Developing an effective strategic process
The Approach
2.1 While local authorities are to present their LHS as documents, it is the process of producing, implementing and reviewing strategies that will ultimately determine their effectiveness.
Key elements of the strategic process
2.2 Based on the public service objectives for Openscotland an effective process for LHS will require local authorities to:
Coordinate Strategies
The LHS process should fit within the community planning framework for the area. This framework for partnership working should allow public sector organisations to work together to agree clear priorities for each delivery agency to focus their energies. Links with other plans and their processes, which cut across the LHS, also need to be made.
More guidance on the links with the Community Plan and other strategic plans is available:
Home Energy Conservation Strategies and Fuel Poverty
Involve Partners
Those partners likely to be involved in the LHS process can be viewed here.
RSLs, as housing developers and providers, should be key partners in the LHS process. A description of how they can contribute to the LHS meaningfully is available.
Be open and accountable
The process for developing the LHS should be open as well as shared. The local authority's lead role in community planning provides the platform for developing the LHS openly.
Councillors from different committees play a crucial role in this process, bringing their local knowledge to the strategy process and agreeing the housing strategy priorities with partners. View Goss and Blackaby’s guide on the role of Councillors.
Consult with stakeholders
There should be consultation as the LHS is developed. See the CIH/LGA publication on the main stages at which local communities can be engaged in the process.
It is important that appropriate approaches and methods are used to find out what people and communities are concerned about. Local forums, focus groups, citizens' juries and community conferences are given as examples in Goss and Blackaby’s guide. Good practice examples are available. The use of on-line information or electronic discussion forums may also be appropriate.
It is likely that a range of methods will need to be adopted to ensure that people and communities have equality of opportunity for being involved in the process. Lessons for including others in LHS were identified at a training event for the Councils piloting LHS in 2001.
Deliver on its commitments
LHS are to set out clear targets for action and must specify intended outcomes. Further advice on setting objectives and agreeing actions, as well as how to develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks is provided later in the guidance.
2.3 See the CIH/LGA publication on the main elements in designing an effective strategic process.
2.4 An independent study of the requirements of the LHS process reported in June 2002. This looked at the experience of the pilot LHS local authorities in Scotland as well as non-pilot authorities and English local authorities. The findings of this research informed the development of the LHS process and guided the training programme. A summary of the research is available.
2.5 If you have good practice to share on strategic processes, please email us. For comprehensive guidance on the elements of a good housing strategy along with good practice examples, see Goss and Blackaby’s guide.
