1. Sustainable investments in municipalities and regions: How best to fulfil citizens needs Councillor Ian Fleetwood Lincolnshire County Council, UK Improvement through Collaboration

2. Statutory context: community leadership, Local Area Agreements etc Inspection regimes Self-improvement in local government Local Government East Midlands East Midlands Improvement Partnership Partnership working Improvement through Collaboration Contents

3. Community leadership Local authorities prepare a Sustainable Community Strategy to co-ordinate public services and rationalise plans Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for each local authority area: public service providers, and private and voluntary sector representatives. Neighbourhood Renewal Funding in some areas New power of well-being (Local Government Act 2000) Local government structures: Cabinet and scrutiny Improvement through Collaboration

4. Local Area Agreements A Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a three year agreement, based on local Sustainable Community Strategies, that sets out the priorities for a local area agreed between Central Government, represented by the Government Office, and a local area, represented by the lead local authority and LSPs. Freedoms and flexibilities in the use of government funding (e.g. pooling). Improvement through Collaboration

5. LAA framework includes: Improvement through Collaboration

6. Best Value and Comprehensive Performance Assessment Best Value: a mandatory process for reviewing services over a five-year cycle CPA is about helping local councils improve services for their communities – Audit Commission Rating 1 to 4 stars Inspection-based Improvement plans direct investment Concerns about lack of local accountability, and administrative burden Improvement through Collaboration

7. The way ahead for improvement New system to be introduced from 2008 in which citizens can exercise quality control (ODPM) Proposals for self-improvement rather than inspection, from local government itself Stronger local accountability and ownership Engagement of partners and local people Less administrative burden Peer challenge, with external validation Continued need for some audit and inspection (for probity, safety, vulnerable users) Improvement through Collaboration

8. Local Government East Midlands Improvement through Collaboration Core membership includes: 36 Districts plus Peak National Park 4 Unitaries 5 Counties Plus Fire Authorities, some Parish & Town Councils and other agencies in Associate Membership Improvement through Collaboration

9. LGEM: Improvement through collaboration Re-organised our business around the themes of: People and Performance: Networks and seminars on key workforce challenges; training and development for managers and councillors Improvement and Representation: Networks and seminars on Scrutiny, eGovernment, business transformation, customer services etc. Reputation Management: delivering the national LGAs campaign for local government We work with national and regional partners, building and sharing best practice as well as encouraging joint-working whenever possible. Improvement through Collaboration

10. LGEM promote the work of local authorities and communities they serve across the region LGEM speak regionally, nationally and internationally LGEM work with Local Authorities to improve working practices LGEM members have access to: »Local and regional government specialists »National and European consultancy associates LGEM focus on three main business objectives: »Helping people who work in local government to improve performance, and continuously improve services; »Improving and maintaining the reputation of local government Improvement through Collaboration

11. The East Midlands Improvement Partnership (EMIP) EMIP has been formed to drive up the capacity and performance of local government family and local public services in the East Midlands Region authorities to improve so that East Midlands is amongst the strongest regions Nearly £3 million available 2006-08 Improvement through Collaboration

12. EMIP Priorities and Outcomes Authority Performance »East Midlands authorities increasingly be seen as exemplars People and Performance »Successfully build capacity through workforce planning and development Transformational Government and Efficiency »Lead the way in delivering more for less Local Public Services »Make the most for its communities of new opportunities, through successful leadership and partnership Improvement through Collaboration

13. Benefits of Partnership working Can reduce costs and increase cost effectiveness Allow management at an appropriate scale Facilitate the harmonisation of objectives for resources Can be an effective mechanism for sharing knowledge Can avoid the unnecessary duplication of effort Can facilitate the sharing of the mobilisation of resources Can increase credibility and legitimacy in decision making Improvement through Collaboration