Improving Delivery Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee 10 November 2005

1. Improving DeliveryCorporate Governance Scrutiny Committee10 November 2005 Cllr Keith R Mitchell FCA FCCA Leader of Oxfordshire County Council Chairman of South East England Regional Assembly Chairman of South East County Leaders

2. Background to Local Area Agreements (LAA) • Recognition that delivering national targets requires effective local delivery • But how to improve local delivery with • Multiple agencies all with their own objectives • Countless funding streams and monitoring processes? • Answer – “a partnership with teeth”

3. LAA • The LAA is a 3 year agreement between Central and Local Government • Agreed with central government, represented by the Government Office • Pump priming grant (£1.3m) to help stretch performance • Reward grant up to (£16m) paid on delivery of results

4. LAA: Why is it important? • Opportunity to deliver more effective local action • Stronger partnership working • Better use of resources • Less Central Government Direction? • Reduced bureaucracy? • More resources for Oxfordshire?

5. It is a Huge Task! • Develop and agree within 6 months a plan for: • Children and Young People • Safer & Stronger Communities • Healthier Communities & Older People • Economy & Enterprise And a late arrival - Environment

6. The Challenges: • Delivery requires: • Strong common interest in the agenda • Shared understanding of key information • Mutual understanding and expectations • Disciplines of programme and project management • Ability to command resources and action • Accountability and challenge

7. Governance Arrangements – OCP Changes • OCP Strategy Group Membership increased • Learning & Skills Council, • Primary Care Trusts, • Strategic Health Authority, • Oxfordshire Rural Community Council • Connexions & Oxford Inspires • Chairman – Professor Graham Upton • OCP signs off the LAA

8. National Context: Public Service Boards • Ensuring LSPs meet their potential + LSPs with teeth • A vision for joined up public service delivery and governance at the local level • Defining the local agenda and targets • Bringing together local decision makers • Overseeing public expenditure in the area • Exercising a leadership and governance role • Agent for Transformational Change

9. Oxfordshire Public Service Board • Chairman: Cllr Keith R Mitchell • Membership: Key Public Service decision makers including: • District Council Leaders • Thames Valley Police Authority • Learning & Skills Council • SEEDA • GOSE • OCP Chairman • Role: Manages the delivery of the LAA

10. 5 Project Groups: • Children & Young People • Safer & Stronger Communities • Healthier Communities & Older People • Economy & Enterprise • Environment • The LAA will form the action plan for the next Community Strategy and will be structured around these 5 themes.

11. Children & Young People 5 outcomes addressed in ‘Every Child Matters’: • Achievement • Healthy and active lifestyles • Positive contribution • Stay Safe • Economic Well-being

12. Safer & Stronger Communities • Crime Reduction • Substance Abuse • Anti-Social Behaviour • Domestic Violence • Strengthen voluntary/community sector infrastructure • Volunteering • Better consultation • Access to services

13. Healthier Communities & Older People • Promoting healthy & active lifestyles • Tackling obesity • Smoking cessation • Sexual health • Independence & quality of life for older and vulnerable people

14. Economy & Enterprise • Sustainable Communities • Helping employers to recruit and retain key staff • Strengthening key sectors • Promoting Oxfordshire and its brand

15. Environment • Cleaner and Greener Oxfordshire • Improve the street scene and enhance the environment • Rationalise waste management to reduce the environmental and economic impact

16. Three Emerging Priorities • Affordable housing • Crime reduction/street scene • Economic development

17. CDC LSP WOX LSP VWH LSP SOX LSP OX CITY LSP OCP FORUM (150 self selected individuals) OCP Strategy Group OCP Ambition Groups OCP Ambition Groups LOCAL AREA AGREEMENT Public Service Board LAA Governance Arrangements

18. Timetable: • Outline LAA to GOSE – 28th Sept • Complete negotiations with GOSE – End Dec • GOSE negotiations with Gov Depts – Jan/Feb • Sign off LAA – Feb 24th • Deliver LAA – April 1st • Roll forward of 3 year plan – Winter 06/07

19. OCP Ambition Groups

20. OCP Ambition Groups • Recognition of the hard work done by the ambition groups – actions being met • Ambition groups are in the process of being reviewed • Some are becoming delivery mechanisms for the LAA • Other ambition groups e.g. OEG/TAG are moving to more of a strategic think-tank role

21. LAAOpportunities vs. Risks • Key decision makers around one table • Strengthen the Community Strategy – delivering the vision • Improving County/District partnership working relationships • Role of OCP Strategy Group • Builds on the partnerships and strategies already developed

22. LAAOpportunities vs. Risks • Risk that this is another layer of complexity rather than a simplification • Risk of setting unrealistic targets

23. Questions: