Contact: Jo White, Policy Officer (Community Strategy) Ext: 5004

[email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report seeks comments on the proposed Community Strategies for Fareham (Appendix A) and Rushmoor (Appendix B). These represent the first part of the proposed documents, with action plans being produced separately at a later date.

2. Introduction

2.1 The Local Government Act 2000 (LGA 2000) imposed a statutory duty on principal local authorities to prepare Community Strategies for their areas with the aim of improving social, economic and environmental well-being. Government guidance makes it clear that the Community Strategy must be produced by a partnership of stakeholders known as the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for the area.

2.2 The Community Strategy must:

- Be demonstrably "bottom up" based on extensive consultation and research in the community as to priorities of work.

- Take a long term and sustainable view of service delivery

- Have measurable targets with a robust review mechanism.

2.3 The PRC is reminded that :

- There is no statutory deadline to producing Community Strategies and guidance states that the process is as important as the Strategy itself.

- Consultation on the Strategy itself should be extensive.

- The Community Strategy must go to improving delivery of services so that these are better targeted to the needs of the end-user.

2.4 In March 2001 the Hampshire Isle of Wight Local Authorities Association (HIOWLA) agreed a framework for developing Community Strategies and LSPs in the Hampshire area. All 11 Districts will have a Community Strategy produced by an LSP for the district. It was agreed that Hampshire County Council (HCC) would be a partner on each LSP and would therefore be a signatory to each Community Strategy. Hampshire County Council's representation is through the Executive Member for Community Development, Regeneration, supported by the Corporate Community Strategy Group, consisting of officers and Members.

2.5 The draft Community Strategies support Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone and improve their quality of life.

3. The Community Strategy for Fareham

Key points of the Strategy

3.1 The Strategy has been prepared as a result of an extensive community engagement process involving a series of community road show events during Summer 2002, culminating in the publication of a consultation document entitled "Fareham Our Future: Towards a Community Strategy" in November 2002.

3.2 Building on the responses to the consultation document, the Fareham Local Strategic Partnership, known as `Networkfareham', in conjunction with a range of partners, which includes the County Council represented by Councillor Kirk, Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration, has sought to develop its Partnership Document further. Following discussion and a facilitated work shop it has been agreed that the Community Strategy for Fareham will be developed in two distinct phases.

3.3 The first phase has been the production of The Community Strategy (Appendix A) which sets out the vision and long term strategic objectives for Fareham's Community Strategy. This document sets out the background to community strategies in terms of their role and purpose; it confirms the membership of the Fareham LSP Steering Group; identifies the main vision for and duration of the Fareham Community Strategy and finally sets out the framework for the future development of the Community Strategy by setting out the issues and long term objectives that will form the basis of the Community Strategy Action Plan. The Strategy also identifies a small number (10) of Priority Actions that will form the basis of the development of the formal Action Plan.

3.4 The document sets out the issues which have been highlighted as being important to the community as a result of the earlier road shows and consultation responses on the "Towards a Community Strategy" document. The chosen duration for the Community Strategy is 10 years in acknowledgement that a number of the objectives may take several years to achieve and also that this length of timescale is commensurate with other timescales in Local Government for example, the length of Local Plans.

3.5 It is not proposed that the Community Strategy document be the subject of a further public consultation - the view taken that the consultation undertaken in 2002 more than adequately meets the consultation requirements set out in the Guidance for preparing a community strategy. The Community Strategy document, entitled "Fareham Our Future - A Community Strategy for Fareham from 2004" was formally launched in early August 2004.

4. The Community Strategy Action Plan

4.1 It has been decided that the Community Strategy Action Plan document will be prepared separately to the main Community Strategy document and that it will provide a related compendium document to be used in conjunction with the Strategy.

4.2 As with many of the LSPs, the Strategic Partnership has decided to alter the structure of the Partnership to better support the preparation of the Action Plan. This has resulted in the creation of a Strategic Partnership Board (with a maximum of 18 voting members) supported by a smaller Programme Management Board which will be responsible for driving the co-ordination and preparation of the Action Plan document. On each Board Cllr Kirk is the County Council's representative although an un-nominated substitute is allowed in each case also. Existing Officer support to Cllr Kirk and other Members as necessary is still welcomed by the LSP Board. In addition, the LSP has identified a need for a dedicated post holder to support the next stage of the LSP and discussions currently seem to indicate there would be merit in a joint appointment for a post holder to support both the Fareham and Gosport LSP's.

4.3 Although in the early stages of development, with the revised structure described above in place, it is proposed to establish Task Groups to deal with one or more of the identified Priority Actions set out the Appendix. It is proposed that the following task Groups are set up to deal with different Community Strategy Objectives and Priority Actions:

· Community Safety- dealing with Objective 9.

· Transport, Planning and the Environment - dealing with Objective 5 and 11 and addressing Priority Actions 5, 6, and 7.

· Health - dealing with Objective 7 and 8 and addressing Priority Actions 1,2 and 3.

· Housing - dealing with Objective 10 and addressing Priority Action 8.

· Learning, Skills and Employment - dealing with Objectives 3 and 4.

· Community Development - dealing with Objectives 1, 2 and 6 and addressing Priority Actions 4 and 9.

· Communications - addressing Priority Action 10.

4.4 Each of the Task Groups will be lead by a Strategic Partnership Board Member. Hampshire County Council are not leading on any of the seven Task Groups, but will play an active part in the transport group as well a number of the other Task Groups. It is the intention to prepare a Draft Action Plan that develops each of these priorities into a range of tangible Actions for which a programme for implementation and funding and responsibility for delivery of each are clearly set out.

5. Next steps

5.1 Work will continue on the preparation of the draft Community Strategy Action Plan with a view that this will be available for consideration next year. Any detailing of the Priority Action within the proposed Action Plan will have regard to the existing statutory plans of the various LSP partners and at all times seek to avoid duplication of effort/commitment of resources.

6. The Community Strategy for Rushmoor

Key points of the Strategy

6.1 The Strategy has been prepared by the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership with the input of the Rushmoor community and provides an important focal point for the future well-being of the Borough. It sets out the strategic aims of the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership from which they can identify the priorities of the community and prepare action plans to address them.

6.2 Work began on the Community Strategy in 2002 and it evolved through a comprehensive exercise of information gathering which included:

· examining census information and survey work

· analysing existing regional, county and local strategies

· reviewing local plans and policies which have an impact on the Borough in the future

· Researching the results of consultation such as borough wide surveys, citizen panel surveys and website questionnaires

6.3 The first phase has been the production of The Community Strategy (Appendix B) which sets out the vision and long term strategic objectives for Rushmoor's Community Strategy, it confirms the membership of the Rushmoor LSP Steering Group; identifies the main vision for the Rushmoor Community Strategy and finally sets out the framework for the future development of the Community Strategy by setting out the strategic aims will form the basis of the Community Strategy Action Plan.

The Strategic Aims

6.4 Following extensive research and consultation the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership have examined the issues raised in order to identify strategic aims. There are 24 strategic aims which reflect a number of social, economic and environmental issues, including delivering integrated public services to residents, to reduce the fear of crime, more efficient use of resources, to promote healthy lifestyles, to address inequalities and to secure transport options that are safe, accessible and integrated.

Next steps

6.5 Following the publication of this Community Strategy Framework, the partnership will carry out a number of tasks as it moves to delivering the strategic aims:

· Consider and agree its priorities

· Establish a process for turning the priorities into actions

· Agree action plans and start work

· Consider further opportunities

· Develop systems for assessing progress and reviewing the Community Strategy

6.6 When the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership are developing their action plans, this is the point that Hampshire County Council should be involved, giving the opportunity to develop the individual action plans and be part of the associated working groups..

Recommendation

The Policy and Resources PRC is invited to comment on the draft Community Strategies for Fareham and Rushmoor and advise the Leader when appropriate in considering approval of the Community Strategies.

Background Information

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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