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Radical plans to change partnership working across Cambridgeshire approved
The Cambridgeshire Together Board have approved changes to partnership working across Cambridgeshire
The Cambridgeshire Together Board, a group of the county’s most influential decision makers, has approved an approach to radically transform how the public sector, the business sector and the third sector work together across Cambridgeshire.
The new approach, approved at the Board’s meeting in May 2010, will mark the end of static partnerships that cover everything across the whole county, to an approach where partner organisations focus on the right issues, at the right time and in the right way.
The Board has agreed to reduce the number of its meetings from bi monthly to bi annually and has commissioned the Cambridgeshire Public Sector Board (CPSB), which includes the Chief Executives and Chief Officers from Cambridgeshire's local public sector organisations, to take this work forward.
Developing a new approach
The CPSB will now develop a model, which encourages organisations to work together in a more streamlined, flexible and smarter way. It will free up time by reducing the hundreds of hours people from the various organisations spent in meetings, so their knowledge, expertise and initiative can be focused on delivering services and making Cambridgeshire an even better place to live.
The Board approved three key principles about how Cambridgeshire’s organisations will work together in the future:
- The new approach will be firmly based on a principle of subsidiarity - “doing things at the lowest appropriate geographic scale”. Partners will only deal with issues on a Countywide basis where it makes most sense to do so, and will tackle key issues on a district basis amongst the relevant organisations. Where appropriate, issues will be tackled at an area and neighbourhood level too. This will help address the desire of Public Sector leaders across Cambridgeshire to cut any unnecessary bureaucracy. Inevitably many issues cut across Cambridgeshire’s administrative geographies and require different parts of local government to work together, often with other elements of the public sector, and with the voluntary and private sectors too.
- Central to this new approach therefore, is the principle that if one organisation can tackle an issue on its own, then all other partners step back and trust that organisation to do it. This will lessen the need for regular meetings involving 10-15 people from a number of organisations to look at an issue that one individual is accountable for in their own organisation
- This new approach would involve the right people from the appropriate organisations being commissioned to work together on the ground for a given period without the need for numerous partnership meetings. Individuals would be given objectives to achieve, with clarity around the available resources, the targets to hit and the freedom and trust to achieve the outcome in the most efficient and effective way. Once an improvement to service quality, a new service model is established or a target achieved, the group could be decommissioned, and resources allocated elsewhere
The CPSB will present the proposed model to the Cambridgeshire Together Board for approval and implementation in September 2010.
Further information
View the report presented to the Cambridgeshire Together Board
For further information, contact Adam Speed, Cambridgeshire Together Partnerships Officer on 01223 699767
News in brief
Proposal to pave the way for the Local Enterprise Partnership
Business leaders and local authorities across greater Cambridge and greater Peterborough have joined forces to create proposals for a partnership which will drive economic recovery and development across the county and beyond and could become a model for the rest of the country.
A partnership project board has been formed to steer the development of the proposal and its Chairman John Bridge has now written to Government ministers urging them to support the creation of a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough areas.
In his letter, Mr Bridge cites Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s ‘unique’ position in the country as an economic and educational powerhouse which has ensured the area weathered the economic downturn better than many other areas.
The mission of the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership is to lead the area‘s growth to 100,000 major businesses and create 160,000 new jobs by 2025 in an internationally significant low carbon, knowledge-based economy.
Mr Bridge said: “The economic geography of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is distinctive. Together, our 1.3 population and 60,000 major businesses generate approximately £30bn a year for the UK economy. Growth in the local economy in the last decade has outstripped that of the wider UK and we have national and international strengths in ICT, bio-medical, low carbon and environmental goods, high value engineering and manufacturing, and creative industries; sectors which can drive national economic recovery and lead the transition to a greener economy.”
Subject to feedback from Secretaries of State Vince Cable and Eric Pickles, work will continue on developing a formal proposal to create the Local Enterprise Partnership which would break down traditional administrative barriers across Cambridgeshire and lead the local and national economic development and recovery.
Cambridgeshire County Council Leader Jill Tuck, said: “Both the public and private sector across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has worked extremely hard to reduce the impact of the current challenging economic situation – but challenge also brings opportunity and we believe that the time is right to create a Local Enterprise Partnership which will build on the good work locally and become a pathfinder for the drive for recovery nationally.”
View letter sent to Secretaries of State, Eric Pickles and Vince Cable
For further information contact: Contact: ESBusiness.Support@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
View previous article on proposals for a Local Enterprise Parntership
Kick Ash - young people proud to be smoke free
Kick Ash - is a new schools programme led by young people helping to reduce smoking in the under 16s
A smoking reduction programme taking place in 10 schools throughout Cambridgeshire over a three year period will have its official launch at Bottisham Village College on 25 June 2010.
The programme, entitled Kick Ash, a name chosen by the students, aims to encourage young people throughout Cambridgeshire become proud to be smoke free.
Its their project
The programme is not reliant on traditional smoking cessation campaign methods, which have been shown to have little impact on young people.
Instead, the project will take a young person centred approach, which has students deciding on the direction of the project.
Based on ground breaking projects in the U.S and on Merseyside, this approach helps students take ownership of the project and challenge the myths around smoking
Over 30 students have been recruited and have organised themselves into work groups, including communications, tobacco enforcement and smoking cessation advisors.
They are working with the NHS Public Health CAMQUIT team and Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communications, Trading Standards and Personal, Social, Health and Education Team.
The project is funded by Cambridgeshire Together’s Local Public Sector Agreement reward grant.
Further infomation
For more information, email Di Fenner, Manager - Education and Health Partnerships – diane.fenner@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Video: A new environmental education centre for Paxton Pits Nature Reserve
A short video by Cambridgeshire Horizons about the new education centre at Paxton Pits funded by the Housing Growth Fund (length - 1minute 55 seconds)
View more videos by Cambridgeshire Horizons
For further information about the new environmental education centre at Paxton Pits, contact the rangers on 01480 406795 or the Wildlife Trust on 01480 811075.
Ensuring early provision of affordable leisure and appropriate community facilities and social infrastructure that is accessible to all is a key priority of Cambridgeshire's Vision, the Countywide Sustainable Community Strategy
Citzen's Advice Bureaux launch Advicehub
The launch of Advicehub at JHC Sawston. Reg Cullum, Chair of Trustees JHC, Cllr Charles Nightingale SCDC, Dr David Livesey Chair of Trustees Cambridge CAB
Advicehub, the Big Lottery Funded initiative led by the four Cambridgeshire Citizen's Advice Bureaus (CABs), has launched its programme to increase people’s access to quality advice services.
By using innovative technology and creating an infrastructure of partnership advice agencies to coordinate activities, share resources and monitor the quality of services, Advicehub will ensure that the client is always placed at the heart of the advice process.
The right advice, at the right time, in the right place
A network of digital access points for free advice is being set up 
at community locations all across Cambridgeshire. Self-help touchscreen kiosks, designed to give people signposted access to specialist local advice organisations, are already in operation at Cambridge CAB (funded by Cambridge City Council), John Huntingdon Charity (funded by South Cambridgeshireshire District Council) in Sawston and the Rosmini Centre Wisbech (funded by the Investing in Community fund of EEDA).
Interviews booked through a central appointments system shared with other advice agencies will allow people to speak to specialist advisers remotely via webcam and Skype phone.
Working with Cambridgeshire Libraries
Advicehubs kiosks will also be set up set up in three Cambridgeshire Libraries - Chatteris, March and Whittlesey. Links and icons to the Advicehub website will also be included on all Cambridgeshire Libraries People's Network computers and Community Access Points.
Training the trainers
In order to ensure a high quality of advice, professionals working in the sector are being offered training and continuing professional development via courses run by Advicehub.
The programme launched in the Spring with a series of workshops on 'The Benefits System Unplugged' delivered by Linda Hutchinson, Manager of Fenland CAB.
Demand was so high for this training that three further courses have been arranged for later in the summer. The second course was delivered in conjunction with Cambridgeshire Trading Standards and gave an overview of recent updates in consumer law. The programme for 2010/11 will be announced in August.
A new building and a high profile supporter
In July, Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, will open a new building in 
Cambridge for the CAB and Advicehub Cambridge.
The building was purchased and refurbished with support from the Futurebuilders fund of The Social Investment Business and will house advice agency tenants and the technological infrastructure needed to support the network of new advice points across the county.
Further information
Anyone interested in finding out more about Advicehub should visit www.advicehub.org or contact Kulbir Singh on 01223 222765 or email kulbir@advicehub.org.
Sign up for regular updated on the website.
Making Cambridgeshire Count
Making Cambridgeshire Count (MCC) is a countywide project commissioned by the Cambridgeshire Together Board, a group of key decision makers from the county's most influential organisations.
MCC has three aims:
1. To bring leaders and influencers together from across Cambridgeshire to refocus our public services, using new perspectives and different thinking
2. To place customer and community views at the centre of new thinking and to design new and innovative ways of meeting community needs
3. To make sure we continue to provide excellent services even if we see a 20 per cent reduction in our public sector finances
The second phase
The Making Cambridgeshire Count initiative is now in its second phase.
The first phase focussed on bringing partners across public services in the county together, working in collaboration to develop a shared identity and common purpose.
Participants spent time identifying areas where increased collaboration could lead to more effective and efficient services for our communities.
This led to eight innovative projects being established, covering a broad range of topics. Some projects will directly impact on local residents; for example ‘Tackling Domestic Abuse’ will join up and simplify access to services for victims, who currently experience a confusing system pushing them from one organisation to another.
Our Public Services Redesign and Sharing Services projects will blur the boundaries between our organisations, providing accessible services to everyone in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Three of the projects have now matured to the extent that they are being taken forward through Cambridgeshire Together Thematic Partnerships.
The second phase of Making Cambridgeshire Count will also include a continued focus on developing leadership and the culture of collaboration that has been established.
Even more Members, employees and stakeholders will now be engaged and involved in achieving the overall aim of MCC – making Cambridgeshire a great place to call home.
Making Cambridgeshire Count has also been shortlisted for the MJ Total Place Achievement of the Year award 2010, testament to progress that has been made across public services in the county. The winner of the award will be announced in June.
Future Jobs Fund update
Funding will provide temporary jobs for long term unemployed in Cambridgeshire
The Cambridgeshire Together Future Jobs Fund has successfully created many job opportunities for eligible young people aged 18-24 years old in Cambridgeshire.
To date over 100 young people have started work in a variety of jobs, all with a community benefit, throughout the county.
The jobs, each lasting for six months and paying at least the minimum wage, have been created for young people who have been claiming Jobseekers Allowance for between six months and a year.
Young people affected most
The recession has disproportionately affected young people, who are struggling to find work in this tough economic climate and the Future Jobs Fund provides them with an opportunity to gain new skills and experience in a real job.
The Cambridgeshire Together Partnership was awarded the Future Jobs Fund contract by the Department for Work and Pensions earlier this year to provide job opportunities for eligible young people across Cambridgeshire. All applications for future jobs are made through Jobcentre Plus.
Cambridgeshire County Council is the Lead Accountable Body for the Future Jobs Fund and nextstep adult guidance service are coordinating the programme.
Employers involved in the Future Jobs Fund include members of the Cambridgeshire Together board, community and voluntary sector and social enterprise organisations. There are a wide variety of jobs in areas such as administration, conservation, grounds maintenance, healthcare and sport.
All employees under the Future Jobs Fund are receiving accredited training in Employability Skills, this covers CV writing, job search and interview skills. These activities are supported by Cambridgeshire County Council's nextstep Adult Guidance service, Adult and Community Learning and Connexions Young People's services.
Robert Stone, Clerk to Girton Parish Council, said: "Our employees under the Future Jobs Fund are doing a brilliant job and are making a real difference to our community"
The Cambridgeshire Together Future Jobs Fund is an excellent example of partnership working where committed organisations are working together to create varied and meaningful opportunities for young people to help them gain sustainable future employment.
Future Jobs Fund update
Funding will provide temporary jobs for long term unemployed in Cambridgeshire
The Cambridgeshire Together Future Jobs Fund has successfully created many job opportunities for eligible young people aged 18-24 years old in Cambridgeshire.
To date over 100 young people have started work in a variety of jobs, all with a community benefit, throughout the county.
The jobs, each lasting for six months and paying at least the minimum wage, have been created for young people who have been claiming Jobseekers Allowance for between six months and a year.
Young people affected most
The recession has disproportionately affected young people, who are struggling to find work in this tough economic climate and the Future Jobs Fund provides them with an opportunity to gain new skills and experience in a real job.
The Cambridgeshire Together Partnership was awarded the Future Jobs Fund contract by the Department for Work and Pensions earlier this year to provide job opportunities for eligible young people across Cambridgeshire. All applications for future jobs are made through Jobcentre Plus.
Cambridgeshire County Council is the Lead Accountable Body for the Future Jobs Fund and nextstep adult guidance service are coordinating the programme.
Employers involved in the Future Jobs Fund include members of the Cambridgeshire Together board, community and voluntary sector and social enterprise organisations. There are a wide variety of jobs in areas such as administration, conservation, grounds maintenance, healthcare and sport.
All employees under the Future Jobs Fund are receiving accredited training in Employability Skills, this covers CV writing, job search and interview skills. These activities are supported by Cambridgeshire County Council's nextstep Adult Guidance service, Adult and Community Learning and Connexions Young People's services.
Robert Stone, Clerk to Girton Parish Council, said: "Our employees under the Future Jobs Fund are doing a brilliant job and are making a real difference to our community"
The Cambridgeshire Together Future Jobs Fund is an excellent example of partnership working where committed organisations are working together to create varied and meaningful opportunities for young people to help them gain sustainable future employment.