Succession planning guidance a future for 39 communities

Succession planning guidance: a future for 39 communities. Moving forward from the NDC programme: 4 th December 2008 Helen Giles New Deal for Communities programme manager

What does the guidance cover? • Sets the framework within which succession strategies should operate. • Largely complements previous guidance (2002 and 2006) • 3 key areas on succession strategies • Policy aims. • Assessment criteria and sign off plans. • Policy on technical issues. 2

Why succession strategies? BECAUSE NDC AREAS HAVE IMPROVED ALOT. By 2006: Increase in % getting 5 or more GCSEs A-C • less crime; 50 45 40 • lower fear of crime; 35 30 25 20 • greater satisfaction with the area – now 71%; 10 5 0 l • 80% residents think they have a “good” quality of life; 15 • Improved GCSE results. 3

More to sustain…… • • • 400 new / improved community facilities; Over 200 new / improved health facilities; 11, 000 community groups supported; 2, 700 jobs created and 12, 000 safeguarded; 17, 500 homes improved or built; and 90 buildings improved / brought back into use • Many useful lessons have been learned – eg: • How to empower residents; • Innovative projects and approaches; • Increasing trust in public services through partnership working 4

Succession strategies – the aims • Deliver target outcomes aligned with LAA outcomes and other local priorities; • Continue community empowerment; • Safeguard the assets generated by NDC grant to remain in the area for the benefit of the community; • Financially sustainable; and • Integrated within the local delivery mechanisms and strategies. 5

Succession strategies – the requirements (1) • Sustainability plan for the area. • Assessed on 8 criteria: • Criterion 1: The outcomes to be delivered are appropriate for the NDC area and the community it serves. • Criterion 2: The community continues to be empowered and community leaders are supported. • Criterion 3: Agreed split of responsibilities between partners in continuing activities / services. 6

Requirements (2) • Criterion 4: The assets are safeguarded into the long term. • Criterion 5: Governance arrangements support the objectives of the succession plans. • Criterion 6: The risks to the succession strategy have been properly identified and are being actively managed. • Criterion 7: The strategy must be agreed by the Local Authority/ Accountable Body and supported by partners. • Criterion 8: The successor vehicle must be financially 7 independent into the long term.

Succession strategies – vital technical guidance and assumptions • Clarifies outstanding issues – eg area, assets, successor vehicles, clawback removal, accounting procedures. • Provides assumptions to enable preparation of financial plans – eg: • Use of NDC grant and income; • Likely policy on clawback removal; • Transfer of assets and “locking them in”; and • Costs to be incurred. • If can’t meet all criteria and assumptions……. . we need to talk. 8

Assessment and sign off Documents required • Sustainability strategy for the area • An asset register and future management strategy • A risk register and management strategy; and • Business plans for successor organisation Sign off process • NDC and Accountable Body Chief Executive agree strategy. • Submit to Government for assessment, informed by an “Expert Panel” • Round 1 NDCs - submitted to CLG by end of April 2009 for final assessment by December 2009 9

Helen Giles New Deal for Communities programme manager