Tricia Turner

Apologies were received from Simon Barker, Richard Lacy, Tony Rogers and Neil Waring.

Formal sign off of theBedfordshire and Luton Voluntary Compact “Getting It Right Together”.  This item will include a group photograph.

John Gelder

The Chairman formally signed off the Bedfordshire and Luton Voluntary Compact “Getting it Right Together”, at which point photographs were taken.  JG circulated a summary sheet about the Compact.

Tricia Turner

RESOLVED

that the Minutes of the meeting of the Local Strategic Partnership Board held on 6 January 2009 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

• Minute no. 16 ‘Feedback from the Growth Sub-Committee’, fifth paragraph should read as follows:

As a result of this, additional issues and concessions, previously agreed by the LSP and the Joint Committee, had been lost and it was felt that the vision was not necessarily reflective of the views of the Chairman of the LSP Growth Sub-Committee

• Minute no. 18 ‘Climate Change’, third paragraph the LAA target for “Per Capita reduction in CO₂ emissions” is 3.9% by 2011 and not by 2001

• to include Janet Ridge as in attendance.

It was noted that Appendix A was not attached to the minutes.

Members were updated on the Sounding Board’s task to develop a brand identity for the Central Bedfordshire Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).  It was agreed that this work should not be progressed until a full Communications Strategy had been developed.  This would then generate a more detailed  brief which could be jointly worked upon by the students at Dunstable College and the design team at Central Bedfordshire Council.  CV suggested that instead of running a competition for the students that they follow the Council's process of designing the brand identity to allow them to benefit from the work experience.

To endorse the targets in Central Bedfordshire’s first LAA and agree the next steps.  To also receive a copy of the performance to-date (year one quarter three).

Peter Fraser

The LSP received a report which informed Members of the progress being made in finalising Central Bedfordshire’s LAA and to highlight current performance and the next steps. 

Central Bedfordshire LAA comprised of 24 designated targets and nine local targets.  GO-East had agreed a small number of national indicators that could be renegotiated due to the significant adverse impact of the economic downturn.  These included the following three indicators for Central Bedfordshire:

• NI 152 the percentage of working age people on out of work benefits
• NI 154 the number of net additional homes built
• NI 172 the percentage of VAT registered businesses showing growth.

Members were advised that local targets had not been finalised for the following:

• NI 7+ developing an environment for a thriving third sector
• NI 116 the proportion of children living in poverty.

MS advised the LSP that the NHS were holding workshops on child obesity at the end of May 2009.  She stated that this would be a very challenging area.

To reflect the work of the Community Safety Executive the Safer Communities Thematic Partnership title had been changed to the Community Safety Thematic Partnership.  GA advised Members that the terms of reference for the Community Safety Executive had been produced.

The developing Thematic Partnerships were taking ownership of the performance against each of the LAA targets.  In particular, robust arrangements to take forward delivery plans and associated performance management were being finalised.

RESOLVED

1.            to endorse the indicators and targets in Central Bedfordshire’s LAA, which were detailed in Appendix 1 to the report

2.            to task the Thematic Partnership for Stronger Communities to conclude the negotiation of local targets for indicators NI 7+ and NI 116

3.            to note the latest LAA performance, which relates to the period April to December 2008 (Year 1, Quarter 3)

4.            to endorse the Theme Leads identified in Section 5 of the report.

To receive a presentation by Nigel Smith from the Audit Commission on the final CAA framework.  To receive a paper on the implications for the LSP.

Nigel Smith, Audit Commission

The LSP received a report that informed Members of the new arrangements for CAA.  NS gave a presentation which took Members through the following areas:

• what CAA will do
• area assessment and organisation assessment
• key questions
• key differences
• reporting CAA
• context and potential areas to explore

NS advised Members that there were no plans to carry out a survey of local residents, information would be drawn from the information the Council holds.

The Regulators would gather information and a draft CAA report being available in September with the final report being signed off and published in November.  Central Bedfordshire would be kept informed of the findings throughout the process.  Once the CAA was published the process would continue.  Members highlighted that the first year would be a unique year as it was the first year of the authority and it would be pulling together the performance inherited from the legacy authorities.  NS stated that this was the reason why Central Bedfordshire Council would not be scored in the first year.  However, Police, Fire and the PCT would receive a scored Organisational Assessment this year.  Members were advised that there was an appeal process Central Bedfordshire could follow if it disagreed with the awarding of any of the coloured flags for the Area Assessment.

The LSP agreed that the layout of the inspectorates’ reporting website for CAA would read better if the narrative for Central Bedfordshire was first followed by the coloured flags and not the other way round. Otherwise, anyone looking at the web pages would see the flags and not take on board the narrative below.

The LSP thanked the LSP Manager and the Thematic Group Lead Officers for their hard work.

RESOLVED

that LSP Board Members be requested to commission the Thematic Partnerships to lead on the Area Assessment process and submit a report to the LSP on 30 June 2009.

To provide a formal response from the LSP to the Luton and South Bedfordshire Joint Committee Local development Framework Core Strategy document April 2009.

John Gelder

The LSP received a report which identified the key issues that would inform the LSP’s response to the consultation draft on the Luton and Southern Bedfordshire Core Strategy Preferred Options.  This would enable a detailed joint response with the Luton Forum to be made and thus influence the Core Strategy in its final form to ensure it closely related to the Sustainable Community Strategies for the area.

The following key areas were considered:

• Core Strategy Vision and Strategic Objectives – the LSP agreed to support the proposed vision and strategic objectives as amended in the report to include wording around social activities and providing healthy lifestyles.

• Spatial Development Principles – Central Bedfordshire would be producing a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) for the Central Bedfordshire area.  Members were advised that the Core Strategy would be published later in 2009 with the Inspector’s examination taking place in 2010.  This would take on board the existing SCSs for South Bedfordshire, Mid Bedfordshire and Luton.  Whilst the Core Strategy planned for growth up until 2031, Central Bedfordshire would be able to review the Strategy as it felt appropriate.

• Spatial Development Strategy – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 1.

• Developer Contributions and the Delivery of Supporting Infrastructure – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 2.

• Strategic Public Transport Infrastructure, Strategic Highway Transport Infrastructure and Maximising Opportunities for Sustainable Travel – the LSP discussed the SCS’s ambition to extend the guided busway to Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes and the need to reduce air pollution in Dunstable Town Centre.  Members were aware of the concerns with the guided busway.   Members agreed to remind the Joint Committee of the SCS’s ambition to extend the guided busway but were aware that any ambitions stated in the Core Strategy needed to be deliverable.  They also noted that consideration on the reduction in air pollution in Dunstable Town Centre was already being looked into.

• Meeting the Housing Targets – the LSP recognised the processes that Officers had carried out before coming to a preferred option.

• Delivering a Constant Supply of Housing Land – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 7.

• Providing Housing for all Needs – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 8 subject to highlighting that the Core Strategy addressed all but two of the key issues highlighted in the SCS, these being housing affordability and sufficiency in villages, to help to sustain viable rural communities.

• Providing a Supportive Framework – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 9 but wished to highlight concern that the Core Strategy failed to recognise the LSP’s ambition to develop centres of excellence for construction and sustainable design, to develop mass renewables markets and to promote the sourcing of renewable and manufactured materials locally, so creating local employment and sustainable procurement.

• Providing Social and Community Infrastructure – the LSP agreed to support Preferred Option CS 10 as amended in the report especially that there be a commitment to ensure that everyone had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To discuss the ongoing development and future ambitions of the LSP, including an offer of peer support.

Richard Ellis

The LSP Board received a report that provided Members with a brief overview of the development of the LSP and sought Members views on their ambitions for the future development of the Partnership in realising its long-term vision and ambition for Central Bedfordshire and becoming a flagship Partnership.

Members welcomed the formation of a task and finish group to develop proposals on the future developments of the LSP.

RESOLVED

1.            to form a task and finish group to develop proposals on how the LSP could be enhanced and supported to achieve its ambitions, which were set out in the terms of reference

2.            that the task and finish group should comprise the Chairmen of the Thematic Partnerships and representatives of each of the key statutory organisations:  Local Authority, Police, Fire, Health and the voluntary and community sector

3.            that a report with recommendations be brought back to the next meeting on 30 June 2009.

Tricia Turner

The Migration Impacts Fund

The Board received a report regarding the application for funding from the Government Office for the East of England.   The Government had announced that short-term funding was available to help relieve the pressures that migration was causing on local public services.

A meeting was held between local organisations in Bedfordshire to discuss proposals to be included in the application.  The application form should not be no more than 5 pages long and must have the backing of the LSPs and the agencies named in it.  The application needed to be submitted by 1 May 2009. 

The application would be based around building on the Learning Partnership’s Migrant Worker Qualification Conversion Project but address all the issues, as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report, as supporting projects.

RESOLVED

that the LSP supports the proposal to work with Bedford Partnership Board and Luton Forum to develop an application that addresses the issues identified in paragraph 3.2 of the report.