Developing Our Partnership

• Good Practice Example
• Theme News

Purpose - Working together to make our partnership as efficient and effective as possible.

Scope – The Developing Our Partnership Theme Forum will work to take forward issues that are common to all themes and partners and to improve the performance of the Partnership.

Objectives –

• To develop an effective partnership monitoring and evaluation system
• To develop a partnership communications strategy
• To ensure that we follow the National Standards for Community Engagement, which aim to ensure inclusion and equality for everyone
• To identify and progress all other partnership-wide issues, such as partnership budgets, data-sharing policy and staff training

Membership - Membership is drawn from the following partnership organisations: Grampian Police, Local Rural Partnerships and the Councils for Voluntary Service. The group also consists of the six local community planning officers and a representative from community learning and development.

Related Major Strategies

• Partners communications strategies
• Partners equalities policies
• Freedom of Information Act
• Data Protection Act

Indicators – The development of theme indicators will be an early task for the theme forum group once it is formed.

Ballater – Good Practice Example

A great deal of partnership working has been happening in Ballater, in the Marr area in recent times.  One project has been undertaken through the cooperation of the Ballater Geddes Group, Aberdeenshire Council and two artists.  The eastern school gates at Ballater school were identified as being in a sub-standard state.  The Ballater Geddes Project undertook to replace them by working with two artists who designed the gates, and with Aberdeenshire Council who fitted the gates.  Funding was provided through the council’s Planning Gain allocations, from Scotia Homes and Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership.  The project was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school and the 150th anniversary of Sir Patrick Geddes’ birth in Ballater.  The gates, incorporating a footpath barrier and adjoining fencing, were completed in November 2005.  As well as providing a welcoming entrance to the school, the new barriers provide wider access for wheelchair users.