§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of local strategic partnerships in rural areas; and what advice is available to parish and town councils. [39396]
§ Dr. WhiteheadParish and town councils provide a recognised role for involvement specific to people in rural areas, not only for local authorities in predominantly rural areas but also for those in areas which include some rural elements. Accountable parish and town councils can make an important contribution to the work of local strategic partnerships, for example feeding into the establishment of the long-term vision and identifying local priorities to be contained in the community strategy. The role that parish and town councils play should be a matter for local discussion between those councils and the relevant local strategic partnership. The Government produced guidance on local strategic partnerships in March 2001, and on the related subject of preparing community strategies in December 2000.