1 Significant partnership activity in 2006/07

1.1 The corporate policy on partnership working emphasises the County Council's commitment to work in partnership to achieve the best public services at the best possible value for the people of Hampshire.

1.2 As outlined in the Local Government Act 2000, the County Council has a duty to promote and support partnership working as part of its community leadership role. This means having a responsibility for setting a clear direction for the performance of partnerships themselves in achieving outcomes for the community as well as a responsibility for its own role and performance within the partnership.

1.3 This appendix reports on partnership activity in 2006/07 for partnerships with an annual turnover in excess of £250,000 and where there are no alternative member reporting arrangements. It includes:

Adult Services

2 Integrated Community Equipment Service

Objectives

2.1 The Integrated Community Equipment Services (ICES) supports the three new corporate priorities; Hampshire safer and more secure for all, Maximising well-being & Enhancing our quality of place. It does so through the timely provision of equipment to disabled, frail and elderly citizens. The range of equipment purchased and stocked is essential to enable people to remain within their own homes or within a community based setting. Most of the equipment is recycled and re-issued. It promotes independence and wellbeing and is central to safe and timely hospital discharges. The service prevents hospital, residential or nursing home admissions by minimising the risks of falls, immobility and breakdown of formal or informal care arrangements.

Background

2.2 Within Hampshire there are two equipment services, one situated in Basingstoke and the other in Portsmouth. The Basingstoke service was established in 1997 and is managed by Hampshire County Council. It provides a service to the former Primary Care Trust (PCT) areas of Blackwater Valley & Hart, Mid Hants, North Hants, New Forest and Eastleigh & Test Valley South. The population served is approximately 900,000.
Portsmouth ICES is managed by Portsmouth City PCT and covers Portsmouth City, Portsmouth City PCT and the former PCT areas of East Hants and Fareham & Gosport. The population served is approximately 545,000, of which 325,000 live within Hampshire.

Summary financial statement 2006/07

2.3 For 2006/07 actual costs matched the budget. However, the budget for 2006/07 was increased to reflect agreed additional investment (Hampshire PCT £100k and Hampshire CC £350k) to meet the continued rise in demand for equipment and rising costs due to changes in regulations with regards to the cleaning of equipment. There is no formal agreement at present for the sharing of over/underspends although there is general consensus that a 50/50 split is the only practical approach in the absence of any nationally recognised robust cost sharing methodology.

Partnership working

2.4 Considerable progress in partnership working has been made in the current financial year between the new Hampshire PCT and Hampshire Adult Services:

· Agreement has been reached on the overall size of the ICES budget to ensure the sustainability of the service and to meet national performance targets.

· Both partners are committed to securing the agreed additional funding to achieve this integrated budget and to complete a S31 agreement.

· The ICES Pooled Budget Group agreed that funding will be split on a 50/50 basis.

· The Hampshire PCT has confirmed their support for a one, Hampshire wide service, to be managed by Hampshire Adult Services.

Performance against objectives

2.5 The key external performance indicator for ICES is D54 - Percentage of items of equipment and adaptations delivered in 7 working days (BVPI 56). Against this measure for 2006/07 performance improved over the previous year and over target.

Value for money assessment

2.6 The economies of scale in terms of purchasing power, logistics and management arrangements have been well-established both locally and nationally. However, a major review of the ICES provision was completed in March 2007 and it was determined that one store servicing all of Hampshire (excluding Portsmouth & Southampton) would provide even better value and best fit with the strategic plans of Hampshire CC and Hampshire PCT.

Reporting arrangements

2.7 During 2006/07 the ICES Partnership Board met on a regular basis to review all partnership work and activity, performance and financial issues relating to ICES.

2.8 The Board consisted of representatives from Hampshire County Council Adult Services Department, Hampshire PCT and Portsmouth PCT supported by Hampshire County Treasurers representative. The HCC representative is Martin Garbett, Service Manager. Contact at [email protected]

3 Section 31 agreement: Mid Hampshire mental health service reprovision

Objectives

3.1 The Mid Hampshire mental health service reprovision pooled budget was established in accordance with Section 31 of the Health Act 1999 and commenced on 1 October 2006. Its objective is to jointly commission modern health and social care mental health resources that meet the needs of adults with severe mental health problems and promote their independence.
The partner bodies are Hampshire PCT and Hampshire County Council.

Summary financial statement for 2006/07

n.b. the pooled budget commenced on 1 October 2006.

Performance and reporting arrangements

3.2 The partnership board terms of reference have been completed and have been set out in schedule 5 of the Section 31 agreement. Appointments are still to be made within the PCT which will provide representation on the partnership board. Day to day management arrangements through project management pathway are set out in Schedule 5. The Hampshire County Council lead representative is Lucy Butler, Strategic Commissioning Director Mental Health (with effect from 1 July 2007). Contact at [email protected].

Children's services

4 Section 31 agreement: Hampshire Children's Trust

Objectives

4.1 Hampshire's Children's Trust focuses on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) and consists of Hampshire County Council's Children's Services Department and the Hampshire PCT, who have a formal partnership agreement with pooled development budgets established under Section 31 of the Health Act 1999.

4.2 CAMHS are all services aiming to promote and restore the emotional well-being of children and young people.  They include voluntary organisations, schools, pre-schools, school nurses, GPs, Health Visitors, Social Workers, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists, Primary Mental Health Workers, Community Therapists, Behaviour Support Teams, Child and Family Guidance Teams, Education Welfare Officers, Education Other Than At School teams and specialist residential services.

4.3 The partners have agreed a strategy, to take them to April 2007, which aims to keep the needs of children and young people central in all Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This includes joint planning and commissioning of services and the Children's Trust Board aims to improve co-ordination and integration in joint planning, governance and commissioning for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Summary financial statement for 2006/07

Performance and reporting arrangements

4.4 Further information can be found on the Children's Trust website:

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/childrenandyoungpeople/mentalhealth/childtrusthome.htm

Environment

5 Safety Camera Partnership

Objective

5.1 The Safety Camera Partnership aims to improve road safety by using fine income to fund the installation of safety cameras. From 2007/08 the Safety Camera Partnership becomes the Safer Roads Partnership and will move to a new funding stream allocation.

5.2 The partnership includes six partners: Hampshire County Council, Magistrates Court Committee, Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire Police Authority. Hampshire County Council is also the beneficiary of the funding from the Department for Transport.

Summary financial statement for 2006/07

5.3 The balance brought forward as at 1 April 2006 represents unallocated funding from 2005/06 including interest of £79,818.

5.4 Income received from DfT in the year was £2,230,250. Interest of £28,114 was earned on this account in the year.

5.5 The balance on the account of £880,715 represents £107,933 interest, £793,281 claims due to partners and £20,499 funding due from the DfT which will be carried forward to 2007/08 and subject to agreement of the audited final claim for 2006/07 will be balanced off.

Performance and reporting arrangements

5.6 The Partnership is governed by a protocol and financial procedures approved by the Partnership Steering Group, which also receives quarterly and annual reports on the performance of the partnership. All financial claims are subject to audit. Further details can be found on the Safer Roads website:

http://www.safetycamera.org.uk/index.asp

6 Life 3

Objective

6.1 The object of the Life 3 project was to restore 604ha of wetland habitat in the New Forest candidate Special Area of Conservation, and ensure its future sustainable management and regeneration.

6.2 The project began 1 July 2002 and ran for four and a half years until 31 December 2006. The project total expenditure was €3,793,832, 40% of which is funded by the European Union (EU). The remaining funds are sourced from the six partners: Hampshire County Council, Environment Agency, English Nature, Forestry Commission, National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Hampshire County Council is also the beneficiary for the EU funds, with responsibility for receiving, verifying and paying claims from partners for their share of the EU funding.

6.3 All EU funds are received in Euros and all claims received from partners for their share of the EU funding are paid in Euros.

Summary financial statement for 2006/07

6.4 The expenditure represents the payments to partners made in 2006/07.

6.5 The first and second tranche payment from the EU totalling €1,283,593 has been received. The final tranche payment should be received in 2007/08. Interest earned on the Euro account for the year 2006/07 amounted to €2,429.

6.6 The closing balance of €47,679 will be carried forward to 2007/08.

6.7 Once the final tranche from the EU has been received the balance on the Life 3 account will be distributed to partners in line with their agreed expenditure claims.

Performance and reporting arrangements

6.8 The final claim was independently audited before submission to EU, along with the detailed technical report showing how the project objectives have been achieved. Further details can be found on the Life 3 website:

http://www.newforestlife.org.uk/life3/life3index.htm

7 ESPACE

Objectives

7.1 ESPACE (European Spatial Planning: Adapting to Climate Events) is an ambitious four year European project that aims to prepare for the impact of climate change and develop solutions. It will also underline the need to adapt to climate change at local, regional, national and European levels.

7.2 The project commenced in September 2003 and will run for four years until 2007. The total project budget is €4.75 million, approximately £3.2 million, of which Hampshire County Council's share is approximately £847,694 and is 50% funded by the INTTEREG IIIB North West Europe Programme (a European regional development fund). Further funding is received from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the remaining balance is sourced from 10 partners: Hampshire County Council, Environment Agency, Regionnal Landschap Zenne Zuun en Zonien, South East Climate Change Partnership, South East England Regional Assembly, Surrey County Council,Waterschap Rivierenland, West Sussex County Council, Ministeria van VROM and Bayerisches Landesanmt fur Wasserwirtschaft.

7.3 Hampshire County Council is the lead partner in the ESPACE project and therefore responsible for receiving and verifying all partners' claims along with compiling the partnership claim, receiving and distributing funding from the INTTEREG IIIB and the DCLG.

7.4 All EU funds are received in Euros and all claims received from partners for their share of the EU funding are paid in Euros.

Summary financial statement 2006/07

7.5 The closing balance of zero is due to no Interreg funding due to be received or distributed until after 31 March 2007. Activity and finance on the project will continue into 2007/08 when the next set of claims and funding is expected.

Performance and reporting arrangements

7.6 All partner claims are subject to audit before submission to INTTEREG IIIB where claims are subject to further audit and verification against the technical objectives of the project, as detailed in the original bid documents. Further details can be found on the ESPACE website:

http://www.espace-project.org/

Policy and Resources

8 Hampshire and Isle of Wight (HIOW) Improvement Board

Objective

8.1 The HIOW Improvement Board was established by the HIOW LGA in 2006 to champion the transformational services agenda throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and oversee the implementation of the Capacity Building Programme to achieve sustainable service improvement. This is to be achieved through developing further joint working between authorities and by building on the work already undertaken by the Efficiency and HR Collaboration groups who have been working together for the last year or so.

Partners

8.2 The Board includes one member from each HIOW LGA authority (this includes all county, unitary and district local authorities within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and the newly created National Park Authority for the New Forest). The Board is chaired by Councillor Kendal, Leader of New Forest District Council. The Board is supported by an officer group with representatives from each authority and chaired by the Chief Executive of East Hants District Council.

Funding

8.3 In September 2006, the Board learned it was successful in its bid for Capacity Building Programme funding under the Regional Improvement Strategy for Local Government in the South East for the period 2006 - 2008. Total funding of £1.3m was awarded for the two year period with 50% being advanced each year. The cash fund is managed on behalf of the Improvement Board by the County Treasurer, Hampshire County Council. The cost of financial administration is offset by the interest earned on the positive net cash flow. The County Council provides staffing support for a number of the projects in addition to being lead authority for three.

Summary financial statement as at 31 March 2007

Performance and reporting arrangements

8.4 The Board approves the allocation of funds to individual projects in line with the original bid and after consideration of a more detailed business case. A key priority for the Board is to ensure that efficiency gains are deliverable during the life of the project and then beyond in order to achieve sustainable service improvement. An annual report summarising progress will be presented by the Improvement Board to the HIOW LGA for submission to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE), the SE regional partnerships group and the LGA for further information, contact: [email protected] or the project manager: [email protected].

9 Innovation Forum

Objective

9.1 The Innovation Forum was created in 2003 to promote dialogue between central government, excellent local authorities and partners, on new ways of working to deliver better services to local communities.

Partners

9.2 The Forum members are local authorities that achieve excellent status (now four stars) in their Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). Member authorities have established a core group of six authority leaders to provide a steer for the work of the Forum. This core group is chaired by the Leader of Hampshire County Council. The Forum is supported by Communities and Local Government (CLG) who manage the interface with central government, Local Government Association (LGA) who co-ordinate the involvement of leaders and the Improvement and Development Agency (IdeA) who provide support to particular work-streams and ensure learning from the Forum's activities is communicated to the wider local government audience and informs improvement activity across the sector.

Funding

9.3 Much of the work of the Forum is funded by participating partners with the CLG funding a part-time co-ordinator. In 2006/07, CLG allocated capacity building funding of £900,000 for a two year period with 50% being advanced each year. Policy for the use of this fund is approved by the Core Leaders Group and the cash fund is managed by the County Treasurer, Hampshire County Council. The cost of financial administration is offset by the interest earned on the positive net cash flow.

Summary financial statement as at 31 March 2007

9.4 In Hampshire the main IF project is the improvement of wellbeing of older people. This is included in the Local Area Agreement as a flagship project and has recently been awarded an Invest to Save grant of £600,000 over 3 years from central government. The County Council has supported this project with staffing and, in relation to the Local Area Agreement, £300,000 for implementation. The project is also supported by the NHS. Progress is reported through the Local Area Agreement performance framework. Hampshire has also adopted and launched a local version of the CADDIE, an internet site developed by Camden Borough Council and West Sussex County Council to help combat fear of crime by giving the public access to accurate and up to date information about actual levels of crime in their area.

Performance and reporting arrangements

9.5 Projects, events and outcomes are communicated by the IdeA and included on their website:

http://www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=634845

9.6 It is in the nature of the Forum's activities that the impact or outcomes can take some time to come through either in new legislation and/or custom and practice. That is because the Forum is seeking radical, ground breaking new approaches to the most difficult problems and issues faced in the public sector.

Recreation and Heritage

10 Renaissance in the Regions - The South East Hub

Objective

10.1 Renaissance is the Government-funded programme to transform regional museums in England. Following the report Renaissance in the Regions 2001, the Government agreed to invest £70 million into selected Hub Museums in the regions to enable them to build capacity and deliver new ways of working.

10.2 Renaissance is funded through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which sets targets for participating museums in relation to:

- increasing the number of visits to Hub museums

- increasing the participation of school-age children in Hub Museums

- increasing the participation of manual, semi-skilled and those receiving no income (C2DE) and black or ethnic minority groups(BME) and disabled people in Hub museums.

10.3 The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) implements and administers the programme and reports to DCMS on progress. There are 4-5 Hub museums in each English region. For the South East, the partners are: Hampshire County Council Museums and Archives Service (Lead partner), The Royal Pavilion, Libraries and Museum, Brighton & Hove, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and Oxford University Museums.

Funding

10.4 Hub money represents 100% external funding. It is a condition that the County Council maintains its base level of funding for the museums. As lead partner in the hub, the County Council is responsible for chairing the monthly Hub Management Team meetings as well as providing the overall financial monitoring information. It also provides back office functions in terms of paying bills and collecting statistics.

Summary financial statement for 2006/07

Performance and reporting arrangements

10.5 The South East Museums Hub is working to a 2006-2008 Business Plan approved by the MLA. It has never overspent and has had to demonstrate delivery of Gershon savings in line with other Government Departments.

10.6 The Hub Management Team which consists of two representatives from each partner meets on a monthly basis to discuss current issues and update partners on their individual projects' progression. The Senior Finance Officer (Museums & Archives) monitors Hampshire's Hub budget on a monthly basis. He also attends quarterly Hub Management Team meetings to present the overall position of the South East Museums Hub. The meetings are minuted and distributed widely. A quarterly report is sent to the MLA on activity and financial performance.

10.7 Links: MLA South East website:

http://www.museumse.org.uk/south_east_hub/