Local strategic partnership

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Local strategic partnerships

Local strategic partnerships (LSPs) are groups in England that bring together people from local government, charity and community groups, and private companies to tackle local problems. They help decide how to use funding, plan local strategies, and encourage people to work together rather than in isolation. In Scotland, similar groups are called Community Planning Partnerships, and in Wales they are Local Service Boards.

Formation and purpose
Most LSPs were created around 2000, often because funding for regeneration came with a requirement to form a partnership. Early work mainly focused on regeneration and renewal.

Community involvement
A key idea behind LSPs is involving the community in local decision‑making. Initially this included a Community Empowerment Network (CEN), usually coordinated by an umbrella body like a Council for Voluntary Service. When dedicated CEN funding ended, about half of them disappeared.

Structure and effectiveness
LSPs are designed to be flexible and locally decided, leading to many different forms across the country. How well an LSP works depends on its structure, who is involved, local political history, and the relationships between organizations.

Local Area Agreements
LSPs have evolved to work with Local Area Agreements, where money and decision-making power can be pooled and given to the partnership rather than kept by separate agencies.

Profile and debate
LSPs can impact local governance, but they often have a low profile inside and outside their networks. Some people are surprised by this, while others see it as a sign that local coordination is still developing.

See also
- Local enterprise partnership