Local communities and the passion that drives them are the lifeblood of North Yorkshire. As a council we recognise this, just as the eight councils that came together in April to form North Yorkshire Council realised it. This is why we have given the go-ahead for a series of community partnership pilots.
From coast to moors to dales and market towns, the thousands of volunteers and voluntary organisations that flourish in those communities understand the needs of the people among whom they live. The 32,715 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that thrive across the county are the engine that drives North Yorkshire’s economy. The town and parish councillors that serve these communities understand the issues that matter on their doorsteps.
We have long realised this and have a strong tradition of working with all elements of communities at a local level to find the solutions and support for the services they need. Wide-ranging work was undertaken between the former county council and the seven district and borough authorities to create the model for the community partnerships.
While North Yorkshire Council is England’s largest authority geographically, one of the foundations on which we have built its creation from the very beginning was that it would also be the most local. We have always said that the council will be centred on ensuring local communities are at the forefront of all that we do.
The idea of community partnerships has been at the heart of the pledge to ensure that local priorities and challenges are addressed as effectively as possible, so I am delighted that we have quickly taken the first step towards making them a reality.
The backing for community partnerships shows our clear commitment to build North Yorkshire Council with local at its heart. It is a major step forward towards bringing together many partners and organisations to make sure that people have a stronger voice to tackle those issues that mean the most to them.
We will work closely with town and parish councils, public and voluntary sector partners, businesses and communities so that local issues drive decision-making and action via the partnerships.
About 30 partnerships are set to be introduced, centred around market towns and their surrounding areas. However, these will be phased in, so initially we will see a series of five pilots established before the programme is rolled out across the county.
The pilot areas will cover the market towns of Easingwold, Leyburn and Middleham, Ripon, Sherburn-in-Elmet and the village of Thornton-le-Dale and their surrounding rural areas. They will then help to shape the model for the community partnerships as they are introduced across the county.
We want to make sure that the model is right for the areas that they serve, and the pilots will be important in achieving this. We will listen to the views of all those involved to help to develop the partnerships as they are rolled out across the county.
Nothing will be imposed, as we want to do this with our communities. We certainly do not want simply to establish the partnerships without truly involving them. To do so would be contrary to the principles that underpin this approach.
We view the partnerships as local agents for economic and social change. They will provide a forum for work to take place between businesses, public sector agencies and the communities they serve.
We hope this approach will lead to greater collaboration and provide support that helps communities to become more self-reliant and resilient. Community partnerships will operate independently and will have the opportunity to elect their own chair. While they will not have devolved budgets, the partnerships will be supported in exploring funding opportunities through sources such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
We hope that they will build on existing relationships and partnerships between the public, private and community and voluntary sectors, including the close working arrangements that were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The community partnerships are only one aspect of a commitment to local empowerment that runs through every part of North Yorkshire Council’s operation.
Local influence and decision making is also strongly represented in the six area constituency committees in which local councillors help to drive improvements to services by addressing local issues and concerns. In addition, six planning committees, based on the same constituency boundaries, make decisions on local applications.
Staff, too, continue to work locally, serving the communities in which they live and work. We maintain seven area offices and make use of technology to enable officers to work effectively together while being based across North Yorkshire’s 3,300 square miles.
Taken together, these actions facilitate and celebrate the deep reservoirs of skills, experience, enthusiasm and commitment that thrive throughout our communities.
Cllr Carl Les is the leader of North Yorkshire Council.
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