As well as dealing with the organisational and service delivery changes that re-organisation will involve, the county faces a number of key challenges including:
- poor economic performance
- worklessness
- employability
- high levels of young people not in education employment or training
- poor health
- high levels of teenage pregnancy
- high levels of obesity in children.
We provide support to the county in dealing with these challenges by providing advice, guidance and support to local partners.
Local government reorganisation
We have and continue to build and maintaining relationships with the County Durham Council Joint Implementation Team, programme management and work streams and we also participate in County Durham Partnership and LAA Board meetings.
We also:
- observe full county council meetings
- participate in local consultation events and workshops
- have representation on the national Joint Implementation Team
- liaise with Communities and Local Government.
Local area agreements (LAA)
We have negotiated 35 evidence based designated national indicators with Durham County Council and Durham Strategic Partnership for the new LAA 2008-11.
We participate in the Durham Strategic Partnership Board and the seven local strategic partnership (LSP) meetings.
We also:
- communicate local views and intelligence to colleagues and liaise with all government departments
- maintain close working relationships with the Audit Commission on place shaping and comprehensive area assessment
- build links with the Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear City Region Multi Area Agreements to help deliver improved economic prosperity in Durham.
Partnerships
We are building and maintaining effective working relationships with our partners and stakeholders across all our priorities and themes including:
- local authorities
- Durham Strategic Partnership, including five lead thematic partnerships (The Children’s Trust, County Durham Community Safety Board, County Durham Economic Partnership, County Durham Health and Wellbeing Partnership and County Durham Sustainability and Environment Partnership)
- local strategic partnerships in Chester-le-Street, Derwentside, Durham city, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley
- neighbourhood management pathfinders
- crime and disorder reducation partnerships
- Durham Rural Community Council and the voluntary and community sector.
Performance management
We continue to monitor the performance of local area agreements against agreed targets and continue partnership work to strengthen existing arrangements.
We facilitate performance improvement through locality knowledge, policy expertise and best practice.
We carry out an annual review and refresh to:
- assess performance
- agree evidence-based changes to indicators where needed
- review and agree milestones
- seek to remove barriers to performance improvement.
We will also contribute to the review of the sustainable community strategy.
Data interchange hub
We use the hub as a secure mechanism for data interchange between local authorities, partnerships and government departments on national indicator baselines and targets.
For more information contact:
Stephen Downs
0191 202 3676
stephen.downs@gone.gsi.gov.uk
