An NSIPs Centre of Excellence for the East of England  has been set up by Suffolk County Council funded in 2022/23 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' (DLUHC) Innovation and Capacity Fund.  Use this link to find out more.  To support other local authorities, Suffolk County Council is sharing its Reference Guide, originally put together for internal purposes, that builds on the substantial amount of learning gained by the Council through its involvement in a large number of NSIPs.

Use this link to access the Guide

Purpose of this focus group

This focus group is to help SALC consider the merits of adapting, in collaboration with Suffolk County Council, this Reference Guide for the local council sector, and provides an opportunity for both councillors and clerks to provide feedback from their perspective.  

• is the Reference Guide too detailed and if so what should be slimmed down

• what needs adding that will help local councils practically such as how to engage with lobby groups, good practice in seeking the views of the local community, how to keep on track with developments, opportunities to work in clusters and fund joint administrative support, specialists to form a stronger voice

• is there enough guidance on representations local councils can make

• what lessons have we learnt from previous schemes in terms of time commitments, knowledge and understanding which could be included in this guide