Neighbourhood Partnerships are an exciting approach to organisations working together with local people, to improve services and quality of life.

The Partnership is made up of a core membership of local Councillors and representatives from the Police, Health, local voluntary sector organisations and the local community.  It is chaired by a local Councillor in the role of Convener.

Some Neighbourhood Partnerships have brought on additional members from local organisations, such as universities or colleges which can play a key role in the area.

Neighbourhood Partnerships’ activities, membership and structures are guided by issues that are important in the area.

What do Neighbourhood Partnerships aim to do?

Neighbourhood Partnerships work to improve quality of life in the area. They:

• bring decision making closer to the community
• provide opportunities for communities to express their views
• set out the priorities to improve quality of life in the communities
• gather local evidence and information to help them develop a local community plan
• make sure the local community plan is delivered

Neighbourhood Partnerships each meet in public up to five times a year, and anyone can attend these meetings.

As well as meeting in public, each Neighbourhood Partnership develops sub groups to address local priority themes, such as housing and the built environment’ or ‘health and well being’. Subgroups vary between Neighbourhood Partnerships.

What kinds of decisions can they make?

Neighbourhood Partnerships can make the following decisions:

• They can make recommendations to the Council and other partner organisations about the way services may be delivered in the local area
• They can comment on strategic decisions that affect the local area
• They can award small grants to community groups for local projects that can make a difference in the local area