Swindon Strategic Partnership Conference Report 18 th March 2011 - STEAM Contents: –Introduction –Local and national context setting –Commitments and working.

Swindon Strategic Partnership Conference Report18th March 2011 - STEAM

Contents:– Introduction– Local and national

context setting– Commitments and

working differently together

– One Swindon – Principles and how to bring these to life

– One Swindon – Local Leadership

– Plenary and commitments

IntroductionOn Friday 18th March around 230 people gathered in the Great Western Hall at the STEAM Museum in Swindon.

There were delegates representing community and voluntary organisations, statutory partners and local businesses, we were also delighted to welcome students from St Joseph’s Catholic College and members of the Youth Parliament.

It was an interactive conference at which delegates looked at how we can all help deliver the principles and outcomes of One Swindon.

This short report is a summary and reminder of the event.

Tom Charnock

Tom Charnock, Chair of Swindon Strategic Partnership Overview & Monitoring Group (SSP OMG)

Context of the DayTo set the local and national context we were joined on the day by:

•Patrick Geenty, Assistant Chief Constable from Wiltshire & Swindon Police who talked about national and local issues affecting policing in Swindon.

•Lyn Hill-Tout, Chief Executive of Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who talked about the challenges faced by Great Western Hospital in light of the Health White Paper. She indicated radical reforms to health provision and her concerns about the reforms and their effect of the NHS. Lyn also highlighted the need for partnership working, service changes and how the engagement of staff in the process moving forward was paramount.

•Gavin Jones, Chief Executive, Swindon Borough Council talked about public sector cuts and how the Council would be re-organising itself in the near future as a response to One Swindon.

Session 1 This session investigated the Commitments made at the last Conference and delegates were asked to reflect and discuss what they and others around them have done in moving these commitments forward. We asked what they were most pleased about, and what they had done themselves. We also spent some time identifying barriers to working together.

(All the presentations can be viewed at www.swindonsp.org.uk)

This was followed by examples from local groups on how they have been working together in a different way:

Examples:

•TWIGS – Community cafe

•Broadgreen Health Project

• Football in the Community

• Neurological Alliance

• Promoting positive outcomes for 13-19 year olds

• Groundworks

One Swindon has 4 Principles:

Local and Lasting Stronger together

Prioritisation and Leadership Trust and Bravery

We asked delegates to consider the four One Swindon principles.

It is key that One Swindon signals a real break from past in the way things are done, we must move forward in a different way together.

Delegates were asked to look at the principles and think about what these look like in action And to describe what delivering the principles could look like.

We were lucky to be joined by Nick Stanhope, Managing Director of ‘We are What We Do’. Nick talked about his organisation and how the work he is doing

links closely with the concept of One Swindon. Nick talked to us about how Communities are changing and how communities can be heard in the changing

climate of public services.

This was followed by more examples from local groups on innovative projects that had been taking place in and around Swindon.. This included: • Bulb Planting project• Northview • Stay Safe

We then asked delegates to discuss and capture what it would look like for the outcomes to be delivered in accordance with the principles.

Session 2As part of the afternoon session, Nick Stanhope talked to us about how we can

stimulate and build community leadership. He challenged thoughts on leadership and asked delegates to think about their own leadership styles and the leadership style of various services and organisations. He also discussed

examples of good and bad leadership.

Nick encouraged delegates to note down things that ‘we could do here’ in Swindon, he asked them to be honest about steps that need to be taken if we

are serious about changing behaviours.

Nick’s full presentation is available on the Conference 2011 page of the SSP website.

Local Leadership

Delegates were asked to think about local leadership for the future:

-How will it need to be different?

-How will we bring people along with us?

-What will it look and feel like?

-How will decisions be made?

-How will we decide what’s important?

-What is the role of the Elected Members?

Delegates were asked to draw what this will look like. Below are a few of the posters created.

All the posters created on the day are available on the Conference 2011 page of the SSP Website.

Round-up of the day

Cllr Roderick Bluh, Leader of Swindon Borough Council and Chair of Swindon Strategic Partnership closed the Conference and reflected on the hard work and excellent ideas from all present which had contributed to the success of the day.

He added that the work would continue over the next few months, the Partnership would continue to build the delivery plan which would go to Cabinet and Partner Boards during June for agreement.

Cllr Bluh reiterated the challenges ahead for Swindon and how important it is for One Swindon to be successful and how ultimately it will deliver better outcomes for the Borough.

He thanked the delegates for their continuing commitment to the SSP Conference and added that he was heartened to see younger representation, including St Josephs School and thanked them for contributing to the day.

Our next Conference will be held in the Autumn/Winter 2011.