The council has successfully put in practice the first stages of
reorganisation but still face a number of key challenges, including:
- poor economic performance made worse by the recession
- worklessness
- employability
- high levels of young people not in education employment or training
- poor health
- high levels of teenage pregnancy.
We provide support to the county in dealing with these challenges by
providing advice, guidance and support to local partners.
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 monitor the performance of the local
area agreement against agreed targets. 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.
Partnerships
We participate in the Durham Strategic Partnership Board and the five
thematic partnerships of the board.
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.
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)
- crime and disorder reduction partnerships
- Durham Rural Community Council and the voluntary and community sector.
Total Place
Durham is a Total Place pilot area and has chosen Housing and Regeneration
as its theme.
We are represented on the High Level Reference Group and work closely with
CLG to provide support and advice.
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 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
