Strategic Plans

Details

Category: About Link4Life

The six strategic themes of Link4Life provide the direction for the company.

They are written in conjunction with Rochdale MBC and other key stakeholders and partner agencies and are based on a national, regional and local context.

1. Connecting to our Communities
2. Partnership working
3. Reflecting Community Priorities
4. Equality and Diversity
5. Access to Services
6. Value for Money and Use of Resources

These are reviewed each quarter, in the context of the Trust's Business Plan, with progress reported direct to the Board of Trustees and Rochdale Borough Council.

1. Connecting to our Communities

Objective

To work closely with the Township communities through outreach development work and improving access to facilities.

Outcomes

• Providing a feeling of well-being
• Making Rochdale Borough a place to be proud to live in
• Providing opportunities to extend involvement in social activity
• Providing enjoyment
• Providing enrichment
• Encouraging people to dream, to develop aspirations for their life and being able to communicate these

2. Partnership working

Objective

To recognise the importance of partnership working and develop effective collaborations with public, private and third sector organisations to deliver key national and local priorities.

Outcomes

• Effective partnership and collaborative working
• Avoidance of unnecessary duplication of service provision
• More effective use of local resources
• Link4Life represented on relevant working groups eg Health, Children, Young People

3. Reflecting Community Priorities

Objective

To ensure that Link4Life service provision meets the needs and aspirations of the community in line with emerging local priorities.

Outcomes

• Reducing obesity and other health inequalities
• Improving individual's physical and mental health
• Reducing crime and anti social behaviour by running joint initiatives with the Youth Service
• Improving facilities through capital investment

4. Equality and Diversity

Objective

To promote equality and diversity as both a service provider and employer.

Outcomes

• To increase access to services of minority and disadvantaged groups across the Borough
• To increase employment of minority and disadvantaged groups
• Increase learning opportunities for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
• To achieve a Level 5 of the National Equality Standard for Local Government
• To deliver the outcomes associated with the Community Cohesion strategy and action plan

5. Access to Services

Objective

Easy access to a provision of diverse and high quality portfolio of sport, leisure and cultural services and activities which contribute to a good quality of life for residents of the Borough.

Outcomes

• Providing social benefits – interaction, reducing isolation
• Providing opportunities for engaging with Arts and Heritage
• Increased participation in sport and cultural activities by children and young people
• Increased participation in sport and physical activity by residents in order to contribute to improvements in the health, well being and rehabilitation of the local population and reductions in health inequalities across the Borough
• In light of the current economic downturn the Trust will endeavour to minimise price increases on fees and charges as a means of encouraging access
• The development of Visitor Services Boroughwide in conjunction with the Rochdale Borough Visitor Strategy 2008-12

6. Value for Money and Use of Resources

Objective

The provision of high quality, value for money sport, leisure and cultural services which result in high levels of satisfaction by users and the general public.

Outcomes

• Resources are targeted at priorities as contained within this plan
• The company maintains a sound financial standing
• Reduced costs through effective use of resources eg labour
• Increased usage of facilities

Non Priorities

To ensure we can deliver on our six key strategic themes it is vital the company focuses its attention on delivering on key community outcomes. This in itself does present challenges; notably determining non-priorities. The Board of Trustees through its Executive Leadership team have now begun an exercise that clearly demonstrates a broad awareness of key emerging priorities. In formulating this three year business plan, the non They are written in conjunction with Rochdale MBC and other key stakeholders and partner agencies.

Strategic and Partnership Working

Link4Life recognises the importance of partnership working and Rochdale MBC is a key partner in our pursuit for excellence for the services we provide. We align our supporting strategies and key processes to those of Rochdale MBC in particular Aiming High, the council's strategic plan, which includes:

Increasing jobs and prosperity.Making sure every child matters to deliver outcomes associated with Be Healthy, Stay Safe, Enjoy and Achieve, Make a Positive Contribution and Achieve Economic Well Being.Improving community safety.Creating a cleaner, greener environment.Improving health and well-being.

There are also other key council and borough strategies that Link4Life contributes to, in particular:

• Health and Well-being Strategy
• Safer Communities Strategy
• Community Cohesion Strategy
• Borough Masterplan
• Rochdale Economic Development Strategy
• Children and Young People's Plan
• Township Plans for Heywood, Middleton, Pennines & Rochdale

The Local Public Service Board (LPSB)

Under the auspices of the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), a strategic decision making body has been established known as the Local Public Service Board. Responsible for planning, delivery and performance, there are five Priority Partnerships which report to the LPSB.

Local Public Service Board Thematic Partnerships:

• Children's Trust - Making sure every child matters
• Health & Wellbeing - Improving physical and mental health and wellbeing
• Economic - Increasing jobs and prosperity
• Safer Communities - Improving community safety
• Quality of Place - Creating a cleaner, greener environment

Each Partnership reflects the priority themes within the Sustainable Community Strategy 'Pride of Place'.

Link4Life's Business and two main service plans align to this, as well as the Council's Corporate and Township Priorities.