hertfordshire local update 12th november 2012

Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire Local Update12th November 2012

Claire Kueh

Senior Policy Officer

Hertfordshire County Council

HCC’s vision for localism vision January 2012:

“To shift power from the state (in the form of the County Council and its local partners) to individuals and families, both personally and also in geographic

localities in which they live. It seeks to position councillors as an indispensable resource within active

communities. It aims to ensure that residents are suitably informed to allow them to influence and

shape local services and take a more active part in helping them help themselves.”

Hertfordshire County Council

Key areas for Hertfordshire Local 2011-12

Hertfordshire Local programme has been focused on six key areas:

• Democratic leadership• Participation and engagement• Volunteering and Voluntary Sector• Community Celebration• Communication & Partnership • HCC Organisational culture

Hertfordshire County Council

1) Democratic LeadershipSupporting Members to be indispensable parts of an active

community by increasing their visibility and the degree of influence over specific budgets and projects.

• Member Locality Budgets• Highways Locality Budget

Scheme• Member Training• Community Information

Hertfordshire County Council

2) Participation and engagementEncouraging local people to become active in decision making and

shaping the future of their local communities.

• Take Part Hertfordshire• Local Democracy Week

Hertfordshire County Council

3) Volunteering and the Voluntary Sector

Encouraging people to become volunteers and supporting a thriving voluntary sector

• Volunteering with the County Council• Slivers of Time• Countryside Management Service• National Citizenship Service• Olympics

Hertfordshire County Council

4) Community CelebrationWork to encourage residents to celebrate local and national

events.

• Street Parties• Environmental Projects

Hertfordshire County Council

5) Communication and PartnershipWork to clarify the County Council’s position on localism to other

stakeholders and the wider public

• Localism network• Parish and Town Councils• External Communications

Hertfordshire County Council

6) HCC Organisational CultureWork to embed localism into service delivery and organisational culture.

• Internal communications

Hertfordshire County Council

Hertfordshire Local - Next Steps 2012-13

Proposed that future Hertfordshire Local work is condensed into two strands:

• Democratic leadership • Participation and engagement

Hertfordshire County Council

Democratic leadership

• Member induction

• Cross tier member working

• Strengthening members’ influence over local services

Hertfordshire County Council

Participation and engagement

• Public Engagement

• Volunteering

• Young people

Hertfordshire County Council

Any questions?