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Basingstoke Area Strategic Partnership

30^th March Worksop

The facilitated workshop was well attended by Board members and had three objectives:

• Explore the vision and its impact on BASP priorities;
• Agree medium term priorities that can only be delivered in partnership;
• Agree a measurement strategy that demonstrates the delivery of these priorities.

The Vision statement which was approved by Cabinet last week and is due to go to Council on 1^st April is attached. It should be noted that this differs from the Vision Statement in the Key Themes Public Consultation Document for which responses are required before 26^th April.

There were two small group (4 to 6 per group) discussion sessions covering how partners saw themselves contributing to achieving the vision, identifying joint priorities and measuring progress. Both sessions being followed by plenary sessions.

The results of the plenary sessions were recorded on eight PowerPoint overheads and copies are available from either of us.

Points raised in the first session included:

• The Partnership can achieve consensus, offers strategic leadership and continuity; has practicality and expertise to deliver.
• Ownership of the Vision has to be through all partner organisations and citizens – there is a need to develop partnership working and civic pride.
• The Partnership needs to improve cross-border working.
• Look at the human impact of the recession.

Points raised in the second session included

• The need to focus on young people and to raise their aspirations, measured by test results and surveys.
• Tackling perceptions of anti-social behaviour.
• Reduce apathy of residents across a range of issues.
• Environmental responsibility needed from all partners.
• Plan for the needs of the ageing population.

The Partnership offers an almost unique opportunity for representatives from the many organisations, which are involved in meeting the needs of residents, to agree actions for co-operation on those problems which require action from more than one organisation. Members of the Board include representatives from the Police, Health, Education, Housing Associations, the Voluntary sector plus officers and Councillors. An example of the influence the Board can have on Council policy is the increased significance given to Environmental Responsibility in the final version of the vision.

Members of the Association are urged to study and respond on the Key Themes Consultation Document, as this will set many of the parameters in the Local Development Framework, which will replace the Current Adopted Local Plan. The relevant documents can be downloaded from:

            http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/planning/ldf/FocussingonourFuture.htm

Roger Booth & Julian Jones

31^st March 2010