Operating Framework

The Northamptonshire Partnership want Northamptonshire to be recognised as a successful county where people and communities do well, where they take up new ideas and trends, but also celebrate history, heritage and local identity. It will be a county where people will want to invest, work and enjoy life. The Sustainable Communities Strategy for Northamptonshire sets out our ambitions for our county.

A governance structure has been put in place to help deliver the ambitions in our sustainable Communities Strategy, and a second Local Area Agreement has been agreed with the Government.

The Sustainable Communities Strategy for Northamptonshire outlines the following ambitions for Northamptonshire.

We aim to be successful through sustainable growth and regeneration, by making sure that:

  • residents live in housing that is sustainable, affordable and of good quality;
  • we have the right infrastructure such as roads and health service provision to deal with new growth; and
  • we can improve and preserve buildings and the countryside for future generations.

We aim to develop through having a growing economy with more skilled jobs, where:

  • we encourage and support employers to create the right number, quality and distribution of jobs;
  • workers have the right skills to respond to the employment needs of a dynamic economy; and
  • residents have the opportunity to learn throughout their lives.

We aim to have safe and strong communities, where:

  • residents have a shared identity and are involved in developing their communities;
  • levels of crime and disorder are lower in all our neighbourhoods; and
  • public services meet the needs of residents.

We aim to have healthy people who enjoy a good quality of life. To do this we will:

  • support vulnerable people to help them lead fulfilling lives
  • help young people to have the best possible preparation to become adults; and
  • help residents to make choices that improve their health and quality of life.

An Operating Framework has been produced that illustrates the structure (see below) that will be in place to deliver these ambitions, the processes that will underpin the structure and the procedures that will govern decision-making.

The Operating Framework identifies principles of membership of Boards, functions of the various parts of the structure, and expected behaviours of members of Boards. It also lays out flows of information within the structure.

The document will never be finished; it keeps changing as personnel move on, as new structures are added or old ones removed. But it will provide a time limited view of how the partnership is working.

Structure of the Operating Framework

Northamptonshire Public Service Board
The Northamptonshire Public Service Board provides the overarching leadership for Northamptonshire. The Public Service Board discusses the key issues for the county and make recommendations to the Partnership’s member organisations.

Chief Executives Group (CEX)
The Chief Executives Group will ensure the decisions of the Public Service Board are carried out, and advise the public Service Board on key matters of importance.

Leaders and Chief Executives Group (LCEX)
The Leaders and Chief Executives Group holds discussions on local authority business in Northamptonshire, providing a forum where inter-local authority co-operation can be fostered.

The “66”
The “66” is a forum for capacity building, networking, shared learning, peer challenge, and should be used to drive innovation within the Partnership.

The “Leadership 66”
The “leadership 66” will provide a forum for greater engagement with elected and appointed members within the partnership and its constituent organisations.

The “Nike” Group
The “Nike Group” will work as directed by the Chief Executives Group, undertaking specific pieces of work.

Partnership Performance Board
The Partnership Performance Board will manage performance across all LAA targets on behalf of the Partnership.

NIEP Programme Board
An improvement and Efficiency Programme for Northamptonshire, worth £2.5 million over three years has been developed. A Programme Board of those who attend the East Midlands IEP Officer and Member Boards has been established.

Partnership Support Unit
A small unit has been established to support the partnership as it develops. The Unit will seek to develop relationships across the County, raise the profile of Northamptonshire, and deliver more joined up partnerships.

Knowledge Management Board
The Knowledge Management Board will work to ensure the Northamptonshire Partnership has an improved understanding of the communities and residents of the county.

The Health and Well-being Board
The Health and Well-being Board (HWB) shall link to the Partnership Board of NHS Northamptonshire, to provide leadership for Health and Well-being in Northamptonshire. The Partnership Board will set the vision for the health economy of the county and the HWB will translate this into action. The Board should also lead on meeting the needs of a single regulator as we move into the new CAA inspection regime.

The Communities Board
The Communities Board will bring together community safety, community cohesion and community involvement. It will ensure that local communities are engaged in the design and delivery of the services they require in their neighbourhoods. It will set the strategic direction for the delivery of community outcomes, foster trust and confidence in public services within communities and oversee the tackling of local issues relating to crime, harm and anti-social behaviour.

The Regeneration and Growth Board
The Regeneration and Growth Board will bring together three key aspects of the planned growth for Northamptonshire: housing, infrastructure and the environment.

The Economic Development Board
The Economic Development Board will co-ordinate across the spectrum of schools, further education and skills, higher education and employment.

The Children and Young People’s Partnership
The Children and Young People’s Partnership forms the Children’s Trust arrangements for the county. It develops the vision for children and young people, and the CYP Plan that is aimed at improving performance against the five national outcomes: Stay safe, Be healthy, Make a positive contribution, enjoy and Achieve economic well-being.