Local Investment Planning

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Across the country, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is working with councils and other bodies to agree local investment plans that pool ideas, priorities and resources to transform places.

HCA began a dialogue with councils about its new locally determined approach to investment known as the single conversation.  This stage of the process is complete and council-led partnerships across the country are now working together to create local investment plans which set out the vision for their area and how it will be delivered.

This short film examines what others can learn from this combined approach to investing in local areas by looking at the experience of partnerships in North Kent, Oxfordshire and South Hampshire.

Summary points:

• Partnership working and brokerage skills are fundamental to the process, as well as strong leadership and ownership at a senior level within local authorities
• When planning local investment it is important to look broadly at the ingredients that make places successful beyond solely housing and physical regeneration, such as transport, economic development, local services, health and education
• Openness between partners from the outset is essential to ensure that any conflict is resolved early and priorities can be agreed
• Once the broad vision and priorities are established, plans then need to look at what can practically be achieved in the short to medium term to formulate a realistic plan of action