Partnerships which will ensure local voices are heard across North Yorkshire to embrace social and economic change have been given the go-ahead by senior councillors.
The plans to introduce the community partnerships are at the heart of our pledge to make sure that local priorities and challenges are dealt with as effectively as possible.
Members of our executive have today (Tuesday, 30 May) backed the proposals which will see a series of pilots established before the programme is rolled out across the county.
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.
Council leader, Cllr Carl Les, said: “We have always said that the council will be centred on ensuring local communities are at the forefront of all that we do.
“The executive’s decision today shows a clear commitment that North Yorkshire Council is being built with local at its heart and that we aim to be the most local, large council in England.
“We are the third largest council in the country and cover the largest geographical area of any local authority nationally.
“The backing for the community partnerships is a major step forward towards bringing together so many different partners and organisations to make sure that people have a stronger voice to tackle those issues that mean the most to them.”
The partnerships were initially due to be called community networks, but members of the executive opted for the new title to ensure that they are distinct from existing organisations.
About 30 partnerships are set to be introduced and centred around market towns and their surrounding areas. However, they will be phased in, with an initial roll-out of five to trial the approach.
The pilot areas will cover Easingwold, Leyburn and Middleham, Ripon, Sherburn-in-Elmet and Thornton-le-Dale and the surrounding rural area. These initial pilots will then help to shape the model for the community partnerships as they are introduced across the county.
Executive member for stronger communities, Cllr David Chance, said: “We want to make sure that the model of the community partnerships is right for the areas that they serve.
“The pilots will be so important in achieving this, and we will listen to the view of everyone involved to help develop the partnerships as they are rolled out across the county.
“Nothing will be imposed, as we want to do this with our communities and not simply establish the partnerships without truly involving them.”
The partnerships have been billed as “local agents for economic and social change”, and will provide a forum for work between businesses, public sector agencies and the communities they serve.
It is hoped that the approach will lead to greater collaboration and provide support that helps communities to become more self-reliant and resilient.
The community partnerships will operate independently and will have the opportunity to elect their own chair.
While they would not have devolved budgets, the partnerships will be supported to explore funding opportunities through sources such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Wide-ranging work was undertaken between the former county council and the seven district and borough authorities, which merged to form North Yorkshire Council at the start of April, to create the model for the community partnerships.
It is hoped 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.