"Local Strategic Partnership in action"

In the summer of 2008 the National Partnership Improvement Fund awarded £55,000 to the Local Strategic Partnership to use in “Partnership Talents”. This consists of £50,000 to be awarded to various projects and £5,000 for administration and communication. It takes the original concept of empowering staff to develop their own projects and pushes it across the entire Local Strategic Partnership. We will identify 40 project leaders who will develop their own project teams. These teams will include at least two of our three main sectors, i.e. Private, Public and Voluntary/Community. The projects will be linked to reduction in crime or reduction in the harm caused by drugs. The money must be spent by April 1st 2009.

The 40 projects will each receive £1,000 leaving £10,000 to be divided into three prizes for the most successful. All the earlier Talents innovations, including presentations and “Power Up Days” will be used. It is intended to turn the partnership Talents funding from its £55,000 stake money into £500,000 through the leaders and their teams finding match funding and further investment. The project should have a significant impact on the city and the experience of developing them is designed to have a major impact on the future careers and approaches of those involved. The entire project is geared towards advancing our citywide locality working strategy and building effective communication across the agencies and their partners.