People in the statutory sector (such as local and central government, health authorities, the police etc) and the community and voluntary sectors often use words or terminology, or refer to initiatives or agencies, which may be common to them but which most people are unfamiliar with. Such jargon becomes incorporated into a general discussion with an assumption that it is understood by all, but often that is not the case. Not knowing the meaning of the jargon being used, or the initiative being discussed, is excluding, and is a barrier to all people present being able to take part in the discussion or influence the debate.

The purpose, therefore, of this Jargon Buster is to provide a brief, and we hope easily understood, explanation of some of the terms being used. We also include a link where possible to further information on the agency, initiative or policy associated with the term. The jargon is grouped under three headings:

• Initiatives and ideas
• Organisations or agencies
• Legislation and policy

We hope that this Jargon Buster will be useful to all people who are, or want to be, active in the community, whether in a paid position in a voluntary or community organisation, or working in the statutory sector, or as a volunteer or local resident  or as representative on a forum or attendee at a meeting.

We know we will have missed some current jargon, and we are certain that new terms will arise, so it is our intention to up date this Jargon Buster regularly. If you hear of, or read some jargon not included, which you think should be, please do let us know and we welcome your feedback generally.

Accountability is the acknowledgement and assumption of responsibility for actions, decisions and policies. 

The Nolan Committee report on Standards in Public Life (1995) set out Seven Principles of Public Life, one of which is accountability.  The principle is that “holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.”

www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/parlment/nolan/nolan.htm

The Quirk Review 2007 into community ownership and management of public assets looked into the transfer of land and property assets from local authorities to the third sector.  It emphasised that the starting point of assets transfer was community empowerment, not just to optimise the use of public assets.  The Advancing Assets for Communities programme, led by the Development Trusts Association, in partnership with Community Matters, ACRE, the Adventure Capital Fund and the Local Government Association, is funded by Communities and Local
Government to support demonstration areas in asset transfer, based on the recommendations of the Quirk Review.  The Government intends to establish an Asset Transfer Unit, building on this work.

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/makingassetswork

www.dta.org.uk/activities/campaigns/communityassets/advancingassets1/

Absorbing minorities into the ways of the majority. This can mean adopting the majority language, customs or values. Generally, it means creating a loyalty to the majority and a reduction of differences with it on the part of minority groups. Assimilation in this sense characterises, for example, official policy in France, though it has not prevented divisions arising there.

The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.  Its work consists of four main areas:

• Audit: of local public services, appointing auditors to provide assurance and promote value for taxpayers’ money across local government, health, housing, community safety, fire and rescue and other public services. Some of these auditors work for private audit firms, but the majority work for the Commission.
• Assessment: performance assessments in local government and housing associations. Since its system of Comprehensive Performance Assessment was introduced in 2002, councils have improved significantly.
• Research: provision of independent, authoritative analysis to give insights into complex social problems and best practice in tackling them. We make practical recommendations for policymakers and for people delivering public services.
• Data-matching: assisting public bodies detect fraud and error by comparing sets of data, such as payroll or benefits records.

www.audit-commission.gov.uk

BAMER is often used as shorthand for Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee and refers to those people in Mixed, Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Chinese or other minority ethnic groups, and refugees and other migrants.

BAMER now tends to be used instead of the term Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) or Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME).

The Councillor Call for Action was introduced under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.  This empowers councillors to require overview and scrutiny committees in local authorities to consider issues of local concern.  The Government intends to work with the Local Government Association to issue guidance later in 2008 to support councillors in exercising these powers.  In practice this could mean that if a local community or representative convinced a local councillor that a issue such as theclosure of a service was of local concern, that councillor could issue a ‘Call for Action’ and the relevant committee would have to look into it.  A Councillor Call for Action also exists in the Policy and Justice Act 2006 to raise crime and disorder issues.

The Civic Pioneer model was developed by the Home Office Civil Renewal Unit with the Local Government Association and the Society for Local Authority Chief Executives.  Civic Pioneers are local authorities that sign a memorandum of commitment to involve and engage local people in decision making processes on policy and implementation in public areas.

In 2005 funding was made available through the Civil Renewal Unit to community organisations in Civic Pioneer authority areas to carry out projects focusing on solving local problems.  An important element of each project was community engagement in the problem-solving process together with a combined approach between partners in the voluntary and community sector and the public sector.  A report, published in 2005, showcases examples of community engagement from civic pioneer authorities.

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/civicpioneerslocal

The new Commission will be an independent Non-Departmental Public Body whose purpose is to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people and protect human rights for people throughout the UK. The CEHR aims to take an active role in helping to achieve change to benefit some of the most vulnerable and least well represented people in society. The CEHR replaces the previous role of the individual equality bodies such as the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission. The website is located at www.cehr.org.uk

Communities and Local Government (CLG) took over the functions of the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).  It is now a bigger department than the ODPM, with powerful new responsibilities to help build more and better homes, reduce homelessness, improve local public services, regenerate areas to create more jobs, work to create a sustainable environment and tackle anti-social behaviour and extremism.  CLG also houses the Community Empowerment Division.

The CLG sets UK policy on local government, housing, urban regeneration, planning and fire and rescue.  It has responsibility for all race equality and community cohesion related matters across Great Britain and for building regulations, fire safety and some housing issues in England and Wales.

www.communities.gov.uk

Community Anchors are independent, community-led organisations.  They are multi-purpose and provide holistic solutions to local problems and challenges, bringing out the best in people and agencies at the neighbourhood level.  Community Anchor organisations can play many roles including:

• Service provision: providing local services and acting as a gateway to help people gain access to services they need
• Resourcing: helping to bring money and opportunities into a neighbourhood
• Advocacy: calling for changes in local policy and practice; helping people have a say about local issues and services
• Supporting community organisations: through community capacity building and helping local groups develop their skills, organisation, representation and involvement
• Strengthening community participation: supporting active citizenship and contributing to civil renewal

www.communitymatters.org.uk/docs/Community_anchors_leaflet.pdf

Community cohesion can be seen as a process which works with people to help them define and deal with issues in their communities, particularly to understand and appreciate diversity between people in local communities and reduce hostilities.  The Commission on Integration and Cohesion was set up in 2006 to consider how local areas can make the most of diversity while being able to respond to the tensions it may cause.  Our Shared Future, the report of the Commission, provides practical approaches to building communities’ own capacity to reduce tensions and create opportunities for more integrated and cohesive societies.  Community Cohesion is to be measured by National Indicator NI1 under the new Local Area Agreements (see below)

www.integrationandcohesion.org.uk/

Community development refers to actions which aim to stimulate citizens and communities towards increased engagement and participation in their local area. It is about building active and sustainable communities based on social justice and mutual respect. It is about changing power structures to remove the barriers that prevent people from participating in the issues that affect their lives. Community development is also about working with agencies to increase their capacity to understand and work with communities.

Community development refers to a process that is built on certain values and commitments, such as: social justice, participation, equality, learning and cooperation.

www.cdx.org.uk/what-is-community-development

in the context of civic society is both a process and an outcome.  It has been defined by Communities and Local Government as: assisting people in communities to acquire the confidence, skills and power to influence their conditions both directly and through what public bodies do for or with them.

There are different levels of empowerment.  These can range from being provided with information to inform choice, being consulted over a proposed course of action, to deciding the allocation of resources of a project or being involved in the delivery of a service.  Depending on the objectives, the issue and the community to be engaged with, some approaches might be more appropriate than others.
While community engagement and participation on their own may not necessarily result in an outcome that can be measured, there is an expectation that community empowerment should result in a tangible outcome for the participant.  Empowerment is very much a two-way process with positive outcomes intended for both for communities and for public agencies.

For citizens and communities, it is about providing them with the tools to effectively engage in decision-making processes and influence those services and issues most important to them.  For agencies and local authorities, on the other hand, it is about promoting the value of empowerment both as a process, providing public and statutory bodies with the skills and support to include empowerment in their services and policies, and delivering more effective decisions based around the input and voice of the local community.

A useful website which describes a wide range of participation techniques is:
www.peopleandparticipation.net

The CLG/LGA Action Plan for Community Empowerment is at:
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communityempowermentactionplan
The White Paper Communities in Control recognises the importance of community empowerment:

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communitiesincontrol

As an important part of the Government’s drive to reduce the gap between England’s poorest communities and the country as a whole, the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal published in 2001, sought to influence change at a local level. The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund provided a grant to 88 of the most deprived local authority areas to fund the work of Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) in improving services and targeting resources more effectively.

Since 2001, £43 million a year has been invested in developing Community Empowerment Networks through the Single Community Programme in order to promote community involvement in neighbourhood renewal initiatives; to bring community and voluntary sector groups together in deprived communities and enable them to influence and shape decisions of public sector bodies in LSPs.

Neighbourhood Renewal Funding ends in 2008; it is uncertain how many Community Empowerment Networks will survive after that time.  For example, recent research carried out by the Urban Forum found that the majority of CENs are experiencing a decrease in funding.  The impact of this decrease is mostly felt in a reduced ability to carry out outreach work and training with smaller organisations and disadvantaged groups.  This is despite the fact that most organisations are enjoying a better relationship with local bodies and have actively contributed to shaping their LAAs.

www.urbanforum.org.uk/pdf_files/CEN%20Research%200107.pdf

Communities in Control: real people, real power was published in July 2008 and aims to give real control and influence to people.  Amongst the proposals made in the White Paper are:

• introduce a new ‘duty to promote democracy’ for local authorities, and extend the existing ‘duty to involve local people in key decision
• set up an Empowerment Fund of £7.5m to support national third sector organisations turn key empowerment proposals into practical action
• supporting people to become a more active citizen or to volunteer
• providing people with access to information from public bodies
• introduce a new duty for councils and other public agencies to respond to petitions
• increase the change for citizens to influence council budgets and policies, particularly through participatory budgeting
• give people more say at the neighbourhood level
• give older and young people a stronger voice
• enable citizens to hold those with power to account
• provide redress when things go wrong
• make it easier for people to stand for office
• increase the number of people helping to run or won local services and assets, and transfer more of those assets into community ownership

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communitiesincontrol

Community engagement is a process whereby public bodies reach out to communities to create empowerment opportunities. Community engagement is often confused with community participation or community empowerment.

Community participation is when local people get involved in influencing or making decisions about their area or community.  This can be by actively mounting a campaign, signing a petition, or making a representation at a Council Committee.  Participation can also be the response to a civic engagement technique, such as a consultation exercise (see also consultation below) or belonging to a neighbourhood forum. 

The Compact is an agreement between the Government and the voluntary and community sector in England.  The Compact sets out a series of guidelines detailing how both parties should work together toachieve better outcomes for citizens.  It also recognises shared values and principles, which are embodied in the five codes of practice that underpin it.

The Compact applies to Government Departments, Non-Departmental Public Bodies that have a relationship with the voluntary and community sector, and voluntary and community sector organisations, though it is not legally binding.

www.thecompact.org.uk

Many local authorities also have local Compacts specifically on their relationship with the local third sector.  These will be found on the local authority’s websites.

In April 2009, the CPA will be replaced by the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) will replace the will look at how well local services are working together to improve the quality of life for local people.  It will make straightforward independent information available to people about their local services, helping them make informed choices and influence decisions.  It will give people a snapshot of life in their area. For the first time, local public services will be held collectively to account for their impact on better outcomes.  This means the CAA will look across councils, health bodies, policy forces, fire and rescue services and others responsible for local public services, which are increasingly expected to work in partnership to tackle the challenges facing their communities.

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/caa/

The Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) was introduced for single tier (including London Boroughs) and county councils with great success in 2002, and assessment is carried out by the Audit Commission.  Since then the Audit Commission has developed tailored frameworks for district councils and fire and rescue authorities.  The essence of a CPA framework is that it draws on a range of information such as performance indicators, assessments of corporate capacity, audit and inspection reports, and stakeholder opinions to reach a single judgement and star rating about the performance of a local body.  Its strengths are that it results in a clear public rating on a local body's performance and provides the basis for a proportionate and risk-based approach to regulation.

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa/

A treasury-led review of spending across government that starts with ‘a blank sheet of paper’ and results in budgets being set for all Departments for the following three years.  The most recent CSR was completed in 2007 for the period 2008 – 11.

www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pbr_csr/report/pbr_csr07_repindex.cfm

The term ‘consultation’ refers to a process of dialogue in which people’s opinions are ascertained and used to inform decisions that affect them.  Consultation should be a two-way process of knowledge sharing, which aims to create shared solutions.  Effective consultations will inform the participants about the outcomes of the exercise, particularly how their contributions helped inform the final decision.

Common consultation methods include:

• surveys
• interviews
• focus Groups
• workshops and conferences
• written responses

A new consultation code of practice for central government, based on the results of a review of Government consultations in 2007 involving those who regularly respond to Government consultations was published in 2008.  The new code will apply from November 2008 to all central Government Departments’ formal written consultations.

http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47158.pdf

The independent Councillors Commission, chaired by Dr. Jane Roberts, former Leader of the London Borough of Camden, published its recommendations in the report Representing the Future in 2007. The Government's response sets out the actions it will take in response to these recommendations, including:

• establishing a new statutory duty on local authorities to promote democracy
• changing the 'Widdicombe' rules that forbid council workers above a certain salary band from being active in party politics
• enabling Councillors to attend meetings remotely

www.commmunities.gov.uk/councillorscommission/publications/representingthefuture

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/councillorscommissionresponse

Culture refers to the distinctive customs, achievements, products, outlook, etc. of a society or group; the ‘way of life’ of a society or group.

With regard to groups or societies, diversity refers to the quality of having many differing types of groups and individuals with differences and variations. For example, a diverse group might include individuals from various ethnic groups, ages, abilities and faiths.

The ‘Duty to Involve’ is a key part of the framework being introduced by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (part 7, section 138) and will come into force in April 2009. It imposes a duty for authorities to “inform, consult and involve local people in running local services”.  Its aspiration is to embed a culture of engagement and empowerment across the authority’s functions.  It will apply to all best value authorities in England, except police authorities.

The Young Foundation was commissioned by CLG to provide some thoughts on the questions ‘why involve?’ and ‘what are the outcomes?’

www.youngfoundation.org.uk/files/images/Why_involve____outcomes.pdf

An emigrant is someone leaving their country to live or settle in another country. Emigration refers to the flow of people moving out of a particular country.

CLG’s Empowerment Action Plan, published in October 2007, named 18 local authorities, two from every region of the country - as 'empowerment champions'. Already pioneering a range of people power measures, these councils will work with other areas of the country to show empowerment in practice, share the lessons they have learned and help others to revive their local democracy through twinning programmes and regional empowerment road shows.  Lewisham and Southwark are the two London Empowerment Champions. IDeA co-ordinates the Network of Empowering Authorities

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communityempowermentactionplan

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) champions equality and human rights for all, working to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society.  It was established under the Equality Act 2006, and is a non-departmental public body independent of government.  The new commission brings together the work of the previous equalities commissions (the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, and the Disability Rights Commission), and also takes on responsibility for other aspects of equality: age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, as well as human rights.The EHRC acts for everyone in society, and can use its new enforcement powers where necessary to guarantee people’s equality.  It also has a mandate to promote understanding of the Human Rights Act.

www.equalityhumanrights.com

The same or equal status in terms of quality, power or degree. When we speak about equality, this often reflects the idea of Egalitarianism, which means the political, social and economic equality of people.  When discussing equality, there are generally three strands that people talk about. The first is equal treatment in specific areas such as with regard to benefits or before the law. The second is equality of opportunity and the third is equality of outcome. One of the difficulties around this issue is in deciding how far policy can go to ‘create’ equality and also in defining specifically what is meant by equality and the best way to achieve it.

Is often referred to as providing 'a level playing-field' in terms of giving different groups of people an equal starting point in an unequal society. This often plays out in areas such as competition for jobs, housing and education. However, one disadvantage can compound another and it is very difficult to measure whether or not disadvantaged groups are actually getting an equal opportunity for things like jobs and health care. Many government policies are based on this idea such as the Race Equality Duty for Employment which attempts to give everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, fair access to gaining employment, skills and training. This is oftenwhy monitoring of equality strands is important to policy-makers, government institutions, employers and organisations.

Is a form of Egalitarianism that attempts to minimise the differences in material resources or wealth between households or individuals. This is easier to measure than equality of opportunity but it is a more controversial policy idea and often conflicts with traditions such as inherited wealth. Progressive taxation (where people with more money pay higher taxes and people with less money pay lower taxes) is an example of a government policy that is based on equality of outcome.

Evaluation is the assessment of a project, organisation or service to help reflect on what has been achieved, how successful it has been, and what improvements need to be made.  It is important to evaluate in a structured way.  The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) uses the following evaluation framework to evaluate development aid:

• Relevance: the extent to which the objectives of the intervention is consistent with those of beneficiaries and other stakeholders
• Effectiveness: the extent to which the intervention’s objectives were achieved
• Efficiency: a measure of how economically resources and inputs are converted to results
• Sustainability: the continuation of benefits from an intervention after the assistance has been completed
• Impact: positive and negative long-term effects produced by the intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended
• Coherence/complementarity: coherence or complementary with other policies and programmes

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/evaluation/methodology/methods/mth_ccr_en.htm

The Charities Evaluation Service has useful information on monitoring and evaluation:
www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=40

The development of worldwide economic, political, social or cultural interdependencies where decisions and actions in one part of the world impact other parts of the world. Globalisation has been made possible by enormous technological advances such as the internet. Some argue that the result of this process has been to increase the amount of migration between countries.

Governance means the systems and means that ensure the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of an organisation.  Good governance is a very important part of the health and success of an organisation and is high on the agenda in all sectors, public, private and voluntary.

In third sector organisations, governance is provided by the board of trustees or management committee.  This group watches over the organisation, making sure it carries out its mission, lives up to its values and remains alive for the future.  Because third sector organisations work for the good of the public, they are more and more being held accountable for outcomes and expected to show how well they are governed.  Efficient and clear systems of governance are very important today.

The Good Governance Code, developed by third sector organisations, is a tool for encouraging the development of better governance practice in England.  It gives a comprehensive approach to governance, providing a set of principles for third sector organisations that ensure the highest standards of governance practice.

www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/governanceandleadership/basics/?id=9510

Governance is also used to refer to the layers of authority that are responsible for the management of an area (such as London) or a project.

GOL represents central government across London, delivering policies and programmes for 11 government departments in a joined up way, and making London’s case with central government.

GOL plays an important role in London, for example, leading the negotiation of Local Area Agreements, ensuring the delivery of Every Child Matters, and delivering policies on crime reduction, reducing drug misuse, planning and neighbourhood renewal.  GOL’s London Resilience Team, set up after the 9/11 attacks, works to make sure London is prepared for any emergency, and its Resettlement Team is putting in place a coordinated cross-London approach to reducing re-offending.

www.gos.gov.uk/gol

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is a city-wide governing body for London.  It consists of a directly elected mayor and an elected assembly.  The GLA was established on 3rd July 2000, reintroducing a strategic body to London following the abolition of the Greater London Council in 1986.  The GLA is responsible for the following areas: transport, policing, fire and emergency planning, economic development, planning, culture, environment, and health.The Mayor is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the GLA, proposing policy and setting budgets.  The purpose of the Assembly is to scrutinise the Mayor’s decisions, holding him/her to account.  The Assembly is also responsible for researching issues that are important to Londoners, and making recommendations to the Mayor.

www.london.gov.uk

Hard-to-reach groups are usually defined as groups or communities that are not easy to involve using the most common ways of engaging people. But are they really hard to reach or is it that organisations have not made enough effort to reach them?

There is no list which defines which people are 'hard to reach' since it depends on the area. In some areas, people that are traditionally thought to be hard to reach, such as black, asian, minority ethnic or refugees may be well tapped into the engagement processes. In many ways the term 'groups' is a misnomer. 'Hard to reach' groups are made up of individuals and may include people who are homeless, drug users, lone parents, asylum seekers and young disaffected people, as well as those traditionally thought to be 'hard to reach' such as disabled people and lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people. Hard-to reach groups do not always mena minority groups or small communities. In some areas, there may be quite high populations but are still hard-to-reach (e.g. young farmers in the countryside, or LGBT people in some large cities).

Engaging the 'hard to reach' may require specific techniques such as outreach. One would not always expect that 'hard to reach individuals' will just participate in wider events and consultations even if they are aware of them.

The following paper gives some tips on how to engage the 'hard to reach':

www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/398115

Physical, verbal or other violence and crimes committed against people because of their perceived identity. This could include physical harassment and violence, verbal assault, hate mail, sexual abuse or financial abuse. Hate crimes could be committed by strangers, care workers, family members, neighbours or partners.

Fundamental rights that apply to all people. The United Nations (UN) definition includes the following:

• From Article 1, the universal declaration of human rights, it states that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
• Article 2 forbids "distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
• Article 3 proclaims the right to life, liberty and security of person - a right essential to the enjoyment of all other rights. This article introduces articles 4 to 21, in which other civil and political rights are set out, including: freedom from slavery and servitude; freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law; the right to an effective judicial remedy; freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; the right to a fair trial and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal; the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty; freedom from arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home or correspondence; freedom of movement and residence; the right of asylum; the right to a nationality; the right to marry and to found a family; the right to own property; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of opinion and expression; the right to peaceful assembly and association; and the right to take part in the government of one's country and to equal access to public service in one's country.
• Article 22 sets out economic, social and cultural rights - the rights to which everyone is entitled "as a member of society." The economic, social and cultural rights recognized in articles 22 to 27 include the right to social security; the right to work; the right to equal pay for equal work; the right to rest and leisure; the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being; the right to education; and the right to participate in the cultural life of the community.
  
  
  
  

This is someone entering another country with the purpose of settling there either temporarily or permanently. Immigration refers to the flow of people into a particularcountry. Immigrants in the UK can be from any country or cultural background.

Represents verbal or written communication by words, phrases and concepts. Inclusive language refers to the intention of avoiding words, phrases or concepts that stereotype or discriminate against someone because of factors such as ethnicity, gender, faith, disability, sexual orientation, age or refugee status. The most basic reason for using inclusive language is that it is more precise, which provides a more accurate and effective means for conveying thoughts. Another reason for using inclusive language is that it displays sensitivity to the possibility of well intentioned words causing someone to feel less important or marginalised.

In contrast to assimilation, integration requires acceptance of a country's laws but does not refer to the elimination of all cultural differences or group identities. It is a two-way process, through which both mainstream and minorities influence and change one another, and in which differences can be accommodated as long as there is a common bond or commitment to peaceful co-existence.

Local Involvement Networks (LINks) are a new way of giving people a greater say in how health and social care services are run in their area.  LINks will be made up of individuals, groups, user-led organisations and other voluntary, community and faith organisations.  They are bigger than the Patient Forums that preceded them, so that they are more able to represent the views of the whole community.  LINks are hosted by different organisations in different areas, and have legal powers that are designed to help them improve services.  These powers allow the LINk to:

• investigate specific issues of concern to the community
• use its powers to hold services to account and get results
• ask for information and get an answer in a specified amount of time
• be able to carry out spot-checks  to see if services are working well (carried out under safeguards)
• make reports and recommendations and receive a response
• refer issues to the local ‘Overview and Scrutiny Committee’
  
  www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_086056
  
  
  
  

Local Area Agreements (LAAs) set out the priorities for a local area agreed between central government and a local area.  The LAA is negotiated between the local strategic partnership (LSP) and the regional Government Office (GO). The LSP (see below) consists of all the key players in a local area who deliver services, including the third sector.  The local authority negotiates the LAA on behalf of its LSP and is the only body accountable to government.  Other key players in a LSP include the police and the primary care trust.
LAAs simplify some central government funding, help join up public services more effectively by bringing streams of money from each partner into a single pot, and allow greater flexibility for local solutions to local circumstances.  Each LAA will contain an agreed set of indicators with targets and performance will be measured through progress on these targets.
The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has an excellent website packed with useful information, including details of all 150 new LAAs that have been signed off by the Government:

www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/performanceframeworkpartnerships/localareaagreements

A local charter (sometimes referred to Community Charters or Community Contracts) is a voluntary partnership agreement between a community, the local authority and other service providers.  It describes the service standards which local people expect from the local authority and other agencies, as well as commitments from service providers, local groups and residents themselves to help meet local community priorities.

A charter therefore gives communities an opportunity for greater participation
and genuine engagement with the local authorities involved in making decisions.  Charters give local people a direct role in influencing local services.  They enablethem to become more active in their local communities, and take on responsibilitiesthemselves, so that they can actively contribute to improvements, rather than justbeing passive recipients. Charters will be developed by the local authority in partnership with other serviceproviders and the community, usually through a community level organisation suchas a parish council, residents’ association, or other neighbourhood group.

Useful guidance, written by the Young Foundation, is at:

www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/669759.pdf

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 1997 introduces a range of measures regarding the organisation and powers of local government, and some important provisions in terms of the relationship between government and community.

The Act places responsibility on local authorities to engage communities in shaping public policies and services.  It talks about a new ‘Duty to Involve’ which requires Local Authorities to inform, consult and involve local people in the planning and running of services.  In line with this, it also introduces the Local Involvement Networks (LINks), which are forums that empower citizens to have a say on health and social care services that they receive.
Another benefit of the Act is that Councillors are given powers to resolve local issues, thereby strengthening representative democracy and local leadership.  This encourages citizens to raise issues that concern them, and gives them confidence that they will be effectively dealt with.

The Act also emphasises the importance of accountability and transparency in Local Government. For example, it assigns a duty to publish information about Local Area Agreements.  There are also clear measures for reducing bureaucracy, and bringing services closer to the community.

www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2007/ukpga_20070028_en_1

In 1997, local government came together and created the Local Government Association (LGA) to be its voice in the national arena.  Based in Westminster, the LGA is a voluntary lobbying organisation, acting as the voice of the local government sector, and an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf. 

The 466 authorities who make up the Local Government Association cover every part of England and Wales.  Together they represent over 50 million people and spend around £113 billion a year on local services.  They include county councils, metropolitan district councils, English unitary authorities, London boroughs, shire district councils and Welsh unitary authorities, along with fire authorities, police authorities, national park authorities and passenger transport authorities.  The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) is a constituent part of the LGA, but retains full autonomy in dealing with Welsh affairs.

The LGA assists its members to:

• shape public debate
• influence policy and practice in public services
• support innovation and excellence that enables in councils and their partnerships to meet future challenges
• help councillors exercise their democratic accountability and leadership effectively
• ensure that the sector attracts, retains and develops staff with the skills it needs

www.lga.gov.uk

The aim of Strong and Prosperous Communities - The Local Government White Paper published in October 2006 - is to give local people and local communities more influence and power to improve their lives.  It is about building strong, prosperous communities and providing better public services through a rebalancing of the relationship between central government, local government and local people.

The White Paper is on the side of individuals and families who want to make a difference, both to their own lives and to the communities in which they live.  The Paper’s vision is of revitalised local authorities, working with partners to reshape public services around citizens and communities that use them.  This means giving citizens and communities a bigger say, enabling local partners to respond more flexibly to local needs and reducing the amount of central government control.  It’s all about helping citizens and communities to play their part.

The Local Government White Paper provides the best chance in a long time for central government to hand power over to local people and those who serve them.

The White Paper has nine chapters on implications for areas such as community safety, health and well-being, the economy, housing and planning, children and young people, the third sector and climate change.

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/strongprosperous

Local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) are third sector organisations that play a supporting, coordinating, representation, policy-making and developmental role for other third sector organisations.

Functions of a local infrastructure organisation can include:

• acting as a voice and representation for the third sector in the local area
• training and technical help on a range of issues for front-line third sector organisations
• helping to start new groups and services
• providing up-to-date information and policy
• providing funding advice and support
• enabling and supporting volunteers
• providing or signposting to accommodation as well as resources such as community accountancy, pay-roll facilities, disability equipment, translation and interpreting facilities

www.navca.org.uk/about/whatisanlio.htm

Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) are non-statutory partnerships which bring together representatives from the public, private, business, and third sectors across a local authority area.  The membership varies for different partnerships, but often includes the police, the local authority, schools, voluntary groups, primary care trusts and businesses.  The work that they do is based on local priorities and their main responsibilities include developing and implementing Community Strategies and Local Area Agreements.  Using their experience and expertise, Local Strategic Partnerships identify local priorities and develop shared solutions.

www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageld=316976

London Councils (formerly the Association of London Government) was set up in 2000 and represents the 32 London boroughs, the City of London, the Metropolitan Police Authority and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. London Councils is a cross-party organisation, funded and run by its member authorities to work on behalf of them all, regardless of political persuasion.  It also acts as the employers’ organisation for the 32 London boroughs, providing advice, support and training, and representing them in negotiations.

Much of the work of London Councils is made up of lobbying the government and others on behalf of member councils, not just for a fair share of resources, but also to protect and make greater council powers to enable them to do the best possible job for their residents and local businesses.  London Councils develops policy and does all it can to help its boroughs improve the services they deliver.  London Councils also runs a range of service itself, designed to make life better for Londoners.  Examples include the Freedom Pass concessionary fares scheme and a range of housing and consumer protection services.

London Councils gives out almost £28 million in grants each year to voluntary groups in London.

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

Founded in 1910, LVSC is an organisation that brings London’s voluntary and community sector organisations together.  The work of LVSC centres around sharing practice and information, providing learning and training opportunities, advising and supporting groups and organisations, and creating a coordinated voice with which to influence policy.

www.lvsc.org.uk

A migrant is someone who moves to another country with the intention of living there either temporarily or permanently.

The idea or policy that many different cultures can co-exist and be supported within a society. This is opposed to the concept of nationalism, which requires the following of a single national culture. Policies favouring multiculturalism generally would advocate for support of multiple languages, within schools for example or allowing people to wear religious dress.

The legal status given to a person regarding citizenship or ‘home country’, normally based on country of birth or naturalisation (the process of becoming a citizen in another country). Nationality is normally indicated by a person’s passport. It is not possible to know someone’s nationality based solely on the way they look or speak. It is possible for a person to have more than one nationality and for their nationality to change. Most British nationals are British citizens however there are several other categories of British nationals. British citizens have the right to live permanently in the UK.

Participatory budgeting is one of many tools that local authorities and their partners can use to involve people in making decisions about how local budgets are spent. 

It aims to give people a say about which services or projects are the most important through community-led debates, neighbourhood votes and public meetings.  Participatory budgeting schemes should include training for local people on how local council budgets work, and how priorities are set.  Participatory budgeting helps local people to reach an informed view about local priorities, to cause action, and direct resources towards particular areas of local need, for example:

• providing funding for extra community safety wardens to patrol the streets and tackle anti-social behaviour
• providing new play areas, and improving the local physical environment
• calming traffic to improve road safety
• funding extra police or CCTV

There are currently 22 local authority participatory budgeting pilots operating in England.  The Government supports the Participatory Budgeting Unit to encourage the spread of the practice in England and will be consulting on a strategy with the aim of all local authorities operating participatory budgeting by 2012

www.participatorybudgeting.org.uk/

Partnership working is increasingly seen as being able to solve problems that singe agencies cannot solve, improving services that users receive, and improving the coordination of services across organisations. Parnterships can be formed between a number of individuals, agencies or organisations with a shared interest. There is usually an overarching purpose for partners to work together and a range of specific objectives. Partnerships are often formed to addres particular issues and may be short or long term.

Much research has been done in an effort to understand what makes a good partnership and what blockages are to achieving effective partnership working. Partnerships can work in different ways and there is no one model that can be thought of as the 'best'. There are, however, a number of things which- if they are in a partnership- will make for successful partnership working:

• the iam of the partnership is agreed and understood by all partners
• the partnership has clear, effective leadership
• the role of each partner is identified and clear to others in the partnership
• there is shared ownership of the partnership and the partners feel there is 'something in it for them'
• there are dedicated time and resources for the administration and operation of the partnership
• there is recognition of different orgnanisational cultures within the partnership
• a supportive atmosphere exists within the partnership where suggestions, ideas and conflicts are addressed
  
  
  
  

 

All effective organisations measure their performance in order to know how well they are doing and to identify opportunities for improvement.  Performance indicators are quantifiable measurements, set by an organisation, that can measure the progress towards key organisational goals.

Best Value Performance Indicators were used to measure the performance of local authority services.  However, from April 2008, they were replaced by a single National Indicator Set of 185 indicators.  From April 2009 a further 13 indicators will be added.  This set of 198 National Indicators will then be the only set of indicators on which central government will manage the performance of local government.
 
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/finalnationalindicators

The new National Indicator Set includes 25 indicators which are informed by citizens’ views and perspectives. To reduce the number of surveys being undertaken by local authorities, 18 of these will be collected through a single Place Survey to be administered by each local authority.

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/performance/ni-placesurvey.asp

The Government has defined regeneration as ‘a set of activities that reverse economic, social and physical decline in areas where market forces will not do this without support from the government’. 

www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/9/5/subnational_econ_review170707.pdf

CLG published its Framework for Regeneration Transforming Places: Changing Lives in July 2008 and uses the same definition.  It further adds that regeneration should:

• tackle barriers to growth and reduce worklessness
• improve places, making them more attractive to residents and investors
• foster ambition and unlock potential
• supplement and improve the flexibility and targeting of mainstream
• government services in underperforming areas
• deliver sustainable development
• open up opportunities to create more equal communities

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/citiesandregions/transformingplaces

A Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (RIEP) is a network of councils, fire authorities and other local services that have come together to challenge, collaborate, and share ideas and expertise.  They coordinate and support improvement, innovation and efficiency work at a regional level.  Each English region has a RIEP.

In London the RIEP is Capital Ambition, now part of London Councils.  It was set up in January 2006, but in April 2008 it merged with the London Centre of Excellence and the Improvement and Employment Division of London Councils.

Capital Ambition enables authorities to offer support and advice to each other, driving up the quality of performance and services.  Since the partnership is managed by London local government rather than any outside agency, Capital Ambition's emphasis is on mutual support through peer review and intervention.  Where intervention is necessary, it will be offered by a neighbouring borough of council of similar political persuasion.

www.capitalambition.gov.uk

Representation refers to any political power given to certain individuals who are thought to reflect the ideas, needs, and opinions of the general population.  Individual delegates are chosen to act and/or speak on behalf of the population at large.

A working group comprised of third sector organisations has compiled Principles of Representation: a framework for effective third sector participation in LSPs which establishes principles by which the sector can organise itself to be effectively represented on LSPs and local public life in general.

www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/923277.pdf




 

Social enterprises are businesses with a social purpose working to deliver lasting social and environmental change.  Although social enterprises are run along business lines, profits are put back into the community or into service developments. There are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK.  The Social Enterprise Coalition is the UK’s national body for social enterprises and represents a wide range of social enterprises, regional and national support networks and other related organisations.

www.socialenterprise.org.uk

The Government is keen to promote social enterprises and published a social enterprise action plan in November 2006.

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/social_enterprise/action_plan.aspx

Stereotyping is to characterise all members of a particular group with certain traits, good or bad. An example of this would be to say that women are good at maths.

Stereotyping people from any particular equality strand or minority group is not a good idea because it can lead to unequal treatment or discrimination as well as being generally inaccurate, as there will always be people who don’t fit the stereotype and people who do.

The Government defines the Third Sector as non-governmental organisations which are motivated by their values and which (in the main) reinvest their profits to further social, environmental or cultural objectives.  It includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and mutuals. Housing Associations are also included within the Third Sector.

As part of the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Third Sector leads work across the Government, enabling the third sector to campaign for change, deliver public services, promote social enterprise and strengthen communities.

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.aspx