Locality partnerships will bring local influence over services
North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet looks set to approve a nine-week formal consultation on plans to develop locality partnerships.
The approach would see six locally accountable forums, one of which is Arran, known as locality partnerships, established across North Ayrshire. The partnerships would develop locality plans and address how to proceed with key local issues.
The locality planning approach will see a much stronger and more localised way of responding to community challenges, with more co-operation between local groups, community councils and other representative bodies.
The consultation forms part of the locality planning approach which results from the Christie Commission’s argument for closer involvement of people in the design and delivery of the public services they use.
It aims to deliver better outcomes for local people and communities through increased participation in local decisions that take account of the needs, aspirations, capac- ities and skills of local communities.
The commission also said that strengthening local partnerships would be a key element of public service reform.
Council Leader, William Gibson, is urging local groups to get involved in the consultation. He said: ‘These locality partnerships will give local people a voice and a seat at the table to discuss the issues which matter most to their communities. This consultation will give local groups, community councils and other representative bodies the chance to have their say on how the partnerships will function and their participation is key to its success.’
Local people will have the chance to find out more about the locality planning approach through a series of information roadshows being held in each of the six localities.
These will get underway on October 19 in line with the formal consultation which begins on the same day - subject to full Cabinet approval.
The consultation will conclude on December 18 and the outcome will be reported to the cabinet early next year.