Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

CABINET

PART I

PARTNERSHIP FOR URBAN SOUTH HAMPSHIRE PLAN 2009-11

1.1 On 12 July 2007 full Council considered and approved proposals for a formal joint committee arrangement between the County Council, Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils, and East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, New Forest, Test Valley and Winchester District/Borough Councils ("the PUSH Authorities"). This new arrangement replaced the former voluntary Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), and was intended to deliver accountability and transparency of decision-making, and allows for the partnership to play a fully effective part in the development of South Hampshire.

1.2 The Joint Committee was given delegated authority to discharge such functions of the Executive as are necessary to implement the Business Plan for PUSH, subject to the Plan being approved annually by the County Council and other partner authorities. The Council's representative is the Deputy Leader of the Council and he has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Committee for 2008/09; Chairman of the External Funding Panel and a member of the Employment and Skills Board. There is also a PUSH Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1.3 Cabinet considered the Business Plan on 29 June 2009. The Business Plan has been significantly streamlined, compared with the previous document, and substantially addresses the conditions set out as part of the Council's approval in 2008. The Plan sets out the outcomes the Partnership is seeking and identifies the supporting actions and resources required to deliver the strategy for South Hampshire through provision of employment, housing, infrastructure and facilities to meet social and community needs, whilst protecting the environment and developing sustainable communities. The South Hampshire Multi Area Agreement provides a mechanism for securing greater Government and stakeholder commitment to the implementation of key aspects of the Business Plan, and is currently being refreshed.

1.4 A copy of the Business Plan is available in the Members' Rooms. In summary, the Plan is made up of eight chapters. Chapter one summarises the PUSH vision and the outcomes the Partnership seeks in the context of changing circumstances arising from the recession. The next five Chapters then set out the strategy, performance indicators, targets, enabling measures and priority actions for each of the five themes - economic development, transport, community infrastructure and sustainability, housing and planning, and creating quality places. The penultimate chapter outlines the organisational, governance and performance management arrangements for partnership working and sets out improvement actions. The final chapter sets out the financial strategy and the appendix contains a diagram of the PUSH governance arrangements.

RECOMMENDATION:

a) That the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Business Plan be approved, but noting that:

(i) the Council's approval of the Plan does not signify approval of the housing and economic targets it contains and which the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire acknowledges are undeliverable on the basis of the current timetable as a consequence of the recession; and

(ii) the Council must be free to discharge the full range of its (existing and new) statutory functions across its area.

b) That the Council's representative on the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire be authorised to agree the Multi Area Agreement refresh.