Where We've Come From


The Cheshire Partnership was the former Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for the county of Cheshire. It was set up in March 2001, building on the success of the Sustainable Cheshire Forum which developed Cheshire’s Local Agenda 21 Strategy in response to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The remit of The Cheshire Partnership was to improve the quality of life in Cheshire, and to respond to the Local Government Act 2000, which requires local authorities to work in partnership with other public, private and voluntary sector bodies and local communities to produce a community strategy for their area. Initial Government guidance set out 4 key tasks for all LSPs:

1. Prepare and implement a community strategy
2. Bring together local plans, partnerships and initiatives
3. Work with those local authorities that are developing local public service agreements
4. Develop and deliver a local neighbourhood renewal strategy.

The Cheshire Partnership consisted of over 60 organisations across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors and co-ordinated actions to improve quality of life for those in Cheshire. It published the first Community Strategy for Cheshire in February 2002.

A challenge for all members of The Cheshire Partnership was to work together to make Cheshire a place where everyone could thrive, at work and at play, at home and in the community, in a safe and healthy environment, take an active part in decisions, and continue to learn and develop throughout their lives.

One element of this was the production and implementation of a Community Strategy for Cheshire to promote economic, social and environmental well-being, a new statutory responsibility required by Government. A Community Strategy is by definition a long-term vision for the future of the area.

The role and function of LSPs has evolved considerably, however, since the publication of the guidance in 2001. In addition to their four core roles, subsequent guidance on the development of Local Public Service Agreements and Local Area Agreements has taken LSPs into new territory. In addressing these requirements and to re-establish strong and sustainable partnership arrangements across Cheshire for the negotiation and delivery of a Local Area Agreement from April 2007, partners agreed to review the LSP framework across Cheshire to ensure continued fitness for purpose. As a result, the new Cheshire Partnerships Framework came into effect on 1st April 2006.