AGENDA ITEM NO.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND POLICY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 6 MAY 2009
REPORT FROM CHIEF FINANCE & PERFORMANCE OFFICER
GOVERNANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS
- PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To provide members with an update of progress on strengthening the governance of partnerships in which Wrexham County Borough Council is involved.
2. INFORMATION
2.1The Council’s agreed definition of a partnership is “Two or more agencies with shared interests and requiring relationships with a degree of trust, equality or reciprocity” (Powell and Glendenning). This does not include areas where there is a contract or service-level agreement in place for an agency to provide services on behalf of, or funded by the Council.
2.2In November 2008 the Committee agreed a procedure for improving the governance of partnerships in which the Council is involved. This set out that for each partnership:
- Details should be entered on the Council’s partnership register
- A Partnership Significance Assessment Scorecard (PSAS) be completed
For all those partnerships assessed as being of major significance
- There should be a risk assessment workshop to assess the risk to the Council of continued participation in the partnership
- The partnerships toolkit will be used. This will also be encouraged as good practice for all partnerships
2.3Progress
2.4Chief Officers have updated all partnerships on the partnerships register and this is being confirmed through the annual Chief Officer’s Assurance Statement, which asks that ‘all partnerships are operated in compliance with the Financial Regulations, have been correctly recorded in the Partnership Register and, if of ‘major significance’ or if otherwise appropriate, operated in accordance with the Partnership toolkit’.
2.5The Partnerships Register is hosted on the Council’s intranet and automatically uploads basic details on partnerships and contact details for further information. This cannot be directly transferred onto the external website as it is not available bilingually. As such it is proposed that a snapshot report is produced twice a year (in April and in October), translated and uploaded the website. This report (Appendix A) is currently with the translation unit and will be translated and published on the Council website by the first week of May.
2.6Ten partnerships have been assessed as being of major significance to the Council and requiring a risk assessment of the Council’s involvement in each partnership. These were originally intended to be complete by March 2009 but this deadline has been postponed due to capacity issues.
2.7The table below sets out the schedule for the remaining risk assessment workshops. All workshops are being undertaken in line with the corporate risk assessment approach and have included the Lead Member and lead Director.
Partnership / Lead Director / PositionNorthern Marches Cymru / Paul Roberts / Completed
Taith / Paul Roberts / Completed
14 – 19 Network / Terry Garner / Completed
Wrexham Local Service Board / Isobel Garner / - Scheduled for 21st May
Health Social Care and Well-being Partnership Board / Phil Walton / - Scheduled for 28th May
Wrexham Community Safety Partnership / Rebeccah Lowry / - Scheduled for 2nd June
Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership / Terry Garner / - Scheduled for 5th June
Local Safeguarding Children Board / Terry Garner / - Scheduled for 10th June
Youth Justice Service Management Board / Terry Garner / - Scheduled for 10th June
Wrexham Local Development Plan Partnership / Phil Walton / - Scheduled for 2nd July
2.8These assessments have been prioritised to enable those partnerships lead by Paul Roberts to be completed first. Partnership risk assessment workshops have been completed for three partnerships and the remaining assessments are scheduled and will be completed by the first week of July.
2.9At this point a progress report will be circulated to Members of the Corporate Governance and Scrutiny Committee by email. The Risk Management Group, which includes Councillor Skelland as the Lead Member, also receives regular progress updates on partnership risk assessment.
- RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1That the Committee notes the progress made on strengthening the governance of partnerships.
4.BACKGROUND PAPERS
Corporate Governance and Policy Scrutiny Committee Report: AMR/19/08S
5.WEBSITE INFORMATION
The partnership register is available on the Council intranet site at:
Report Ref: CFPO/24/09S
Appendix A
Partnerships Register
Wrexham County Borough Council maintains a register of the key partnerships that it is a member of. These include:
The 14 - 19 Network
The 14-19 Network exists to promote:
1. The creation of more opportunities to enable all young people to achieve their potential
2. The creation of better informed and more active citizens who are increasingly better equipped for the world of work.
Contact: John Owen-Roberts (297560)
Children & Young People Framework Partnership
To jointly set the strategic direction and priorities for multi agency planning and delivery which will enable children and young people to:
• Learn and achieve
• Be safe from harm
• Enjoy and participate
• Be healthy and active
Contact: Jan Jones (297564)
CLAW (Consortium of Local Authorities Wales Energy Managers Group)
Partnership to support members to deliver excellence and efficiency in property management and procurement
Contact: Rob White (297250)
COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES
champions the environment and landscapes of Wales and its coastal waters as sources of natural and cultural riches, as a foundation for economic and social activity, and as a place for leisure and learning opportunities. We aim to make the environment a valued part of everyone's life in Wales.
Contact: Clive Nicholas (292510)
County Surveyors Society (Formally Welsh Association of Technical Officers)
Contributes to and learns from other Welsh Local Authorities.
Contact: Martin Wright (297100)
Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership
To oversee the development and implementation of the Children’s and Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) Plan and the input into the future planning process. It is the statutory responsibility of the EYDCP to oversee and monitor all plans and strategies relating to Early Years Development, Childcare and Play
Contact: Hilary Harriman (317650)
Flying Start
Partnership providing childcare, health visiting and parenting and basic skills support for children up to 4 years old and their parents or carers.
Contact: Clare Field (297450)
HEALTH SOCIAL CARE & WELL-BEING PARTNERSHIP BOARD
Working jointly with the Local Health Board and other partners to develop, implement and deliver the Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy.
Contact: Gillian Cowan (297032)
Highways Management Asset Plan (HAMP) Collaboration
To develop a consistent all Wales approach to creating Highways Asset Management Plans
Contact: Rob White (297250)
LAPA (Local Authority Partnership Agreement)
Partnership to promote increased levels of participation and performance in sports and physical activity.
Contact: Ken Danskin (297435)
Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB)
Partnership to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people in Wrexham.
Contact: Marie Le Bacq (298017)
Managed Agency Staff Solution MASS
Partnership of Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire to collaborate and procure jointly all temporary agency staff through a preferred supply arrangement.
Contact: Lucy Crumplin (292130)
Mersey Dee Alliance
The Partners have agreed to work together in Partnership under the name “MDA” with the overall aim of fostering, developing and improving the local relationship that exists between the public, private and voluntary sector for the overall benefit of the economy of the area.
Contact: Steve Bayley (292440)
NORTH WALES BORDERLANDS PARTNERSHIP
A tourism marketing area forum.
Contact: Colin Hyde (292449)
NORTH WALES ECONOMIC FORUM
Pan-North Wales strategic economic planning group
Contact: Steve Bayley (292440)
North Wales Libraries Partnership
The improvement and development of library services within North Wales through co-operation and collective action
Contact: Dylan Hughes (297442)
North Wales Procurement Partnership
Partnership of North Wales local authorities working together to make efficiency savings through collaborative contracts.
Contact: Mark Owen (292701)
NORTH WALES REGIONAL TENNIS CENTRE
Partnership to support the development of tennis across the County.
Contact: Ken Danskin (297435)
NORTH WALES ROAD CASUALTY REDUCTION PARTNERSHIP (ARRIVE ALIVE)
The aim of the Partnership is to make the roads of North Wales safer by encouraging people to keep within the speed limits, hence reducing speeds, reducing collisions and, consequently, reducing the number of people killed and injured.
Contact: Dave Davies (297144)
NORTH WALES TRUNK ROAD AGENCY
Joint service provider with all local authorities in North Wales for operational works and specific geotechnical provision.
Contact: Sharon Stevens (297109)
NORTHERN MARCHES CYMRU PARTNERSHIP BOARD
Delivery Body for Rural Regeneration Programmes (European and Domestic)
Contact: Allan Forrest (298380)
PARTNERSHIP LIAISON GROUP (The PLG)
Forum for the Council, NHS Trust, Local Health Board and local Voluntary and Community Sector (AVOW) to work together towards a common goal: To continue to improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the people of Wrexham.
Contact: Chris Girvan (298615)
TAITH-REGIONAL TRANSPORT CONSORTIUM (TRANSPORTATION)
To establish a unified voice from North Wales on regional transport development on strategic issues. To generate a Regional Transport Plan for North Wales
Contact: Alyn Jones (297160)
TOURISM PARTNERSHIP NORTH WALES
One of four regional partnerships in Wales funded by the Wales Assembly Government to ‘enhance North Wales’ tourism economy, through partnership, planning tomorrow’s tourism today’.
Contact: Dr Dawn Roberts (292460)
WREXHAM ADVICE PARTNERSHIP
To provide a forum for local advice and advocacy services
Contact: Gaynor Roberts (363332)
WREXHAM AREA FLOOD PARTNERSHIP
To ensure that residents/communities of Bangor on Dee and Rossett are actively involved in the development and practice of flood protection procedures with partner agencies.
Contact: Nigel Williams (292265)
WREXHAM COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
Local Authorities are named in the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 as one of the responsible authorities with a statutory duty to work jointly with partners to reduce local levels of crime and disorder. Under section 17 of the Act, the Council has a requirement to take account of the need to prevent crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour, behaviour adversely affecting the environmental and substance misuse when exercising all of their functions.
Contact: Janet Growcott (317022)
WREXHAM FLINTSHIRE GROUNDWORK TRUST
Advising, providing financial support, influencing priorities
Contact: Clive Nicholas (292510)
WREXHAM LOCAL ACCESS FORUM
Wrexham Local Access Forum is a statutory group set up towards the end of 2002 to comply with the requirements of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The function of the Local Access Forum is to provide advice to Wrexham County Borough Council, the Countryside Council for Wales and others as appropriate. It will advise as to the improvement of public access to land in the area for the purposes of open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the area in ways which take account of land management, social, economic, environmental and educational interests.
Contact: John Marchant (297151)
Wrexham Local Development Plan (LDP)
Forum to inform the development of the Local Development Plan
Contact: Clive Nicholas (292510)
Wrexham Local Service Board (LSB) - NEW
Partnership of the main public service organisations working within Wrexham County Borough Council with a specific remit to work beyond and across traditional boundaries to achieve efficient, value for money, citizen centred services.
Contact: Louise Payne (292253)
WREXHAM REGENERATION FORUM
Forum to support the Community Strategy and EU programme
Contact: Steve Bayley (292440)
Youth Justice Service Management Board
Working with children and young people aged 8-17 years in order to prevent offending and re-offending
Contact: Clare Field (297450)
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