Sunday, August 03, 2008

A New Joined Up Approach To Local Delivery of Services

Recently I accepted a new role as Chairman of the newly formed Goole and Howdenshire Local Action Team (LAT). The team is made up of senior representatives from each of the following organisations: Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue, the Primary Care Trust, the Voluntary Sector through Humber and Wolds Community Council, and ERVAS (which is the local development agency providing support to voluntary and community groups), plus a local Community Champion. I chair the team in my role as an East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor.

The role of the LAT is to adopt a partnership approach to local problem solving and engaging with the public on key issues with the aim to improve the quality of life of individuals and communities in their localities. It is envisaged that this new ‘joined up thinking and joined up activity’ approach that the LATs will provide will enhance the services delivered at the moment.

We have been tasked to implement new, inclusive and innovative ways of encouraging members of the community to become involved in looking at public service delivery in Howdenshire villages, through different forms of community engagement. The first of which was a LAT stand at the recent Howden Show. (pictured with Goole and Howdenshire LAT officer Tania Pells at Howden Show)

Examples where ‘joined up thinking and activity’ could really bring benefits are in both young and older peoples, projects where the Police, Fire and Rescue, Primary Health Care, Council, and voluntary sector are all presently working separately, to have a more united approach leading to less duplication, more targeted delivery and almost certainly more impact for the same given amount of money.

This is a very exciting challenge, something very new, and hopefully a mechanism where more decision-making can be brought down to the local level, enabling Howdenshire residents to have more say in those issues that affect them directly.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Re local issues, what about the smells coming from a certain farm on the Mkt Weighton side of Holme?
We have had an awful w/e, at one point considering moving out as the small was coming into the house late evening stopping us from sleeping. The enviroment angency were no help. We are still waiting for feedback to our complaints. Is there no one who can help?

Paul Robinson said...

I had numerous calls from HOSM residents over the weekend and I am 'again' following up this issue with the Environment Agency. If you email me directly at:

cllrpaulrobinson@aol.com

I will forward you their response....

Anonymous said...

Is their response private? Can't we all see it and see that something is being done.Paul don't you think that the local residents, ward councillors and the parish council are all taking up this issue too. You are not alone. Or do you know a different door to knock on ?

Paul Robinson said...

I think I knock on all the same doors as residents, the parish council, my fellow ward members and our MP. I always suggest people contact the Environment Agency directly as the more calls they receive the more the evidence stacks up that there is a problem.

Needless to say I received an email reply this afternoon from the Environment Agency saying no complaints regarding the smell had had been received from HOSM over the weekend.

Could anyone who made a complaint to the Environment Agency over the weekend please email me details of the day and time at which they made the call and I will persue this further.

Anonymous said...

People round here are reluctant to leave contact details because of where it might lead !!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

When you phone the Environment Agency on 0800 807060, ask them for the reference number of your call, then you have a record and they are less likely to "lose" your complaint!

Paul Robinson said...

It is my understanding that ultimately the Environment Agency act on numbers of calls for any particular issue, the more people call and log a complaint the more likely they are to act. I can call on people’s behalf but it is more likely to prompt action if others call too. The previous comment is exactly right - always ask for a reference number when calling.

Anonymous said...

You have to wonder sometimes who is acting in whose interest! I have no doubt Cllr Robinson is acting in the interests of the residents.