NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME BOROUGH COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM’S

REPORT TO CABINET

06 November 2019

Report Title:	Aspire Housing & Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council – Prospectus for Joint Working

Submitted by:	Chief Executive

Portfolios:	Corporate and Service Improvement, People and Partnerships

Ward(s) affected:	All

Purpose of the Report To present for adoption a prospectus setting out agreed areas for collaboration between the Council and Aspire Housing.
Recommendation That Cabinet approve the prospectus attached at Appendix 1 of this report That a briefing be arranged for all members of the Council on the work of Aspire Housing and its associated companies, PM Training and Realise Foundation.
Reasons The Cabinet Members have met with Aspire’s senior team to explore areas where our ambitions and plans for the Borough most closely align. Through these discussions a number of key areas for more detailed collaborative working have been identified along with a commitment for the Cabinet, the Executive Management Team, and Aspire’s management team to meet regularly to ensure strong alignment. This report draws together the key issues from these reports into a single prospectus.

1.	Background
1.1	Aspire Housing and Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council have a long and successful history of partnership working. Since stock transfer in 2000, the two organisations have achieved a great deal together. Nineteen years after transfer, the opportunity exists to build on this track record of partnership working to deliver further benefits for the Borough.
2.	Issues
2.1	The opportunity exists for the Council and Aspire to work more closely on strategic priorities in order to deliver better results for the communities that we serve.
3. 3.1	Proposal From discussion between Aspire and the Council, it is clear that there are numerous opportunities for joint working, or for co-ordinated effort. In order to best focus resources, five areas have been selected to form the basis of a prospectus, or statement of intent, between the two organisations. These are: Development & Regeneration – reflecting the two organisations land holding and intentions to bring forward housing schemes. Aspire has an ambitious development programme, building and buying new homes inside and outside the Borough, leading on major regeneration schemes in local communities, and investing heavily in new and existing homes for older people. Housing Advice and Allocations – currently each organisation maintains and manages its own waiting list and allocation system for homes. This represents duplication of effort, and is not in the best interests of the individuals and communities that we serve. As such, this is a priority for development. Locality Working/LAPs - Both organisations recognise the need to collaborate at a local level to deliver services across the Borough. This presents an opportunity to review the way both parties deliver services in the interests of our communities PM Training – A opportunity exists for both organisations to support young people in the borough through training and apprenticeships In order to breathe life into these aspirations, the senior teams of the two organisations will regularly meet to shape projects and drive delivery. Further Cabinet reports will be prepared as and when particular initiatives require authority to proceed.It is proposed that the attached prospectus is approved by Cabinet
4. 4.1	Reasons for Proposed Solution The attached prospectus provides a focus for joint work between the two organisations.
5. 5.1	Options Considered An alternative approach is to progress work between the two organisations on an ad-hoc basis, however, a single prospectus which can guide resource deployment is preferable.
6.	Legal and Statutory Implications
None directly arising from this report
7.	Equality Impact Assessment N/A
8.	Financial and Resource Implications None directly arising from this report
9.	Major Risks
None directly arising from this report
10.	Sustainability and Climate Change Implications None directly arising from this report
11.	Key Decision Information Not a Key Decision
12.	Earlier Cabinet/Committee Resolutions None
13.	List of Appendices Aspire Housing & Newcastle under Lyme Prospectus for Joint Working
14.	Background Papers Previous cabinet reports as listed above.