What is a Linked Partner?

Local Strategic Partnerships need to be informed by the wider community so that the statutory sector can improve accountability, work to provide responsive and 'joined up' public services, and ensure sustainable development.  In Woking we do this via our Linked Partners.

The linked partner role is a two way channel of communication between the Local Strategic Partnership and a community of interest.  Linked partners:

• represent a community of interest in Woking
• have a system that ensures that they are accountable to their community - for  example, by having a formal constitution with elections
• have aims which are aligned to the Community Strategy
• can help the LSP to serve the people of Woking.

Since the Local Strategic Partnership started involving Linked Partners in their work in Jan 2003 over 30 organisations have become ‘linked partners’.

This has helped to:-

• make the LSP accountable to the local population
• explain to and inform a wider audience about LSP activities
• ensure the widest possible opportunity for the local community to become involved in the work of the LSP
• promote and publicise the role of the LSP

At every LSP meeting, time is put aside to deal with any issues raised by linked partners, and minutes of the meetings are sent to the chairs of all linked partner groups.  They also receive a copy of the forward plan, which enables them to request invitations to attend future meetings for appropriate items.  Once a year the chairs and deputies of all linked partner groups are invited to an evening event when they can exchange views with LSP members as well as networking with other linked partners. 

The Linked Partners include:-

• Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust
• North West Surrey Valuing People Group (Adult Area Partnership Group)
• Carers Group
• Children Area Partnership Group
• Community Legal Services Partnership for Woking and Surrey Heath
• Local Agenda 21
• Local Culture / Health / Parks Group
• Neighbourhood Watch (Woking-wide)
• NWSADP
• Police & Community Partnership Group
• Safer Woking Partnership Group
• Shape
• Sheerwater and Maybury Partnership
• Surrey Women’s Aid
• The Shah Jehan Mosque
• The Shine Partnership
• Transportation Forum
• Woking and Surrey Heath Health and Social Care Planning Group
• Woking Borough Council Environmental Health
• Woking Children and Families Common Interest Group
• Churches Together in Woking
• Woking Forum for Physically Disabled People
• Woking Good Neighbour Schemes Common Interest Group
• Woking Mental Health Forum
• Woking Older People's Forum
• Youth Strategy Local Action Group (Youth council)

If you would like details of how to join a Linked Partner Group, please contact Doug Davern on 01483 743018 doug.davern@woking.gov.uk