Agencies urged to join fight against deprivation

The head of the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit has urged all
agencies to play an active role in the local strategic partnerships
that will deliver the government’s agenda locally,
writes Anabel Unity Sale.

Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing annual conference
in Harrogate, Joe Montgomery, who is director general of the unit,
said: “Local strategic partnerships should coalesce around local
targets for tackling health, crime, employment, learning and
housing. Our main concern is to make it easier and simpler on the
ground.”

He told delegates: “There is some confidence that LSPs will
emerge, but the issue is will you be at the table?” He added that
all housing agencies should inform their LSP of their work.

Montgomery admitted that not all agencies were keen to become
involved in LSPs. He said: “The notion that there is
divisional-itus and partnership-fatigue needs to be worked on.”

He added that the NRU had set floor targets, minimum
requirements of improvements for services, as a mechanism to focus
on the areas in the country where deprivation were worst.
Montgomery said: “The floor targets are fundamental to how the
national strategy will be carried forward. There are targets for
joblessness, skills, housing, health and crime. Health is the real
shocker because people who live in the poorest neighbourhoods die
10 years younger than folk who don’t.”

 

 

 

 

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