This note commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Transport examines the emerging governance issues of Local Strategic Partnerships. The research indicates that councillors see the LSP as strengthening the consultation process, but are afraid of losing powers to the LSP. If there were to be ‘power creep’ towards the LSP, conflict might result. In contrast to other representatives on the LSP, elected representatives have a unique role in carrying responsibility for the overall balance of governance in an area and it might be helpful to see them as ‘first among equals’. Backbench councillors may need support to help them to develop their community leadership role. To ensure that community representatives on LSPs truly represent their communities, it may be necessary to establish voting systems or support mechanisms to enable them to hear from and report back to their communities.Similar issues arise in the case of business; there may be tensions within the business sector and issues of conflict of interest. Questions of legitimacy and accountability also apply to other public agencies on LSPs, and to the voluntary sector and faith representatives. The representation of certain groups on an LSP does not absolve the LSP or the council from consulting and learning from those groups – nor does the individual have to necessarily ‘carry’ responsibility for reaching the wider group. LSP members may need support to carry out their roles well. They should be encouraged to think about their governance roles and talk about their shared responsibilities, rather than simply attend meetings.
Consultations have begun on a series of measures to improve the Community Legal Service, which gives advice on issues such as housing, debt and employment. The proposals are based on an independent review of the CLS, written by Matrix Research and Consultancy, and they have been published by Constitutional Affairs Minister David Lammy, who is seeking views by early September.The CLS has been operating since April 2000 with the intention of improving access to legal and advice services, concentrating on areas particularly affecting people’s daily lives, such as housing, debt, employment, welfare benefits, community care, discrimination and mental health. Last year it advised a million people, helping them to avoid social exclusion.
A new induction programme has been developed for all new comers to working in, for and with the National Health Service and will be integrated into local NHS induction processes over the summer. It has been designed to bring the service’s principles to life.”Introduction to Today’s NHS” is a short interactive programme that sets out to explain the core mission and values of the NHS. Sir Nigel Crisp, the service’s Chief Executive, has strongly endorsed the programme, which he said, had the potential to provide a consistent countrywide approach to induction. The programme will be available from next month.The programme has been developed in consultation with the NHS, the Department of Health, the Stroke Unit at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals and Speakability, the charity that supports people with language loss following aphasia, as well as involving patients and carers. The induction programme follows a stroke patient’s pathway through the health service from initial treatment from a paramedic, through to the care given a year after the patient’s stroke, It uses video and audio to engage the learner and information screens to prompt discussion and aid learning. It will be available on CD-ROM and DVD.