Wansbeck Online UK Community Portal

Wansbeck Initiative

Wansbeck Initiative, was the district's independent Local Strategic Partnership from 2000 to March 2009. We brought together a wide range of organisations and communities active in Wansbeck to improve quality of life for people in Wansbeck and to make it a vibrant place to live, work and visit. We were an ambitious partnership and sought to build on the strengths of partners and communities, joining forces to improve services and develop new opportunities. The top priority for the partnership was to support people into jobs, training, education and to support and grow business and the local economy. Other key areas were improving education and life opportunities for children and young people, improving health and making sure we have safe and strong communities which are also clean and green. To do this we worked at community level as well as through a range of themed multi-agency partnerships. We tried to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be involved at the most appropriate level, through our Board, Operations Group, six Themed Groups and six Community Area Partnerships. We also worked closely with the Wansbeck Voluntary and Community Sector Network which elected representatives onto the Partnership's groups. Archived information about these groups, roles and remits, papers, membership and meeting dates can all be accessed by clicking on the relevant links in the boxes at the bottom of the page.

Transition to South East Northumberland Area Partnership (Northumberland Strategic Partnership

Many partners will know from our newsletters and consultation events, we are changing from having six individual district level partnerships in Northumberland to having three Area Partnerships operating within one Northumberland Strategic Partnership. Each of the three areas is establishing a Board and determining its thematic partnership needs over the coming months, as part of the transition process. Information about transition arrangements for Wansbeck Initiative are provided below (Board, Themed Groups, Community Area Partnerships, Funded projects)

South East Northumberland Area Partnership (SENAP) had a successful inaugural Board meeting on Friday 12 December, which was reported in local and regional press. As an interim measure, all the information relating to the South East Northumberland Area Partnership information is available on Wansbeck Online (click on the link below). This includes background information and reports, meeting dates, Interim Board membership, as well as all the papers, documents and minutes relating to the Interim Board meeting on 12 December. An overview of the new Northumberland sub-county partnership arrangements is also available from the link below.

South East Northumberland Area Partnership

Northumberland new partnership arrangements post March 2009

Wansbeck Initiative Board

Wansbeck Initiative had its last Board meeting on 3 October and agreed to hand over to the new SE Northumberland Area Partnership. Wansbeck Initiative Chair (David Nicholson) and Vice Chair (Bob Stephenson) will continue to represent Wansbeck Initiative partnership at meetings with the new local authority and Northumberland Strategic Partnership. Wansbeck Initiative will continue to exist legally until funding transition arrangements are finalised and the Board reserved the right to reconvene if required. Many community representatives and service providers from Wansbeck Initiative Board are continuing on the interim Board for SENAP, so there is a level of continuity and expertise carrying forward.

Wansbeck Initiative Secretariat support

Wansbeck Initiative Manager (Declan Baharini), Barbara Gorman (Finance and Performance Monitoring) and Administrator (Gary Turnbull) will continue to support the transition over the next three months. Much work will continue behind the scenes to ensure as smooth a transition to the new arrangements as possible.

Partnership mailing lists will still be used in the interim to keep partners abreast of developments and activities relating to partnership work. Mailing lists will be combined for the new partnership database, partners are asked to respond to Gary Turnbull at g.turnbull@wansbeck.gov.uk by 16 January if they do not wish to be included in the new mailing lists.

Wansbeck's six Community Area Partnerships

Partnership funding for the work of CAPs is secured to the end of March 2009 and the District Council provides staff to support CAPs. The new SENAP Board has proposed a Development Group to investigate community infrastructure and support needs and to assist the CAPs to become the Community Forums within the new structures. This work will be undertaken in close liaison with both NSP and the new local authority. We will all endeavour to ensure that the support for community infrastructure continues.

Wansbeck Intiative Themed Groups

South East Northumberland Health Improvement Group is continuing and in future will include members from Linton, Ellington and Lynemouth
Worklessness Themed Group is continuing to February and will continue joint working with Blyth Valley Employability Partnership while discussions on the new employability framework for Northumberland continues
Enterprise Themed Group ? has agreed to work with Blyth Valley and Castle Morpeth following an Enterprise Summit on 1 December, to look at joint working of delivery partners across the SENAP area
Children and Young People ? the new authority has been asked to consider what kind of delivery networks would be appropriate on this them and to work with the sub-county area partnerships to lead on this development.
Housing and Physical Environment ? this theme was suspended until such time as the new authority is able to engage in discussions with partners about the relevance of sub-county delivery networks and partnerships.

All Themed Groups will link to the work of the NSP countywide thematic partnerships (see structure proposals on the SENAP webpage provided above) and feed into the SENAP Board.

Wansbeck Initiative Funding

In terms of 2008-09 funding which has been allocated and is monitored by Wansbeck Initiative, Barbara will continue to be the lead contact for all funded projects, up to at least June 2009. Transition arrangements for the funded programme are being discussed and will be announced as soon as we have clarification.

NEWSLETTER: To view our e-newsletter, the Wansbeck Initiative Activity Update (2004-Dec 2008), select the option Newsletters at the very bottom of this page.

EVENTS: Find out what's happening in the District for you by visiting the Events section of this website.

Activity Programme, Comm. Plan & Perfomance Man.

Wansbeck Activity Programme 2006-2008
Wansbeck Funded Programme 2008-10
Wansbeck's Performance

Local Community Involvement in Wansbeck
2012 Olympics
Community Area Partnerships
Community Empowerment Network
Community, Training and Consultation

Wansbeck Wide Structures
Northumberland New Partnership Arrangements
SE Northumberland Area Partnership
Wansbeck Initiative Board (to Dec 08)
Wansbeck Initiative Themed Groups (to Feb 09)