Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) are non-statutory, multi-agency partnerships, which matches local authority boundaries.  LSP's bring together at a local level the different parts of the Public, private, Community and Voluntary Sectors allowing different initiatives and services to support one another so that they can work together more effectively.

There is a local strategic partnership for almost every part of England and Wales, bringing together councils and key local partners, including:

The Partnerships develop a long-term vision to improve the quality of life and services in the local area.  This is the sustainable community strategy (SCS).  The partners also deliver on the outcomes of the Local Area Agreement (LAA).

Everyone in local government circles is now talking about LSP's.  These partnerships are now crucial to every part of the country.  In an LSP the council takes the leading role and in all LSP's the council is the accountable body.

Although it may involve many partners and local organisations, an LSP must:

As a two-tier authority, the LSP exists at both county and district level.

Why do we need an LSP?

Lack of joint working at local level has been one of the key reasons why there has been little progress in delivering sustainable economic, social and physical regeneration, or improved public services, that meet the needs of local communities.  A combination of organisations, and the community, working co-operatively as part of an LSP will have far greater chance of success.  To achieve these improvements, the Government, local authorities and other service providers need to work co-operatively, change the ways they work, to tackle issues that really matter to local people.