Partnerships do not have enough government input

Regional government offices, the Benefits Agency, and the
Regional Development Agency are involved in only four out of 10
local strategic partnerships (LSPs). This compares with 93 per cent
involvement from the community and voluntary sector, the Local
Government Association revealed last week.

Head of social affairs, health and housing at the LGA John
Ransford criticised the under-representation on partnerships of
government offices and agencies responsible for social security at
an LGA conference on promoting social inclusion.

Calling for all stakeholders to become more involved, he said:
“The lowest figure for involvement was government offices in the
regions. But this picture is moving all the time.”

An LGA report found that three-quarters of the 295 councils in
England and Wales that responded to the survey have agreed social
inclusion as a corporate responsibility for their council, and 71
per cent have established, or are in the process of establishing, a
local strategic partnership. The survey shows that local businesses
are involved in two-thirds of LSPs. Almost two-fifths of councils
reported a strategy for working with business to tackle social
exclusion.