Calderdale Council commits to keeping it local

Keep it Local councils are moving away from bureaucratic commissioning and big outsourcing contracts and are choosing to unlock the power of community by commissioning local community organisations that put local people at the heart of the services they receive.

Charity Locality, who is working on this campaign in partnership with the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, is calling on other councils in the area to sign up to the Keep it Local Network.

Jane Scullion, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources at Calderdale Council, said: “We support Keep it Local because we believe that strong, resilient communities benefit the whole borough and our local economy.

"We are proud to have commissioned local organisations to deliver local services in our communities like our Children’s Centres.

“We work in partnership with the voluntary and community sector to help support resilient communities through projects like Staying Well and Active Calderdale that empower people and enrich local lives.

“In the past year we have launched our Inclusive Economy Strategy and are developing our approach to Social Value so that these vital partnerships are built into all our work going forward.”

Local community organisations have multiple advantages over large national organisations, including keeping public resources invested in the local economy and having in depth local knowledge and connections built up over many years.

This means they have a deep understanding of what local people need. They intervene early and work collaboratively with other community organisations to create services that really work for people.

By doing this, not only are councils having a transformative impact on individual lives, they have been shown to deliver savings for local authorities through prevention of demand for other public services.

Graham Mynott, Executive Director at Hebden Bridge Community Association, a local community organisation, said: “The Association was created to take on an asset transfer from the Local Authority with a vision to make The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge much more than just a building.

“We set out to make the Town Hall a shining example of what can be achieved when people come together - united by a belief that people need each other, and that community is important. We couldn’t have done this without the support of Calderdale Council and we are delighted that 10 years on Calderdale remain committed to this by signing up to the Keep it Local Network. We know this will bring further benefits to communities across Calderdale.”

Tony Armstrong, CEO of Locality, said: “We’re thrilled that Calderdale is trailblazing the way for other councils by signing up to Keep it Local. Service delivery built on local partnership and the power of community delivers outstanding services for local people.

"Councils should see collaboration with these organisations as an investment, rather than a simple public spending decision.

"Not only do councils receive a distinctively high quality service, but they are supporting and plugging into the power of a community network and generating additional social and economic value for their communities.”