Links to other processes

Local stakeholder organisations (such as Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs), Health and Wellbeing Boards, Clinical Commissioning Groups (replacing Primary Care Trusts)1) and other cultural and leisure groupings (such as county sports partnerships and local cultural partnerships) have an important role to play in supporting strategic planning arrangements and influencing Local Plan priorities.

Early engagement of such partnerships in the plan-making process is important for the following reasons:

  • Co-ordination: A wide range of organisations are involved in LEPs and LNPs, many operating at a national level. Engagement will help to generate informed debate on strategic priorities and could also provide access to wider experience and/or expertise than might be found in the local authority.
  • Alignment: The business priorities (and growth plans) of LEPs relating to culture and sport should align with those identified in the local plan-making process, particularly where there is a need to promote specific actions. This will help in generating long-term investor confidence, but it could also offer potential funding opportunities.
  • Funding: In a world of limited public funding, it is vital that full consideration is given to how any aspirations for culture and sport promoted through Local Plans can be delivered. Groups of local authorities and local public, private and community partners may have access to a range of funding opportunities, particularly given their commissioning role on strategic infrastructure and access to growth funds. These groups can also help in highlighting key projects which might attract private sector funding.

1 See A. Ross, with M. Chang: . TCPA, Jul. 2012.