Capacity Building Projects and Programmes
Projects considered for capacity building funding were required to demonstrate collaborative working across more than one authority, either within the region or externally and clearly indicate their intentions to share results and learning. During 2006-07 a programme of projects, and sub-regional programmes was commissioned to meet needs identified in the Regional Improvement Strategy.
The four sub-regions (North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Humber) chose to work together on programmes of priority needs allowing sub-regional collaboration, including learning between 0 and 1* authorities and others. Fire and Rescue Services and Authorities were commissioned to work on a Regional Fire and Rescue Leadership Project and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Improvement Project.
Regional Projects are as follows:
- The Regional Health Project is supporting authorities working to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
- The Regional Waste Project will develop Local Authority capacity to raise awarness and influence attitudes to support waste strategy delivery and develop local authority capacity to deliver local composting facilities.
- The Regional Reputation Project will use tools and techniques from the private sector to help understand how citizens and the communities in which they live prefer to access services, ensuring services and communications are focused on their needs to increase take-up of services and customer satisfaction and improve reputations.
- A programme of Master Classes for Chief Executives has been designed around models of leadership, partnership and developing shared services, the object of which is to support the development of collaborative leadership across the region.
- The Regional Member Induction Project has provided regional learning support to new Elected Members.
- A Regional Transport Project is allowing collaboration, joint planning and savings to be realised in addressing community transport needs across two local authorities and the NHS.
- A Learning Exchange has been modelled around public sector talent management and the delivery of a range of regional events to encourage collaborative working and the sharing of learning and best practice.
- Thorugh the Yorkshire and Humber Lead Member Network for Children's Services elected members will have increased awareness and understanding of the children's services agenda and thereby be in a position to drive more effective engagement from their local authorities.
- The Regional Small Area Information System Project, initially running in South Yorkshire, will strengthen benchmarking, decision-making and performance monitoring to help close the gap between the least and most successful neighbouhoods.
- The Partnership and Fire and Rescue Service Project will develop specific specific activities to support partnership working across the Region and develop and coordinate support to Local Authorities, Local Strategic Partnerships, and Local Area Agreements.