Agenda item

Paul and Simon will lead a discussion which focuses on taking the learning from multi-agency working to better enable the transformation of services at the community level. It will cover the leadership challenge, using and sharing resources better and the increasingly important role of the voluntary sector.

Simon Eden, Chief Executive of Winchester City Council and Paul Archer,          Director of Policy and Governance at Hampshire County Council led a discussion on improving community outcomes through collaboration, something that is at the heart of everything the partners do.  All organisations in the           Hampshire Partnership face many challenges particularly in regard to expenditure, demand and public expectations together with other challenges such as economic growth, educational attendance and attainment, housing, people living longer and some with complex needs, vulnerable children, adults and families and health, wellbeing and safety.  To manage these challenges, drive service transformation and to remain resilient, the importance of working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for the communities of Hampshire was emphasised.  This would require genuine sharing – ambitions, objectives and aims, cohering organisations and ceding control, good engagement and strong leadership.

Paul Archer presented a case study on supporting troubled families which ably
demonstrated the outcomes that can be achieved through a multi-agency
approach.  As part of this programme, a number of road shows had been held
focussing on collaboration, sharing information and resources, the culture and
behaviour of the organisations involved and putting the customer first.  Tangible
outcomes had been achieved where leaders in the localities have been highly
visible and this relentless focus could be applied to many projects by
embedding it into an organisation’s ethos.  This approach has also improved
the dialogue with the voluntary sector and highlighted that more coherence was
required for a greater relationship.

A Q&A session followed and the outcomes from that can be viewed at
Appendix 1 to these minutes.  It was recognised that the landscape is complex
and hence it was not easy to fit all elements into one set of questions,
nevertheless it presented a steer in that collaboration was felt to be important
albeit with different emphasis in some areas.

In considering the next steps, there was acknowledgement of the value that a
multi-agency approach can bring.  Other partnership examples such as H3 (Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hampshire County Council) which shares senior management, senior professional capacity and business operations across the three organisations and the benefits realisation that goes with that was commended.  The importance of ‘centring’ the collaboration to maintain focus, to build resilience and to really make a difference was highlighted.  Some potential project areas were discussed and in conclusion, there was a majority view amongst the partners that the focus should be directed to one or two priority projects in support of ‘really making a difference’.  There was a consensus of support for the vulnerable elderly encompassing housing outcomes such as helping people to remain in their own homes rather than entering residential care) together with support for the young persons agenda and information sharing and digitalisation.  Proposals for these three areas would be worked up for consideration by the partners in due course.

To address a point raised during the debate, the Chairman confirmed he would re-engage membership discussions with the Leader of Portsmouth City Council with a view to having both the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth represented.