Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the following partners:

David Hennings, Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy), updated the Partnership on the development of the Sustainable Community Strategy by running through the key issues and emerging themes that had arisen from the consultation methods used by the Council over the past couple of months. The key issues were:

•         How can the partnership better address the key challenges facing Haringey

•         How can we increase confidence in Haringey

•         How can we increase social capital and the empowerment and engagement of local people

•         Must meet the challenge of climate and environmental change

The emerging themes were:

•         Haringey’s diversity and cultural mix is one of the best things about Haringey

•         Crime and bad behaviour - major concerns.

•         A sense of aspiration – Haringey must be and look better

•         Shopping – “good” but people want more and better

•         Transport – “good” but more and better

•         Open space “very good” but protect and improve

•         Services – “have improved” but hold onto and continue that improvement

•         The importance of and desire to see more arts/cultural events

•         A desire of greater prosperity and economic vitality

•         A desire to tackle wider environmental concerns

The Board heard that there were some newly emerging themes, but not an abrupt change with the last community strategy. And the emerging priorities stemming from the consultation were:

•         Increasing economic vitality and improving the built environment

•         Improving life chances for all

•         Being the greenest borough

•         A safer borough

•         Community focused quality public services

The Board was informed of the ongoing process in terms of renewing the community strategy and that it would be ask to set direction and priorities at its October meeting. In November/December the first draft of the Strategy would be ready ahead of final approval by all partners in March 2007.

David Hennings introduced this item by stating that four overarching themes were being proposed for the Haringey LAA. These were:

1.Economic vitality and prosperity (worklessness)

2.A focus on young people aged 14-24 (transition from teenage to adult)

3.Targeted approach to areas and communities in greatest need

4.         Increasing community participation (“Responsible Citizens” and volunteering)

Having been presented with the four themes, there followed a discussion on certain issues arising from them including the perceived lack of detail over the actual meanings of the phrases used, the focuses highlighted, and sense in which the themes would create services that were needed. However, the Board heard that the LAA at this stage was not a total statement of intent by the Council, but that it was a contract between the local authority (in partnership with its communities/agents) and the government and that focus needed to be on the broad contractual issues that will give services general direction for improvement by local arrangement.

The Board also heard that the LAA would not provide instant cash and that it would be useful for instigating wider actions in order to address and solve local issues. That much of the four overarching themes were wide-ranging and dealt with many strands would strengthen the LAA at this stage. However, the Board heard that the themes should emphasis more in terms of positive action – and that targets and initiatives to promote independence and choice were ideal.

Carol Pattison, Interim Head of Policy and Partnerships, introduced a list of stretch targets that had been drawn from the thematic partnerships. The Board was asked to consider the list presented to them with a view to reducing it to fourteen targets of which two would be reserve targets. This process of reduction would be by negotiations with partners and between the Government Office for London (GOL).

The Board discussed at length a number of targets on the list, highlighting that one or two initiatives/projects could be considered that would fit into a range of stretch targets (such as Healthy Kids or the 2012 Volunteer Programme). This would also ensure that initiatives improved whole lives rather than individual factors. There was a discussion on deliverability of initiatives and the complimentary nature of initiatives to each other. This would also go someway in reaching and agreeing the 14 stretch targets. There was concern that none of the targets listed mentioned Safer Neighbourhoods scheme as this was considered to be an overarching initiative. In terms of a volunteering target, the Board heard that this should affect all groups.

The Board talked about the measurability and risks of the targets and heard that a process of testing measurability was in place and that guidelines existed in order to assist in the delivery of targets to ensure risk assessment is undertaken and that robustness is achieved. GOL would agree these in due course. It was suggested that a number of the Economic Development block stretch targets could be bundled together in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.