Bedworth's Community and Involvement Forum meet three times a year to network and facilitate input into decision making processes.  alison@wcava.org.uk

 

Other

  

04 Nuneaton and Bedworth Community Sector led Opportunities

CEN

No.

 

SCA

No.

 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has not opted in to the Sustainable Communities Act or established a Citizens Panel.  The Council is co-operating with other local statutory agencies on Locality Working: guidance for this has been contained in a series of Government proposals to ensure greater public involvement in public service delivery.

Opt in review?

The provisions of the Act will continue to be reviewed.  The Council has considered alignment of Locality Working and the Sustainable Communities Act “should the need arise for ‘proposals’ to be escalated and presented to the LGA... and forwarded to the Secretary of State”.

This need for review may arise if there are issues identified that would benefit from use of the Act.

 

       

 

Rugby

The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the RBC website.  

01 Rugby Borough Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

The standards committee and audit committee both have non-elected member representatives of the VCS.

Locality Forums

There are six forums covering the Rugby borough area, both in the town and the more rural parts of the borough.

Peoples Panel

"We regularly consult residents and organisations through our consultation database, and occasionally through the County Council's Peoples Panel.  We are currently considering establishing our own Peoples Panel."

Other

  

02 Rugby LSP led Opportunities

Background details

LSP openness?

There is no designated Rugby LSP website.  Partnership information is included on the Council’s site.

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current SCS and the first edition of a Rugby LSP newletter.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Tackling Rugby’s Future.  Sustainable Community Strategy for Rugby Borough.  2009 – 2026.

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

See Model Strategy Audit of the Sustainable Community Strategy for the Rugby Area 2007 – 2010.

Information pending re the LSP’s own audit processes.

 Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

 70     RBC.

 71     WCC.

 72     Warwickshire NHS.

 73     Warwickshire Police.

 74     Chamber of Commerce.

 75     WCAVA.

 76     Warwickshire Association of Local Councils.

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

There is VCS representation on most of the theme groups.

 77     Stronger Community.

 78     Safer Community.

 79     Healthier Community and Older People.

 80     Children & Young People.

 81     Economic Development & Enterprise.

 82     Climate Change & the Environment.

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and Warwickshire section below.

  

03 Rugby Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

A TSA has been established at county level.  More details can be found in the Warwickshire section below.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

Information pending on whether the Council has considered how best to maximise Warwickshire TSA’s democratic potential.

LIO

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

See the WCAVA entry for Warwickshire.

Liaison

Rugby Voluntary and Community Sector Forum

"The Council liaises closely with the Rugby branch of WCAVA and the Rugby Voluntary and Community Sector Forum to ensure the views of the sector are considered in the Council's activities."

Further information will be included about the input of Rugby VCS Forum into the district's decision making processes.

Other

  

04 Rugby Community Sector led Opportunities

CEN

No.

SCA

No.

Rugby Borough Council initially decided not to opt in to the Sustainable Communities Act or established a Citizens Panel.

Opt in review?

No date has been given for this decision to be reviewed, but the Council will "consider opting in should appropriate circumstances arise".

 

 Stratford-Upon-Avon

The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the SDC and LSP websites.  

01 Stratford-on-Avon District Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

Full Council meetings

Area committee meetings

On the standards and ethics committee either as ‘critical friend’ or representing a Council partner.

Locality Forums

The district’s six locality forums each meet on a quarterly basis to discuss public service provisions.  Forum plans will influence Sustainable Community Strategy processes.

Peoples Panel

SDC runs a Panel and customer surveys.

Other

 

02 Stratford-on-Avon LSP led Opportunities

 Background details

Stratford District Partnership was formed in 2000.

LSP openness?

There’s a Stratford upon Avon LSP site and a page about the LSP on the SDC website.

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current SCS and the Partnership’s Terms of Reference and an excellent section to help contact LSP Core Group members.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Improving The Quality Of Life For Everyone.  A 2026 Vision for Stratford District.

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

Page 21’s Model Strategy Audit reviews the Stratford District Community Plan: the Future to 2015, which covered the eleven years from 2004.

Information pending re the LSP’s Strategy assessment processes.

 

Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

The LSP’s Core Group comprises representatives from:

 83     Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

 84     Warwickshire County Council.

 85     Learning and Skills Council.

 86     NHS Warwickshire.

 87     Warwickshire Police.

 88     Voluntary Action Stratford-on-Avon District.

 89     Warwickshire Association of Local Councils.

 90     Stratford’s Locality forums.

In addition there are representatives from each of the five theme groups to ensure clear communication between the strategic and delivery arms of the Partnership, and from each of the six Locality Forums, to ensure that local views from all parts of the District can be aired.

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

As noted above, the LSP board is supported by five theme groups (aligned to the county’s PSB). All of them have VASA representatives.

 91     Economy / Environment

 92     Children and Young People

 93     Healthier Communities and Older People

 94     Safer Communities

 95     Stronger Communities

There is also an LSP forum whose purpose is to:

 96     Increase awareness of the progress that the LSP core group and its themed groups are making.

 97     Check that the LSP is going in the right direction and to make changes if necessary as a result of your feedback.

 98     Raise awareness of the major successes that have been achieved through partnership working in the District.

 99     Provide useful networking opportunities to identify new ways of working together that can add value to activities currently being undertaken by the theme groups which can help to improve the quality of life.

Citizen engagement is most often through the district’s six Locality Forums – with each having representative on the LSP core group.  

Meetings are publicised on the site along with contact details for key members.

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and Warwickshire section below.

   Best practice

Stratford District Partnership’s website includes the name and contact details of all Board members, as shown in the table at the foot of this page.  Its newsletter also targets a wide readership.  Coventry Partnership is the only other LSP whose membership and material are made so accessible.

03 Stratford-on-Avon Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

A TSA has been established at county level.  See the entry for Warwickshire.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

“We are yet to be convinced either that it (the TSA) has a democratic potential or that this is its real purpose.”   (Source: mail to Links from SDC strategic director, 14 April 2010.)

LIO

Stratford VASA

Stratford-upon-Avon has an independent LIO which is not a member of WCAVA.  More details about this and any input into district processes will follow.

Liaison

There is no standing arrangement.

 

Other

  

04 Stratford-on-Avon Community Sector led Opportunities

CEN

No.

SCA

No.

SDC initially decided not to opt in to the Act.

Opt in review?

The Council is monitoring the first tranche of proposals before deciding whether there is a case for opt in.

 

Abbreviations

Page 15 of this site gathers together a comprehensive list of abbreviations used in S&P work.  These terms are used in the tables here:

CEN: Community Empowerment Network.

Liaison: cross-sector liaison through joint public / third sector forums, or other arrangements.  Note that in all local authority areas VCOs will influence councillors through their involvement in the sector as board members.  Influence will also come through the feedback of Council community project officers.   

LIO: local infrastructure organisation.

SCA: the term Citizens Panel is used on this site to refer specifically to those set up by Councils when opting in to the Sustainable Communities Act.

TSA: Third Sector Assembly.

  

Warwick

The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the WDC website.  

01 Warwick District Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

Participation is possible at the Council leader’s discretion.

 Locality Forums

Seven Locality Forums have been established with the County Council and police.  WDC will be giving the Forums £5,000 a year to spend on local priorities, with the possibility of match funding from Warwickshire.  Priorities not able to be addressed by the relevant Forum will go to Council and Partner processes.  The Council has been part of a pilot into Customer Insight, assessing the effectiveness of using data in improved service delivery.

Locality Forums meet on a quarterly basis to discuss public service provisions.  Forum plans will influence Sustainable Community Strategy processes.

Peoples Panel

100    The Council has run three Peoples Panels a year, which it’s followed up with focus groups.

101    Consultations can be undertaken through the SCA Citizens Panel.  

102    WDC has also piloted a scheme monitoring the effectiveness of consultation in provision making.

 Other

  

02 Warwick District LSP led Opportunities

Background details

Warwick Partnership initially consisted of only four members – Councillors representing the three main political parties plus an independent.

LSP openness?

There is no designated site for Warwick District LSP - related information is included on the WDC website.

Details can be found online of: LSP board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current SCS.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Warwick Sustainable Community Strategy: A Shared Vision

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

Model Strategy Audit reviews Warwick District 2020: 2005 – 2020, which has now been replaced.

Information pending re the LSP’s own Strategy assessment processes.

Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

The LSP is developing a CCES.  Although the letter to Links of 08 June stated that "there are a variety of ways for the local VCS to influence decisions" these were not specified.

Interested parties can become involved in the work of the area’s LSP board through the annual feedback.  Contact the coordinator.

103    Warwick District Council

104    Warwickshire County Council

105    Warwickshire Police

106    Warwickshire Primary Care Trust

107    Warwickshire Community and Volunteer Action

108    Warwickshire Association of Town & Parish Councils

109    Warwickshire Police

110    Inspira Consulting

111    Warwickshire Association of Local Councils.

112    .WCAVA

113    Sustainable Partnership Action Network

114    Warwick Community Partnership Team Manager

Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

Whilst work on other issues will continue, Warwick Partnership has decided that over the next three years it will prioritise collaborative activity on those issues where it needs to make significant improvements, and they fall with these four priority themes.

115    Safer Communities

116    Health and Well Being

117    Housing

118    Economy, Skills and Employment

Each delivery plan will be scrutinised to ensure it addresses the following cross cutting themes:

119    Narrowing the Gap.

120    Embedding sustainability throughout: this must be explained and include environmental impacts.

121    Families at risk.

122    Engaging and strengthening communities including community cohesion.

123    Rurality.

Active groups in June 2010 are Culture, Children and Young Family, Health and Wellbeing and these include VCS representatives.

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and Warwickshire section below.

  

03  Warwick District Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

A TSA has been established at county level.  More details can be found in the Warwickshire section below.

What support can the Council and LSP give?

WDC will review this following the 2010 inspection.  Information pending.

LIO

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

See the WCAVA entry for Warwickshire.

Liaison

Community Action Forum

During correspondence there were no means outlined through which the VCS could directly influence Council decision taking.

In due course this section will include further information about the input of the Community Action Forum into the district's decision making processes.  

Other

  

04  Warwick District Community Sector led Opportunities

CEN

No.

CA

Yes.

Citizens Panel

Warwick District Council has opted in to the Sustainable Communities Act and established a Citizens Panel.

Opt in review?

n/a

Best practice example

See the website's Best Practice and Policy Making page for details of the Warwick District Council Cabinet decision to opt in.

          

Warwickshire

 The information here was last updated during June 2010 visits to the WCC and WCAVA websites.  

01 Warwickshire County Council led Opportunities

Council meetings

Public participation in WCC’s district committees.  

There is non Councillor membership of audit & standards and some overview & scrutiny committees.  These also occasionally use expert advisers.

Locality Forums

Warwickshire County Council organises 30 Locality Forums across the county.  These meet quarterly for localities to raise public service issues.  Forum plans will inform each district’s SCS and Council decisions.

Peoples Panel

The county operates a Citizens Panel for consultation purposes.

Other

Community information

Warwickshire Community Information Database.  Is your group included in this invaluable reference resource?  Submit details at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/cid or complete the registration form that's available from libraries.  Those registered will then be given details of how to keep their entry updated.  The CID includes details of around 4,000 local communities of interest and with 17,000 hits a month is the second most visited county Council database.

  

02 Warwickshire's LSPs, SCSs, LAAs and NIs

Background details

Warwickshire Strategic Partnership was replaced by Warwickshire Public Services Board in April 2007.  The LSP had set up Warwickshire Sustainability Commission, but much of their work has been taken over by Warwickshire Climate Change Partnership.

LSP openness?

Warwickshire does not have a county LSP, but there are several pages of related district LSP, PSB and SCS information on the WCC site.

Details can be found online of: PSB board member organisations, their current representatives, forthcoming meeting details, and the agenda and minutes of previous meetings.  There’s also a copy of the current Warwickshire SCS.

Can you make an input into the SCS?

Warwickshire Sustainable Community Strategy

Is the Strategy reviewed for unsustainable content?

Model Strategy Audit reviews the earlier Warwickshire Strategic Partnership Plan 2005 - 2008.

Information pending re Strategy processes’ own assessment opportunities.

Is there a board member to represent your concerns?

PSB member organisations include the leaders of the five district councils and a VCS representative

 Is there an opportunity for theme group work?

The Board forum has VCS reps.  The VCS may also be involved in PSB processes affecting the sector, eg grant making.  WCC also engages with the county’s VCS through district level LSPs.

124    Children and Young People

125    Safer Communities

126    Stronger Communities

127    Healthier Communities and Older People

128    Economic Development and Enterprise

129    Environment and Sustainability.

S&P audit?

LAAs and NIs give voluntary and community organisations performance monitoring opportunities.  See the joint Coventry and Warwickshire NI summary table at the top of this page and below.

  

Warwickshire NI Data Accessibility

 Although the NIs areas choose are:

10     a key to identifying Council / LSP priorities, and

11     a way for citizens and other stakeholders to track their performance,

Warwickshire County Council 'National Indicator' website searches (March 2010) showed that it included:

12     the full set of 198 National Indicator choices

However, this information was not readily available:

13     which NI targets the Council / LSP had chosen

14     the relevant annual targets over this three year period

15     whether targets are being met

Brief searches were also made of Warwickshire's five district Council websites, but as it is the County Council that is responsible for both the LAA and NIs these were not detailed.  In no case did the national indicators and annual performance results have the site profile they deserve.

NI information is most easily accessible on the dedicated national website www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk Also see this site's page 08 Helpful Lobbying Tools.

Editorial comment

NIs' low local profile is not only at odds with their function as performance indicators but also their engagement and democratic potential - VCOs are encouraged to use Comprehensive Area Assessments to hold government to account "by coordinating themselves to influence assessments locally", with OTS guidance stating that the third sector should "maximise the contribution of the wider sector to the assessment process".  See this site's page 16 Glossary for more information on Comprehensive Area Assessment processes.

Do all those involved in Warwickshire district LSP processes know who the local CAA lead is?

Participation opportunities: how can organisations working on S&P use NIs?

NIs and their linked local outcome targets can:

 Be used to track Council and partner performance in the six chosen areas.

 Referenced when raising linked concerns.

As 2011 will see the publication of new LAAs and NI priorities Councils and LSPs can now be lobbied to give increased priority to S&P concerns.  

The point of contact at WCC is Mr Bill Basra, LAA Manager, Partnerships and Communities, Performance and Development Directorate, WCC, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR.  01926 412904. 07867 970015.  billbasra@warwickshire.gov.uk

 

03  Warwickshire Voluntary Sector led Opportunities

TSA

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

Warwickshire Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly was initiated during 2008.  A briefing day was held that November, from which a task and finish group was made responsible for working on Assembly terms of reference.  By summer 2009 Warwickshire VCS Assembly was being developed in a way that would best achieve the Assembly's agreed aims, ie to:

130    Provide an arena for information sharing, discussion and action.

131    Support the county's VCOs and strengthen its third sector.

132    Provide an effective voice for Warwickshire's VCS.

133    Facilitate strategic influence for two way engagement with local statutory organisations

134    Establish a formal constituency for third sector representatives involved in decision and provision making processes.

Warwickshire VCS Assembly has stated how it is to achieve this by "creating an arena that can:

135    Build sector capacity through sharing experience, skills and information.

136    Build links and alliances between organisations.

137    Have real influence at all levels of planning and policy decisions.

138    Advocate on its own behalf and on behalf of its users.

139    Enable effective consultation.

140    Act as a supportive structure - you are no longer a lone voice.

141    Provide a source of information for the sector.

142    Improve the support and democratic accountability of current network reps."

At the Assembly launch meeting in February 2009 VCO representatives discussed how the sector could address the challenges of Warwickshire LAA's four blocks - environment and the economy, safer and stronger communities, health and older people, children and young people.

There are about 4,000 VCOs in Warwickshire and this initiative will give these organisations and their members a strong voice at decision making level.

What support can the Council and LSP give?  

Information pending on whether the Council has considered how best to maximise Warwickshire TSA’s democratic potential.

 

LIO

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

As the county's LIO, Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action works for a stronger VCS.  

Warwickshire CAVA provides the county's TSOs with a range of services including training and advice on funding, group development and management.  It publishes a quarterly newsletter, Connect, as well as a weekly ebulletin.

On 1 April 2008 was established by the merger of the Councils for Voluntary Service based in Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, and Warwick with the Volunteer Centres in Rugby and Warwick district.  North Warwickshire CVS joined shortly after.  During 2009 it became one of the first National Association of Voluntary and Community Action members to win the organisation's new Quality Award.  For more information about membership of Warwickshire CAVA see www.wcava.org.uk

Voluntary Action Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon has an independent LIO which is not a member of WCAVA.  

 Liaison

WCC attends district level forums such as Voluntary North when requested.

The third sector strategy group reviews Council / VCS relationships.

WCC and partners provide VCS funding to facilitate representations.

Other

Health and social care

Warwickshire Local Involvement Network.  Statutory network of health and social care providers and users established to gather and use feedback on services.  

Young people

inVOLve.  inVOLve is a nationwide, area based, initiative enabling the 5 to 19s to become involved in decision and provision making.  This benefits those young people who participate by offering new skills and experiences, learning residences, certificates and accreditation - and a chance to make an input into local decision making processes.  The work offered includes website / graphic design, event organisation, speaking at meetings / forums, information gathering.  

  Participation opportunity - inVOLve

Warwickshire organisations working on sustainability concerns should be involved in this important initiative.  For further information phone 01827 718080.  www.warwickshireassembly.org.uk  www.wcava.org.uk

 

04 Warwickshire Community Sector led Opportunities

CEN

No.

SCA

No.

Opt in review?

Warwickshire County Council has yet to review its 2009 decision not to establish a Citizens Panel under the Sustainable Communities Act.  Information pending.

Participation opportunity - SCA Review

Contact your local Council to tell them you think your area would benefit if members told the LGA they want to opt in to the Sustainable Communities Act.

These are the review 'dates':

 ·       Coventry: Scheduled March review postponed until after elections of May 2010.

·       North Warwickshire: Opt in will be reviewed when the LGA publish details of the submitted bids.

·       Nuneaton and Bedworth: Opt in will continue to be reviewed.

·       Rugby: Opt in will be reviewed should appropriate circumstances arise.

·       Stratford: The Council is monitoring the original proposals before deciding whether there is a case for opt in.

·       Warwick: n/a.  WDC has already decided to opt-in.

·       Warwickshire: No information has been provided.

 

Contact Details

Participation Opportunities in Coventry & Warwickshire

 Visitors from Coventry and Warwickshire can raise the profile of sustainability concerns using the contact details included in this table.

  

Coventry

Council

Coventry City Council

CCC, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR.  Phone 024 7683 3333. www.coventry.gov.uk

Participation.  Helen Shankster, Corporate Research Coordinator, Room 73, CCC, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR. 024 7683 4371.  helen.shankster@coventry.gov.uk

Full details of CCC’s committee system can be viewed at:  http://cmis.coventry.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/CommiteeSelection.aspx

Sustainability.  Council’s sustainability team: Sustainability Team, CCC, 314 Broadgate House, Coventry CV1 1NH.  024 7683 2279. sustainablecity@coventry.gov.uk  www.coventry.gov.uk use searchwords sustainability links

Locality Forum

In Coventry the work of a Locality Forum is undertaken by the CEN.

 

LSP

Coventry Partnership

Partnership Manager, Coventry Partnership, Room 67, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR.  www.coventrypartnership.com

 

Voluntary sector

Coventry Third Sector Assembly

Coventry TSA, c/o VAC, 6th Floor, Coventry Point, Market Way, Coventry CV1 1EA.   There are also street level premises at 26 City Arcade, Coventry CV1 3HW.   024 7622 0381.  www.vacoventry.org.uk /third-sector-assembly  info@vacoventry.org.uk#

Voluntary Action Coventry

VAC, 6th Floor, Coventry Point, Market Way, Coventry CV1 1EA.   There are also street level premises at 26 City Arcade, Coventry CV1 3HW.   024 7622 0381.  www.vacoventry.org.uk  info@vacoventry.org.uk

Coventry inVOLve  

InVOLve, c/o VAC, 6th Floor, Coventry Point, Market Way, Coventry CV1 1EA.   There are also street level premises at 26 City Arcade, Coventry CV1 3HW.   024 7670 7679.  www.covinvolve.org.uk  team@covinvolve.org.uk

Coventry LiNK

Coventry LiNK, c/o VAC, 6th Floor, Coventry Point, Market Way, Coventry CV1 1EA.   There are also street level premises at 26 City Arcade, Coventry CV1 3HW.   024 7670 7679.

 

Community sector

Coventry Community Empowerment Network

Coventry CEN, Community Space, Floor 1, Jewson Stand, Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry CV6 6GE.  024 7622 0381.  www.covcen.org.uk

Citizens Panel

Coventry doesn’t have a Citizens Panel. For details about how to lobby for one to be established under the Sustainable Communities Act see www.localworks.org

 

North Warwickshire

Council

North Warwickshire Borough Council

Steve Maxey, Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council, NWBC, Council House, South Street, Atherstone CV9 1BQ.  stevemaxey@northwarks.gov.uk  

North Warwickshire Area Forums

In North Warwickshire Locality Forums are called Area Forums.  To find out when the next meetings are phone 01926 410410 or 01827 719 317 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/community forums.

 

LSP

North Warwickshire Community Partnership

Steve Maxey, NWCP, Council House, South Street, Atherstone CV9 1BQ.  01827 719437.  www.northwarks.gov.uk.nwcp/site

 stevemaxey@northwarks.gov.uk  policy@northwarks.gov.uk

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

For Warwickshire TSA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCAVA North Warwickshire Office, Community House, Coleshill Road, Atherstone CV9 1BN.  01827 718080.  nwinfo@wcava.org.uk

For other WCAVA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Voluntary Action North

VAN, WCAVA, Community House, Coleshill Road, Atherstone CV9 1BN.  01827 718080.  nwinfo@wcava.org.uk

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

North Warwickshire does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

The district does not have a Citizens Panel.  For details about how to lobby for a Citizens Panel through Sustainable Communities Act opt in see www.localworks.org

 

Nuneaton and Bedworth

 Council

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

NBBC, Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton V11 5AA.  024 7637 6376.  www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk

Nuneaton and Bedworth Community Forums

To find out when the next meetings of the borough’s Locality Forums are phone 01926 410410 or 024 7637 5700 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/communityforums

 

LSP

Nuneaton and Bedworth Local Strategic Partnership

www.nblsp.org.uk

LSP, c/o NBBC Regeneration Manager.  Chief Executive’s Office, NBBC, Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton CV11 5AA.024 7637 6448.  regeneration@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk   

Nuneaton and Bedworth Area Manager.  024 7637 5700.  heather.shearer@warwickshire.gov.uk

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

For Warwickshire TSA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCAVA Nuneaton and Bedworth Office, 72 High Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5DA.  024 7638 5765.  nunbedinfo@wcava.org.uk  For other Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Communities Involvement Forum / Supporting Communities Forum,

WCAVA, 72 High Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5DA.  024 7638 5765.   nunbedinfo@wcava.org.uk

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

Nuneaton and Bedworth does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

The district does not have a Citizens Panel.  For details about how to lobby for a Citizens Panel through Sustainable Communities Act opt in see www.localworks.org

 

Rugby

 Council

Rugby Borough Council

RBC, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby CV21 2LB  01788 533533.  www.rugby.gov.uk

Rugby Community Forums

To find out when Rugby’s Locality Forums next meet phone 01926 410410 or 01788 533656 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/community forums.

 

LSP

Rugby Local Strategic Partnership

Rugby LSP, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby CV21 2LB.  01788 533656. rugbyoffice@warwickshire.gov.uk

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

For Warwickshire TSA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCAVA Rugby Borough Office, 19 & 20 North Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2AG.  01788 574258.  rugbyinfo@wcava.org.uk

For other WCAVA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Voluntary and Community Sector Forum

WCAVA, 19 & 20 North Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2AG.  01788 574258.  rugbyinfo@wcava.org.uk

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

Rugby does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

The district does not have a Citizens Panel.  For details about how to lobby for a Citizens Panel through Sustainable Communities Act opt in see www.localworks.org

 

Stratford-upon-Avon

Council

Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Council meetings.  Richard Hood, Member Services Head, SDC, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford upon Avon CV37 6HX.  SDC: 01789 267575.  Richard Hood: richard.hood@stratford-dc.gov.uk   www.stratford.gov.uk

Stratford Community Forums  

To find out when the next meetings of Stratford’s Community Forums phone 01926 410410 or 01789 290784 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/community forums.

 

LSP

Stratford District Partnership

www.stratford-dp.org.uk  www.stratford.gov.uk / search Stratford District Partnership

SDP, Dave Nash, Strategic Director, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6HX.  01789 260800.  dave.nash@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Jenny Murray, Area Manager, Stratford-on-Avon Area Office, Warwickshire County Council, Winton House, Church Street, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6HB.  07189 290784.  jennymurray@warwickshire.gov.uk

For queries about the administration of meetings, contact Tina Brain on 01789 260802 or email tina.brain@stratford-dc.gov.uk

 

143    Postholders

Chair.  Charles Goody: workflow@lineone.net

Vice Chair. Alan Bartlett: a.c.bartlett@btinternet.com

144    SDC

Dave Nash: dave.nash@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Cllr Les Topham: leslie.topham@stratford-dc.gov.uk

WCC

Cllr Chris Williams: chris.williams@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Graeme Smith: graemesmith@warwickshire.gov.uk

Jenny Murray: jennymurray@warwickshire.gov.uk

Louise Richards: louiserichards@warwickshire.gov.uk

145    Locality forum chairs

Alcester / Bidford.  Cllr Kim James: kim.james@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Henley / Studley.  Cllr Stephen Thirlwell: stephen.thirlwell@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Shipston / Stour.  Trevor Russel: basicallybooks@btinternet.com

Southam / Feldon.  Cllr David Wise: david.wise@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Stratford.  Cllr Trevor Honychurch:   trevor.honychurch@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Wellesbourne / Kineton.  Cllr David Close: david.close@stratford-dc.gov.uk

146    Theme group chairs

Children & Young People.  Martin Penny: martinpenny@stratford.ac.uk

Climate Change & Environment.  Cllr Simon Jackson: simon.jackson@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Economic Development & Economy.  Cllr Mike Brain: mike.brain@stratford-dc.gov.uk

Healthier Communities & Older People.  Jayne Longfield:  jayne.longfield@ageconcernwarks.co.uk

Safer Communities.  Ian Whiting: ian.whiting@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk

Stronger Communities.  Julia Phillips: juliap@vasa.org.uk

147    Other

Warwickshire Association of Local Councils.  Elisabeth Uggerloese:  euggerloese@hotmail.com

Voluntary Action Stratford-upon-Avon.  Athena Roderick: athena.roderick@btinternet.com

NHS Warwickshire.  Deb Saunders: deb.saunders@warkpct.nhs.uk

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

For Warwickshire TSA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Voluntary Action Stratford upon Avon

VASA, Suite 3, Arden Court, Arden Street, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6NT.  01789 262886.  www.vasa.org.uk  info@vasa.org.uk

VCS / Council Forums

Stratford does not have a permanent cross sector arrangement.

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

Stratford upon Avon does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

The district does not have a Citizens Panel.  For details about how to lobby for a Citizens Panel through Sustainable Communities Act opt in see www.localworks.org

 

 Warwick

Council

Warwick District Council

WDC, Town Hall, Leamington Spa CV32 4AT and Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa CV32 5HZ.  01926 450000.  www.warwickdc.gov.uk  firstname.lastname@warwick.gov.uk

Michael Branson, website manager.  michaelbranson@warwick.gov.uk

Warwick Community Forums

To find out about the next meetings of Warwick‘s Locality Forums phone 01926 410410 or 01926 456102 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/community forums

 

LSP

The Warwick Partnership

Warwick Partnership, WDC, Town Hall, Leamington Spa CV32 4AT and Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa CV32 5HZ.  01926 450000.  www.warwickdc.gov.uk  firstname.lastname@warwick.gov.uk

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

For Warwickshire TSA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCAVA Warwick District Office, 4 & 6 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 2DL.  01926 477512.  warwickinfo@wcava.org.uk  For other WCAVA contact details see Warwickshire entries at bottom of table.

Community Action Forum

CAF, WCAVA, 4 & 6 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 2DL.  01926 477512.  warwickinfo@wcava.org.uk

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

Warwick district does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

Warwick has a Citizens Panel as constituted under the Sustainable Communities Act.  Dave Barber.  01926 456065.  dave.barber@warwickdc.gov.uk

 

Warwickshire

Council

Warwickshire County Council

WCC, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR. 0845 090 7000.  www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Participation.  Jane Pollard, WCC, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR. 01926 412565.   democraticservices.warwickshire.gov.uk www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corporate/pages.nsf/pages%20by%20department/27e514b3f12c869f80256d81005267bc

Warwickshire’s Community and Area Forums

To find out about the six Warwickshire districts Locality Forums phone 01926 410410 or see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/community forums.

Other Input Opportunities

Warwickshire Climate Change Partnership, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR. 0845 090 7000.  www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Community Information Database, Warwickshire Library and Information Service, Warwickshire County Council, Barrack Street, Warwick CV34 4TH.  

 

LSP

Warwickshire Public Services Board

Warwickshire PSB, WCC, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR. 0845 090 7000.  www.warwickshire.gov.uk search words - public services board  

 

Voluntary sector

Warwickshire Third Sector Assembly

Warwickshire TSA, c/o WCAVA, 19 and 20 North Street, Rugby CV21 2AG.  01788 574258.  information@wcava.org.uk

Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCAVA Registered Office, 19 and 20 North Street, Rugby CV21 2AG.  01788 574258.  information@wcava.org.uk

WCAVA Connect (newsletter), 4 and 6 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa CV32 4DL.  01926 477519.  connect@wcava.org.uk

Warwickshire inVOLve

Warwickshire inVOLve, c/o Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs.  01926 450156.  http://wayc.org.uk  v@wayc.org.uk

 http://vinspired.com/vinvolved-teams/19-vinvolved-team-Warwickshire

Warwickshire LINk

01225 701134.  www.warwickshirelink.co.uk  warwickshirelink@hapuk.co.uk

 

Community sector

Community Empowerment Network

Warwickshire does not have a CEN.

Citizens Panel

The county does not have a Citizens Panel.  For details about how to lobby for a Citizens Panel through Sustainable Communities Act opt in see www.localworks.org

       

Overview

In addition to the area based initiatives outlined above there are various national and regional developments that can benefit local S&P work, although perhaps not presenting opportunities for direct stakeholder participation.

Coventry and Warwickshire Infrastructure Consortium (CWIC)

Nationwide Infrastructure Consortiums develop new services and mechanisms to support the voluntary sector.

Subregional Local Authority Collaborations

There are many subregional level groupings that bring together representatives from the eight local authorities - Coventry, Solihull, North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford on Avon, Warwick and Warwickshire.  Those dealing with sustainability related concerns are listed here.  They cover the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire (CSW) catchment, unless otherwise indicated.

16     CSW Association of Planning Officers.  The eight local authorities' senior planning officers regularly all meet together as well as in four subgroups concerned with: development planning, development control, information and monitoring, regional and subregional coordination.

17     CSW Partnership.  

18     CSW Transport Strategy Group.  The senior transport and highways planning officers group includes representatives of the Highways Agency and Centro.

19     CSW Habitat and Biodiversity Group.  Local authority officers.

20     CSW Association of Chief Executives.

21     CSW Regional Leaders Group.

22     Warwickshire Observatory.  A team of officers responsible for collecting and presenting data.

23     Warwickshire Waste Forum.  County and district Council members meet to discuss waste and recycling issues, with officer support.

 West Midlands Regional Empowerment Partnership

  www.evcwm.org.uk/

The nine English regions now have their own REPs to roll out the Government's community empowerment agenda.  The programme is being funded by DCLG and managed by the third sector's CDF.

The aim of these Partnerships is to help Councils improve LAA Outcome Indicator 4 - the proportion of people who feel they can influence local decision making.  The first stage of their work was to research community empowerment practice for analysis by the NEP, which has been using the information to promote the benefits of community empowerment, share best practice and develop empowerment infrastructure as well as produce tools to help local authorities' community empowerment performance.

West Midlands Regional Forum of Leaders (RFL)

The present RFL was created through the merger of an existing Forum with the West Midlands LGA in order to make possible broader local authority engagement than previously.  Its membership is made of the regions' Council leaders and its purpose is to provide a single, strong voice for Councils at regional level.

An initial task has been to prepare for the discontinuation of the Regional Assembly, ensuring that all of its functions are passed on satisfactorily.  This will leave the RFL as the body of elected representatives responsible for input into the Single Integrated Regional Strategy.

West Midlands Regional Housing Partnership

This brings together local authority housing officers to consider how different housing issues are addressed across the region.

  

Local Abbreviations

National abbreviations used locally

Note that a number of abbreviations in common use across Coventry and Warwickshire are also used nationally.  Please refer to the Abbreviations page for a more comprehensive list.

 

ACLP    Area Community Learning Partnership

ACT     Act in the Community Together

AWM     Advantage West Midlands

 

BSN     Building Sustainable Neighbourhoods

 

CAF     Community Action Forum

CAHA    Christian Alliance Housing Association

CaYPSP  Coventry’s Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership

CEMAP   Coventry Ethnic Minority Action Partnership

CCC     Coventry City Council

CNRZ    Coventry and Nuneaton Regeneration Zone (aka Creating New Horizons)

CVSC    Coventry Voluntary Service Council (Voluntary Action Coventry since 2008)

CRACIN  Coalition for Recycling and Against Incineration

CRED    Community Recycling and Economic Development

CSWP    Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership

CTSA    Coventry Third Sector Assembly

CWIC    Coventry and Warwickshire Infrastructure Consortium

CWLC    Coventry and Warwickshire Learning Consortium

CYPSP   Coventry Young People’s Strategic Partnership

 

LEGI    Local Enterprise Growth Initiative

 

NABSCOP Nuneaton and Bedworth Safer Communities Partnership

NBBC    Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

NWBC    North Warwickshire Borough Council

 

RAWM    Regional Action West Midlands

RBC     Rugby Borough Council

RDA     Regional Development Agency (Advantage West Midlands)

 

SDC     Stratford on Avon District Council

SPAN    Sustainable Partnership Action Network

SWFF    South Warwickshire Fundraisers Forum

SWVF    South Warwickshire Volunteering Forum

 

TIDE    Teachers in Development Education

 

VAC     Voluntary Action Coventry

VASA    Voluntary Action Stratford-upon-Avon

VCC     Volunteer Centre Coventry

VCSF    Rugby Voluntary and Community Sector Forum

VIO     Volunteer Involving Organisation

VSA     Voluntary Sector Assembly

 

WALC    Warwickshire Association of Local Councils

WAYC    Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs

WCC     Warwickshire County Council

WCAVA   Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action

WCCP    Warwickshire Climate Change Partnership

WDC     Warwick District Council

WMASA   West Midlands Amenity Societies Association

WMFLA   West Midlands Forum of Local Authorities

WMPTA   West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (a political body whose members are drawn from the seven metropolitan Councils – it sets policies and budgets to meet public sector transport responsibilities)

WMPTE   West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (Centro)

WMRC    West Midlands Regional Chamber

WMREP   West Midlands Regional Empowerment Partnership

WMRSF   West Midlands Regional Sustainability Forum

WMSEP   West Midlands Social Economy Partnership

WMVCS   West Midlands Voluntary and Community Sector

WPSB    Warwickshire Public Services Board

WSC     Warwickshire Sustainability Commission

WWT     Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

 

YAT     Youth Action Team

  

    Please contact us with any information or feed back:

E-mail - info@sustainabilitylinks.org.uk

Post - Sustainability LINKS, 3 Park Road, Bedworth CV12 8LH