Kent Partnership - What is it?

The Kent Partnership is the countywide local strategic partnership that was formed in 2002 as a result of the Local Government Act 2000. It is made up of representatives from the private, public, voluntary and community sectors.

Responsible for overseeing Kent's community strategy, the Vision for Kent, it has a key role in encouraging community leadership, supporting new initiatives and helping to ensure the effective delivery of services. Importantly, it is recognition that defining and delivering Kent's future needs goes beyond the remit of local authorities acting alone.

The Kent Partnership provides a strong collective voice for the leaders of Kent's interests and therefore enhances the efforts made by individual organisations and groups. Partnership working can improve co-operation and co-ordination and therefore have more effect than the sum of its individual parts.

With the heads of local businesses, leaders of District Councils, the heads of various major agencies and key voluntary sector representatives its time is valuable but limited. Trevor Minter is the full time Director responsible for taking forward its work between meetings.

The main partnership meets formally every three months. In between, five working groups address the key issues:

• Working Group 1: Kent Children's Trust;
• Working Group 2: Safer and Stronger Communities;
• Working Group 3: Public Health Board;
• Working Group 4: Economic Development and Sustainable Communities;
• Working Group 5: The Kent Public Service Board.

The work of the Partnership is focussed on issues and outcomes rather than procedures and processes. It is the governing body to the Public Service Board, works closely with the Kent and Medway Economic Board, the Area Investment Frameworks, the District partnerships and other partnerships focussed on specific subjects. It also works through task groups around specific topics. It seeks to add value at a strategic level.