Somerset Strategic Partnership - Joint Board

Terms of Reference

The Somerset Strategic Partnership (SSP) Joint Board is a Board which brings together elected and non elected leaders of accountable bodies to provide strategic direction, leadership and democratic accountability; to champion and provide commitment to change and improvement; and to promote a culture of partnership working.

1.    What it does

• Provides an active voice to promote Somerset particularly at regional and national level.

• Clarifies the real strategic issues and strategic priorities for Somerset in light of the deliberations of the SSP Forum, Executive Officers Group and thematic partnerships.

• Oversees the shape of the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) and the Local Area Agreement (LAA) and subsequent refresh.

• Reviews total public spending on SCS and LAA outcomes to identify opportunities for improving value for money, better access and improved service quality.

• Influences the allocation of resources to reduce the gaps in outcomes between the most vulnerable people and the majority of local people; and to achieve SCS and LAA outcomes.

• Agrees allocation of Partnership based resources to support partnership priorities according to agreed policies for alignment / pooling of budgets.

• Oversees progress through receiving exception reports on the performance of the SCS and LAA and strategic risk register, scrutinising and holding partners to account for the delivery of shared objectives.

• Ensures that external agencies and inspectorates have a coherent, accurate and up to date understanding of Somerset, its context, local issues, challenges, progress and success.

• Demonstrates accountability to partners and to local people and ensures partners individually and collectively meet the duty to involve.

• Responds to findings of Partnership overview and scrutiny.

• Actively promotes local capacity building and shared training and development opportunities to ensure that partners with governance and leadership responsibilities for SCS and LAA outcomes have appropriate skills and knowledge.   Undertakes periodic self assessment activities to review the board’s own performance.

• Ensures that the principles of good partnership working as set out in the Somerset Partnership Agreement are adhered throughout the partnership.

• Tasks the Joint implementation Team as appropriate. 

2.    Accountability

The SSP Joint Board is accountable to:

• The public

• Central Government, both directly and through the lead body (Somerset County Council)

• Each other i.e peer challenge and accountability between partners
  

3.    Who

Local Government

• Leader of County Council

• Chief Executive of the County Council

• Representative District Council Leader on SW Strategic Leaders Board (also representing Pioneer Somerset Board)

• Representative District Council Chief Executive

Police

• Chair of the Avon and Somerset Police Authority

• Chief Constable

Fire and Rescue

• Lead Somerset elected member on the Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Authority

• Chief Fire Officer

Health

• Chair, NHS Somerset

• Chief Executive, NHS Somerset

• Director of Public Health

Education / Skills

• Chair of the Somerset Children’s Trust

• Corporate Director, Children and Young People

Business

• Chair of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce

• Chief Executive of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce

Third Sector

• Chair of the Somerset Voluntary Sector Network (SVSN)

• Chief Executive of SVSN

Somerset Strategic Partnership

• Chair of the Forum

Chief Executives (or nominated deputy/executive director) attend in an advisory capacity.

Chairs of Thematic SSP Sub Groups will be invited to attend as necessary.

Representatives of national and regional bodies will be invited to attend as necessary.

4.    When 

The SSP Joint Board meets quarterly.

5.    Chair

The SSP Joint Board has an independent Chair - appointed annually.

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