6 The LSP, Community Strategy & LAA

6.1       The Local Strategic Partnership for South Cambridgeshire


The Council and various partners have formed a local strategic partnership (LSP) called the South Cambridgeshire Strategic Partnership. The purpose of the partnership is to work together to achieve the economic, environmental and social well-being of the district. The partners include Cambridgeshire County Council; the relevant Primary Care Trust (PCT); the Cambridgeshire Constabulary; the Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils (CALC); representatives of business, the voluntary sector, faith communities, village colleges and young people.


Most of the work of the South Cambridgeshire Partnership is carried out by a series of partnership bodies, including the following existing and planned groups


  • Cambridgeshire Horizons
  • The Improving Health Partnership
  • Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
  • Access and Transport Group
  • Housing Partnership
  • Learning Partnership
  • Children and Young People Locality Group
  • Community Development Group
  • Environment Group
  • Voluntary Sector Forum

The Council supports the strategic partnership by providing co-ordination, monitoring and by supporting the Strategic Partnership Board, Executive and Lead Officer Group. As part of its response to the CGI report, the Council has appointed a strategic partnerships officer to support the LSP and related partnership work. The Improvement Plan includes a range of actions to strengthen the Council’s involvement in strategic partnerships to enhance the benefits for the district.


6.2       The Sustainable Community Strategy


The main mechanism by which the Strategic Partnership achieves its aims is the Community Strategy. The current Strategy sets out six aims for the district and for each of those six aims gives a vision for 2020 together with actions for the period 2004 to 2007. The six aims for the district are:-


  • Active, safe and healthy communities
  • Building successful new communities
  • A prosperous district
  • Good access to services
  • Quality Homes for all
  • A high quality environment

The Council and the LSP are currently preparing a new Sustainable Community Strategy, which will meet government guidelines. So far, the Council and the LSP have:-


  • Carried out desk research into the results of other relevant consultations; statistical data; and completed parish plans.
  • Undertaken a major consultation exercise incorporating a postal survey; discussion groups across the district; and stakeholder groups.
  • Consulted the LSP partnerships on their views

All other district LSPs in Cambridgeshire are planning to revise their community strategies by the autumn in order to use the outcomes to influence the development of a new Local Area Agreement for Cambridgeshire from April 2008. South Cambs is on track to achieve this timetable which is incorporated into the Improvement Plan.


6.3              Cambridgeshire Local Area Agreement (LAA)


An LAA is a three-year agreement between the Government, a local authority and its partners setting out:-


  • Targets to be achieved in the next three years
  • Partnership and performance management arrangements to achieve those targets.

The targets are based on national priorities and local priorities, as expressed in Community Strategies.


The Cambridgeshire LAA came into effect in April 2006. The Council and the South Cambridgeshire LSP have been involved in the agreement of the LAA. It is envisaged that LSPs will undertake a major role in the development and implementation of LAAs.


The LAA has the potential to provide an effective partnership framework to deliver local and national priorities. It also provides flexibilities in the use of government funding streams.


The LAA sets out targets for four blocks:-


  • Children and Young People
  • Safer and Stronger Communities
  • Healthy Communities and Older People
  • Economic Development and Enterprise

Considerable work is still required to strengthen and develop the partnership and performance management arrangements underpinning the LAA.

The Council is represented on the LAA Board (a high level County wide group to develop and implement the LAA) and on the LAA Reference Group (a largely officer based group which supports the Board). The Council will contribute towards the LAA in 2007/08 through these representatives.


The Council has established an LAA Officer Group to support the Council’s input into the LAA and its future development.


For the first time this year the Council’s service plans and staff appraisals have included actions and targets to contribute to LAA targets.


In 2007/08 the Council will continue to develop its support for the LAA by –


  • Contributing to the development of the LAA for 2008 onwards through the development of the Sustainable Community Strategy and its representatives on the LAA Board and Reference Group
  • Supporting the contribution made by the LSP
  • Improving the linkages between the LAA and Council prioritisation and performance management.