1. 21st March 2007 1 “Supporting Southend Together” Southend Together Board 21st March 2007

2. 2 Introduction The purpose of this presentation is to provide the Southend Together Board with an overview of the proposed activities to support the work of the partnership following the Executive meeting in February. The following activities will be undertaken by a support team.  Preparation of agenda, update papers and meeting minutes,  Performance reporting on progress of the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement  Lead on the six month review and refresh of the LAA. Note new approach to LAA’s is being considered / developed by DCLG.  Performance management of the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement, with the option to link into the SBC’s performance management system, using web-based Covalent system.

3. 21st March 2007 3 Background Cont’d.  Ensure governance arrangements are developed and consistently applied to the LSP’s main areas of responsibilities  Communications – web-site and newsletter design/implementation  Southend Together Executive / Board review and development with external support  SCS bi-monthly meeting support, including TOR and development partnership working processes  Annual ‘partnership lead’ residents survey  Liaison and joint working with key agencies, including SAVS, GO-East and TGSEP  Ensuring Voluntary and Community sector participation.  Support for partnership training and development events

4. 21st March 2007 4 Proposed Southend Together Activities The following areas of LSP support are considered in more detail: –Performance Management –Partnership Support –LAA Refresh –Communication and Engagement –Partnership Development including working with the voluntary sector and understanding residents needs –Governance

5. 21st March 2007 5 Performance Management Effective performance management (PM) is key to successful delivery of the LAA reward Element Delivery. A passive approach to PM is unlikely to maximise the potential reward opportunities as much as a proactive approach. Key PM activities include the need to: –Agree the allocation of Pump Priming Grant and reach any required decisions on the allocation of the LAA pooled funds. –Prepare delivery plans setting out how resources would be used to achieve the LAA for all of the outcomes and related targets, ensuring clarity on lead responsibility and roles of key partners and agencies responsible for delivery. –Put in place and embed performance reporting, monitoring and management processes. –Confirm that financial process, controls and monitoring arrangements are in place. –Ensure the appropriate accountability and decision making processes are established.

6. 21st March 2007 6 Performance Management Cont,d Key PM activities include the need to: –Accountability for the delivery, at the outcome level, will be devolved to named individuals in the finalised LAA document. As part of the devolved responsibility “outcome leaders” will provide updates to STB, STE and Key Strategic Partnerships. –Specific risk management arrangements will be put in place and monitored by the Management Group and STE. –A ladder of intervention and support will be set out in the agreement to specify at what point action will be taken and who will be responsible for taking that action when a target is failing. However it is expected that corrective steps would be addressed largely via the above processes and groups, with STE and or STB only needing to become involved once all other partnership routes have been explored. –The aim will be to achieve an integrated framework, process and set of tools, which will assist outcome leads in reporting their responsibilities. The potential for using Covalent web based performance management system, that allows monitoring of both performance indicator and project actions assigned to them, common to many local authorities is currently being explored and will be subject of discussions with partner organisations

7. 21st March 2007 7 Performance Management Cont,d Key PM activities include the need to: The existing SCS/LAA Management Group, responsible for developing the LAA will evolve, as the LAA implementation process further engages those responsible for the delivery of outcomes. The role of this group will then include responsibility to oversee progress and highlight issues likely to impact on delivery; performance exceptions and recommended corrective action where required – although specific arrangements are tbc. Where identified as necessary for the delivery of outcomes specific delivery groups may be established and report to the management group. Southend Together Executive (STE), reports to the STB, will be responsible for the monitoring of progress of outcomes against targets and actions to achieve outcomes on a regular basis, receiving monitoring reports on progress at each meeting. The work to develop partnership working that has benefited from the LAA process will be built on, engaging a wider group of delivery partners, staff within partner organisations, service users and the wider community.

8. 21st March 2007 8 Partnership Support Southend Council will provide the secretariat for the Southend Together Board and Executive, with anticipated levels of resourcing from partner bodies to be confirmed. Support is likely to include –Preparation of updates, progress reports and development papers –Scheduling of meetings, preparation of agendas and minutes –completion of information requests

9. 21st March 2007 9 LAA Refresh The LAA refresh is essentially an opportunity to evolve agreements. Key activities include –accounting for local changes and developments, –amend outcomes, targets and pooled funding. (Note - New outcomes and indicators need cover only the remaining period of your 3 year agreement) –integrate new funding streams that are being automatically pooled (if any) –integrate new mandatory outcomes and indicators which need to be brought into all existing agreements. –Plan for additional years but these will not form part of the official LAA or be considered –Prepare for requirements of the ‘new’ LAA as identified in the Government White paper on Local Government

10. 21st March 2007 10 Communication and Engagement Communication on the LAA and SCS has been fairly limited during their development. Deployment of the plans and activities outlined in these documents will require the following if they are to be fully realised Launch an ongoing face to face events updates with key groups, including ST Board and Executive, KSP’s and other partnership related groups Development and maintenance of the partnership website Regular updates and communications ( email and print) to partnership members and residents.

11. 21st March 2007 11 Partnership Development

12. 21st March 2007 12 Partnership Development

13. 21st March 2007 13 Partnership Development

14. 21st March 2007 14 Partnership Development Priorities and Targets –Consider providing the key priorities and targets or if able simplify –Not just LAA – need to identify 6 big picture issues that LSP wants to achieve by 2016 Partner Roles –The only area in which we are going backwards – though for a good reason. Now that Southend Together is getting its teeth into some real work, there is less time available for information sharing, which used to be the major item on our agendas. –Informal opportunities for developing links – away day? –Partner roles needs constant vigilance to ensure communication is maintained. Representative Membership –Membership should be reviewed at regular intervals. –Private sector (business) representation –Cultural / arts representative still required.

15. 21st March 2007 15 Partnership Development Representative priorities and Targets –Clearer reporting mechanisms against priorities Making a difference –Benchmark – need to recognise progress –Get staff together from lower down the organisations Mainstreaming –Develop a comprehensive approach to evaluating and monitoring targets and milestones throughout the year to ensure a proactive approach Review –Needs to develop mechanisms to manage LAA –Definite improvement from 2005. However still feels early days – what about developing a traffic system for all to see Achievement –Cannot know this until we have set priorities / targets –Framework needs to be developed that sets out aspirations of the partnership and signals to key groups outcomes to be achieved. This has resource implications.

16. 21st March 2007 16 Partnership Development Knowledge and links –More investment needed to ensure the LSP has enough evidence / best practice info to judge its priorities –LSP needs dedicated resources or commitment from partners to improve evidence base –Although Southend Together has considerable knowledge because of the various areas of expertise of its members, it has no resources to commission original research. –Presentation from partner organisations – showcase events Partnership links –Can we demonstrate what all relevant partnerships are locked into the structure diagram? LSP structures and processes –Work on processes Investing in learning –Opportunity for review and regular development sessions outside of meetings

17. 21st March 2007 17 Partnership Development Skills and expertise –Capacity is probably more important than skills and knowledge. –Undertake a knowledge and skills audit of Board members. –Need to ensure capacity is there.

18. 21st March 2007 18 Partnership Development Partnership development activities to include: Partnership assessment, evaluation with targeted and tailored improvement activities Enable effective delivery of benefits to local people Support for working in partnership –new partnerships –existing partnerships Risk assessment and risk management of tools and techniques Development of skills, capability and resource bases e.g. collaborative problem solving Review and evaluation of partnership working Working with the Voluntary Sector Joint research and monitoring of residents needs

19. 21st March 2007 19 Governance Robust and embedded Governance process which ensure continuity, hand over and ownership. Clear accountability of each target and sub-target, set at the right level Strong risk management processes Proactive senior management support Engagement of operational management practical day to day action! and confirm the roles of the Southend Together Board and Executive, the SCS/LAA Management Groups and the use of block teams and leads, in the delivery of the LAA

20. 21st March 2007 20 Support Resources At the Executive meeting the following approach to funding / support, for Southend Together was agreed: –SBC £50k 2007/08 and £75k 2008/09 ( from LPSA Reward) –Police 0.3 of a support post post. –PCT £20k 2007/08 and £20k 2008/09 –PPG £75k 2007/08 and £75k 2008/09 These resources will be used to fund the activities outlined in this document, including two posts (Partnership Director and Manager) and part fund the SAVS coordinator role.