How Others Do It: LSP + Housing

Oxford's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) is demonstrating just how innovative and effective such a partnership can be when all partners are fully signed up to its aims and principles.

It has just embarked on a radical approach to finding solutions to the city's desperate need for affordable housing: 500 families are already living in temporary accommodation and its Head of Housing predicts that in 20 years time there will be four families for every one affordable home.

Oxford's LSP, rather than the Council alone, is now pushing forward a new approach. Its Partnership Officer, Sebastian Johnson, says: Affordable housing is one of our five flagship issues. It is a key part of the affordable community strategy which is the overarching vision for the area.

So the LSP has set up a select committee panel led by an employed independent Chair to comb the country for big new housing ideas and best practice and is inviting people across the country with experience of radical approaches to housing need to come and talk with them.

It will meet three times during May and June following which the Chair will write a report with recommendations.

Johnson says: it is a really good example of an LSP being able to undertake a politically sensitive piece of work, but in a very independent way. We have full 'buy in' from partners.

Which is all a long way from Rochdale Borough's use of its LSP, making it the centre of ill-informed abuse and criticism and demonstrating the dangers of limited buy-in instead of the sharp and effective focusing of the massive expertise and resources among those who should be round its table.

Reporter: David Barlett (RoFTRA)

Date article online: 26/03/2008