POLICY PROFILE

A Camden Black and Minority Ethnic Alliance, Policy Publication

SPECIAL EDITION: Part 4 of 4 Part Series

Understanding Local Area Agreement
4. The Partnership Principle

Summary

This is the final briefing paper in a four part series looking, in detail, at local area agreement (LAA) and its implications for the voluntary and community sector (especially BME organisations). In this final publication, the value and importance of partnership working, is considered. In setting out the issues relating to LAA and partnership working, this briefing seeks to make clear that:

□ LAA is a local partnership document not a Council document, therefore guidance requires that all local partners including the voluntary and community sector (VCS) should be fully engaged in its development and implementation

□ In seeking to sign off its LAA, the Local Strategic Partnership (or delegated lead body for the LAA) will need to make sure that the final agreement includes a statement that the VCS has been fully engaged in the process

□ Given the sheer size and scope of the LAA, good practice dictates that every attempt should be made to ensure that the VCS is involved at each tier of LAA decision making - not just final sign off by LSP

□ Guidance is explicit that LAA give appropriate consideration to the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and that, by itself, this should ensure that BME organisations are given every opportunity to actively engage in the conversation regarding LAA and its likely impact on BME communities

Background and Context

Local area agreement is fundamentally a partnership framework. It is clearly implied that developing a LAA demands close cross sector collaboration across a wide range of partners. The development of high-level priority outcomes, indicators and targets, for example, cannot be achieved without all partners getting together and agreeing what these should be. Similarly, the 'pooling' (gathering together) of local area based funding and other funds is unlikely to happen unless partners consent to it. The guidance paper on LAA, published at the time of the announcement of the 66 areas, in the LAA second phase, makes clear that partnership and collaborative working should be the means through which decisions are made and agreements reached regarding LAA.

In several instances guidance prescribes that LAA should evidence partnership working. One example of this is in relation to the VCS, where it makes clear that a LAA must include a clear statement to the effect that the VCS have been fully involved in the development of the agreement. This is further expanded upon in the LAA toolkit, which was published alongside the guidance. The toolkit, functions as a step by step guide to LAA development and as part of this, it is explicit that the engagement of the VCS should reflect the basic principles contained and agreed in the local VCS compact.

Main Issues

Role of the local strategic partnership

At the highest level, the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) is given the overall responsibility for overseeing the development of LAA. However, guidance does not detail exactly what the LSPs role must be. Research, gathered for this briefing, shows that the role of the LSP, in LAA development, has differed from area to area. In some instances it has been a hands on role, and in other instances it appears to have functioned as an advisory body. As the VCS is represented on Camden's LSP this guarantees that the sector will be involved, at the highest level, in LAA decision making.

Research undertaken for this briefing also shows that most areas have established additional levels of LAA decision-making, with each level reporting to the one above and then finally to the LSP. Reasonably therefore, the VCS should be represented on any groups, set up to populate these multi-layered structures.

'Engagement' with the VCS

The LAA toolkit uses the word 'engagement' when referring to the VCS and suggests that this could mean, information sharing, consultation, capacity building, joint decision making or delivery. The following are identified as ways in which, engagement with the VCS can enhance the development of LAA:

□ shaping the design, commissioning and evaluation of services
□ building upon existing voluntary and community skill and knowledge assets
□ capitalising on the way in which the VCS puts people at the heart of what it does and engages the community

It goes on that the LAA process should allow for the move from models of consultation, with the sector, to forms of joint decision-making and service delivery.

Good practice in LAA development

As LAA is still very much in its infancy, there is still a lack of examples of good practice in engaging the VCS. Despite this, the LAA toolkit does provide several useful examples of ways in which some areas have been proactive in engaging the sector. In one of these, from Bradford, the development of the 'safer & stronger communities' priority block was delegated to the chief executive of the VCS. The same chief executive was also a member of the team that negotiated the LAA, with the relevant Government Office.

The Camden compact

The compact between the VCS and public sector bodies is a crucially important document. It provides the basis upon which the VCS and public sector bodies (the Council, the police the Primary Care Trust, Job Centre Plus and others) will work together locally. The compact is important, in the LAA context, because its guiding principles for inclusiveness, integrity, transparency, open dialogue and equality of opportunity should ensure that the VCS are fully involved in the development of Camden's LAA.

Implications for CBMEA Members

An important point to make here is that, as a method of engagement, partnership is proactive as well as reactive. In light of this the VCS and the BME sector, in particular, should not wait for an invitation to take part in the LAA process. Furthermore, given the duty placed upon areas to ensure their LAA is fully compliant with the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, the BME VCS should seek out opportunities to drive this agenda from the front seat and not be content to observe from the back.

Collectively, the LAA guidance, toolkit and the VCS compact provide the basis for partnership working on LAA development. CBMEA members should be clear about this, as it places specific obligations on local partners in their engagement of the VCS. CBMEA members are therefore encouraged to ensure they are fully up to speed with the contents of all this documentation and make informed judgements as to whether the development of Camden's LAA is consistent with their provisions.

CBMEA members should be clear that the deadline for the sign off of Camden's LAA is the end of March 2006. In light of this, once the agreement has been signed off, it will not again be possible to substantially renegotiate it.

Support for CBMEA Members

CBMEA fully understands the implications of LAA upon the VCS and the BME sector in particular. As a result of this, we have already opened dialogue with Camden Council, with a view to ensuring that the BME VCS is able to make an effective contribution to the development of the borough's LAA. At this stage, one such meeting has already taken place.

Efforts to develop a dialogue with the Council on LAA will continue and as part of this we are proposing to take the following steps on behalf of our membership:

□ Make further representation to LB Camden to discuss LAA development in the borough and ensure that appropriate provision is made for the BME sector to shape and influence LAA development in the borough

□ Ensure that the Council and key partners have access to the various briefings and publications we produce about LAA development and good practice

□ Organise seminars and events on LAAs and invite keynote speakers to address members

□ Liase with other boroughs to determine how the BME sector has or is being engaged in the development of LAA, with a view to importing any best practice into this borough

Contacts

This policy briefing was prepared by:
Monica Olusola, Director of Camden BME Alliance (CBMEA)

For further information about this briefing, in particular, or CBMEA in general, our details are as follows:

Address:
44 Hampstead Road
London NW1 2PY

Tel: 020 7388 6030
Fax: 020 7388 6040

Email: director@cbmea.org.uk
Website: www.camdenbmealliance.org.uk

Sources

The following source documentation was used in the preparation of this briefing

1. Local Area Agreements Guidance - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, June 2005
2. The Local Area Agreement Toolkit - Office of the Deputy Prime minister, June 2005
3. A Compact for Camden: A Framework agreement between the Voluntary and Community sector and Public Sector Partners

Revised on 17 Apr 2007