The paper is an output from the national evaluation of LSPs. It focuses on interactions ‘below the LSP’ or at the ‘sub-local level’ and addresses the following questions:

This issues paper is an output from the national evaluation of Local Strategic Partnerships, sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and the Department for Transport.

As part of the programme of research, policy clients identified a series of issues of current interest where additional issues papers would be helpful to inform discussion. Interactions ‘below the LSP’ or at the ‘sub-local level’ was one of the issues chosen.

The overarching research questions were divided into lines of enquiry exploring the ways in which LSPs sought to engage with ‘sublocalities’ and neighbourhoods and the reactions from stakeholders at the ‘sub-local’ level, the role of elected members, how accountability is addressed, what capacity is needed and what impact this ‘sub-local’ activity has on mainstream decision making and service delivery?

Evidence came from academic and ‘grey literature, material from the LSP national evaluation and other relevant evaluations. In addition a limited number of interviews were carried out with local respondents in three localities, exploring developments in more depth.

A large number of conclusions are presented relating to LSP roles, structures and processes, resourcing, involvement and accountability, and impact.

The report also offers a range of findings relating to the factors affecting interactions between the LSP and ‘sub-local’ and neighbourhood bodies, the components of successful relationships, and implications for policy and practice.

Communities and Local Government
Analytical.Services@communities.gsi.gov.uk.

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//2005

Helen Sullivan and Jo Howard, Cities Research Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Community development