Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for Communities, Mark Isherwood AM, has called on the Welsh Government to consider replicating a successful Local Area Co-ordination model in Derby, which provides evidence of positive outcomes for citizens, as well as savings.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Communities in the Assembly Chamber this week over Local Area Co-ordination, which supports residents and communities to “get a life, not a service”, driving collaboration between local people, families, communities and organisations to build something bigger and more sustainable alongside the people and the communities themselves, Mr Isherwood referred to the model being used in Derby and asked the Secretary to give “serious consideration to how this model could be embraced in Wales”.
He said:
“Local Area Co-ordination in the UK began in Derby in 2012, building on the very successful model implemented in Australia, which provides evidence of positive outcomes for citizens and savings.
“In Derbyshire, an independent evaluation by Derby University over 10 to 12 months, working with approximately 50 people, found savings of £800,000 for the health and social care economy, and also found that introducing local area coordinators had built relationships, established trust, worked to people’s strengths and aspirations, and built connections with family members and other citizens to create solutions for those communities. This convinced the local authority and NHS there to invest and expand to all 17 council wards.
“So, if a project that has 50 people can improve lives, reconnect communities, and save £800,000, will you give serious consideration to how this model could be embraced here?”
The Cabinet Secretary said he would be “very interested” to look at a Derby or Australian model.
Mr Isherwood also referred to the Local Area Co-ordination that started in Monmouth in 2013 and the Local Area Co-ordinators in Swansea, who he said “are working on the principle of getting to know people, their families, and communities, to build their vision for a good life, to stay strong and connected, and to feel safer and more confident for the future.”
He asked: “Again, could you consider the work that’s been developed in a number of local authorities, with cross-party support, in many parts of Wales?”
The Cabinet Secretary replied: “I think we shouldn’t close the door on community engagement in any way. We should think about how best effective support for communities can be delivered with communities, not to them.”