West Berkshire Partnership

What is The Partnership?

The West Berkshire Partnership was formed in September 2001. It brings together the Council, Police and Primary Care Trust with the voluntary and private sectors at a strategic level to resolve local problems such as transport, housing and other issues that affect people's quality of life.

This website contains information about the Partnership, including its aims, objectives, achievements, plans for the future and how you and your organisation can get involved.

Your Views Count - Consultation on the New Sustainable Community Strategy - "A Breath of Fresh Air".

The West Berkshire Partnership is currently developing a new Sustainable Community Strategy for West Berkshire. The Strategy seeks to set out a long term vision for the District up to 2025. This document will play a crucial role in helping to shape the future of our community and the services provided to local people. It is vital that the Strategy reflects the needs and aspirations of local people.

We therefore, in 2007, carried out an extensive programme of consultation to get the views of the people of West Berkshire. That consultation is now closed. The feedback we have received is currently being evaluated and the final version of the Community Strategy will be published in the spring of 2008.

What is a Community Strategy?

Community Strategies exist in every area across the country with the purpose of identifying issues of common concern and improving how we work together to improve our communities.

They are developed by the Local Strategic Partnership for the area with the aim of improving the social, economic and environmental well-being for all people in the district. As such they are the crucial strategic document for the area, informing the work and actions of all member organisations on the Local Strategic Partnership. The issues it identifies and priorities it sets shape the plans, poliies, strategies and investment decisions of the key organisations and agencies in the district.

Download the Draft Sustainable Community Strategy - Full Version
(15,949 Kb Acrobat PDF) - right click to save a copy

Download the Draft Sustainable Community Strategy - Executive Summary
(2,183 Kb Acrobat PDF) - right click to save a copy

View the Draft Sustainable Community Strategy - DVD version

The Local Area Agreement

In February 2006 The West Berkshire Partnership signed a 3 year Local Area Agreement (LAA) with Central Government. The purpose of the LAA is to focus energy and resources on a series of mutually agreed targets which, if achieved, will attract substantial reward monies (up to £4.2million) for investment in the district.

The Local Area Agreement represents a major step forward in helping to improve the lives of the people and communities in West Berkshire. The West Berkshire Partnership, which is made up of Public, Private and Voluntary and Community Sectors, has overall responsibility for this agreement. The LAA contains 30 outcomes which the local, regional and national partners have agreed to pursue. These outcomes are linked directly with the achievement of the vision and priorities for the district set out in the Community Strategy for the District.

The LAA represents a new way of working and doing business. It encourages local partners and government to work more effectively together to improve quality of life for local people. This involves simplifying funding for local areas by central government, the pooling of local resources and expertise, encouraging greater flexibility in developing local solution to meet local problems and circumstances.

The West Berkshire Partnership believes that the LAA will help forge a new relationship between all public services and partners in West Berkshire. A new partnership built on trust and continued devolution by central government to local government will help ensure that the aspirations of our Community Strategy can be realised for the people and communities of West Berkshire.

What Area do we Cover?

The West Berkshire Partnership area runs from Hungerford in the west to Tilehurst in the east, and is bordered by Oxfordshire in the north and Hampshire in the south. The area is a mix of rolling downland with rural communities and towns linked by major roads such as the M4, A4 and A34. The Kennet and Avon Canal runs east / west across the area.

View an interactive map of the West Berkshire area, courtesy of West Berkshire Council