Area Governance in Wiltshire
overview
steve milton
head of community governance
any questions?
The Area Boards are appointed by the Council
under section 102 of the Local Government Act
1972 and are constituted as area committees
within the meaning of Section 18 of the
Local Government Act 2000 and regulations
made under that section for the purpose
of discharging functions delegated by the
executive.
The purpose of Area Boards is to  develop stronger, more resilient  communities by:
Transparent and accountable decision making
Effective collaboration with public, voluntary and private sector partners 
Shaping the delivery of local services
Addressing local issues
Building community leadership and local engagement
thinking
learning
Rod Rhodes 
'The hollowed-out State'

Power diffused through networks
Exercise of political power only possible through collaboration and influence
governance replacing government

contracting
commisioning
duty to involve
partnerships
personal care budgets
local management of schools
government agencies
quangos
choice
human rights
third sector
Robert Putnam 
'Bowling Alone'

individualism
erosion of social capital 
democratic and civic decline
loss of trust


Wilkinson & Pickett
'The Spirit Level'

Health and social wellbeing outcomes are substantially worse in more unequal rich countries


physical health 
mental health
drug abuse
education
imprisonment
obesity
social mobility
trust and community life
violence
teenage pregnancies
child well-being, 
Gerry Stoker & Viv Lowndes
The C.L.E.A.R framework

People participate when they CAN: when they have the resources necessary to make their argument. 

People participate when they feel part of something: they LIKE to participate because it is central to their sense of identity. 

They participate when they are ENABLED to do so by an infrastructure of civic networks and organisations. 

People participate when they are directly ASKED for their opinion. 

Finally, people participate when they experience the system they are seeking to influence as RESPONSIVE
Bang, Torfing & Sorensen
Network Governance

The importance of using existing networks as a way to mobilize and engage citizens, partners, agencies, organizations and businesses in the development, implementation, and monitoring of public policy.
Matthew Taylor
Motivating engagement

Individualistic - 'what is in it for me'

Egalitarian - 'together we can'

hierarchical - 'inspired by leaders'

fatalism - 'oh just get on with it'








Chantal Mouffe
The Democratic Paradox

Democracy v rights of individuals
Value and facilitate disagreement
Sloping playing field
Accommodate minority views


18 community areas
town and country
historic and modern
18 Community Area Boards
Unitary Councillors
Parish and town councillors
Police
NHS Wiltshire
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue
Housing associations
MOD
TARA
Voluntary sector
Chambers of commerce
Public
Community Area Partnership
Cabinet member
Service director
Community Area Manger
Clerk
Meetings
informal cafe style
public participation
roundtable discussions
handheld voting system
audio visual and multimedia
peripatetic

practice
£2.5m delegated
POWERS
All decisions will be made by the local Area Board, provided the decision does not:

have a significant impact outside of the area concerned 
impact significantly on the overall resources of the Council 
contradict any policy or service standard set by the Council
involve the taking of regulatory or quasi-judicial decisions
relate to the exercise of functions in respect of any particular person, including any individual member of staff
Influence
Service standards are set centrally after consultation with Area Boards.
Boards concentrate on weighing up the local impact of those services. 
To do this effectively Area Boards need to assess and compare service performance across the County. 
Local service performance data and budget information is split to community area level to allow Area Boards to use them.
An independent federation of voluntary groups, public bodies, businesses and individuals. The partnership is open to anyone and is strictly non-political. It receives funding from the board, produces a community plan setting out priorities for action, promotes projects and ensures that local people can get involved in activities that benefit the local area.
COMMUNITY ISSUES SYSTEM
issues referred by Public, Parish & Town Councils, Partners
issues published online
referred to officers, councillors and T&PC
tracked online
many solved at first intervention
tricky and common issues highlighted
round-table problem solving
multi-agency perspective

Community Area Partnership
Speedwatch!
The Community Area Manager



Supporting the Area Board and coordinating the action of many other organisations in the locality by working across traditional organisation and agency boundaries, developing networks, partnerships and relationships at the local level.
"the boundary spanner"

a new form of representation
local accountability
potential for internal group conficts
community leaders
meta-governors
empowerment
Councillors
Collaborative advantage - by working together we can do more for less.
Network agents and boundary spanners 
Facilitated democracy, 
a judicial view!
Social capital
    Co-production
        Eileen and the grit bin
Strategic challenge and the importance of information exchange
Value the mess!
local issues generate engagement
participative networks "yes we can"
'real people' and 
'expert citizens'
'its not just pot holes'


inclusive social narratives encourage collaboration and generate new ideas
roll-on, roll-off
CAA
LSP
NPT
& CAYPIGS
Children and Young Peoples' Issues Group
Area Grants
Devolved service funds
Strategic projects
Councillor projects