Dundee Partnership

The Dundee Partnership is proud of the reputation it has gained for the positive nature of our collaboration. We have regularly assessed our effectiveness and worked closely with the Improvement Service through their CPP self-assessment model to enhance our governance through a partnership wide improvement plan.

The creation of Health and Social Care Partnerships, the integration of Community Justice and the formation of bodies like Leisure and Culture Dundee have all led to new relationships. Most recently in late 2023, the Partnership formed three Strategic Leadership Groups (SLGs) as part of rationalising and refreshing strategic relationships between partners within the Dundee Partnership. These SLGs have overall responsibility for the delivery of improved outcomes within their theme. They are expected to  satisfy the ambitions contained in the Scottish Government guidance with partner agencies making demonstrable commitments to resourcing the delivery of joint improvement priorities; redesigning and integrating services; making a decisive shift to prevention; and articulating and implementing a closer relationship to localities.

Development of the Partnership is ongoing, with Partners' most senior management representatives on the DP Management Group planning to take part in a Values Based Leadership Exercise in early 2025.

As part of our commitment to ongoing improvement, we will concentrate on critical areas of public service reform agreed with the Scottish Government, including a decisive shift to prevention and joint resourcing between and across partners and sectors.

The Dundee Partnership has adopted a framework for prevention that offers a common understanding and a definition of the ‘decisive shift’ we aim to achieve. The framework acknowledges the role of universal services in promoting positive outcomes for the city but reflects the journey towards negative outcomes experienced by many in our communities. The impact of escalating demands for crisis services while budgets are limited is represented, and early intervention and recovery are presented as the means by which partners can jointly deliver greater prevention.

The Christie Commission identified that demands on public services will increase dramatically due to demographic issues and from not adequately addressing the causes of disadvantage and vulnerability. To meet these challenges, the whole system of public service should become more efficient by reducing duplication and sharing services wherever possible.

Collaborative working with our neighbouring authorities is not a new concept for Dundee, with several very successful partnerships running currently e.g. Roads & Street Lighting Partnerships, Tayside Procurement Consortium and Tayside Scientific Services. Tayside Contracts is our most established model of collaboration, having been in existence for 20 years. This is a commercially based shared arrangement that operates under a Joint Committee of elected members from each of the constituent councils, for the provision of catering, cleaning, roads maintenance, vehicle maintenance and winter maintenance.

More recently, the Tay Cities Region Joint Committee was established to manage the principal levers of economic growth across local government boundaries. The Tay Cities Joint Committee is responsible for:

• Regional Economic Development
• Cross-boundary Strategic Planning
• Regional Transport Planning and delivery (including Public Transport) in Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross

The Tayside Plan for Children, Young People and Families 2017-2020 was the first joint plan to be produced in Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross. It reflected shared leadership towards multi-agency cross-border collaboration in the planning, management, commissioning, delivery and evaluation of services to children, young people and families. The Plan, developed by the three Councils, NHS Tayside, Police Scotland, Health and Social Care Partnerships and other organisations ensured a consistent approach towards agreed priorities and an absolute focus on improving outcomes for all children, young people and families. The Plan has since been reviewed and is currently being delivered through the 2023-26 Plan, in line with national timescales.

In Dundee, there is a well-established framework within which the range of multi-agency supports and interventions to protect people of all ages is planned and coordinated. This includes:

• Dundee Child Protection Committee;
• Dundee Adult Support and Protection Committee;
• Dundee Violence Against Women Partnership;
• Dundee Alcohol and Drug Partnership;
• Dundee Suicide Prevention Group and;
• Tayside Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

These committees / partnerships provide strategic leadership in respect of local public protection and relevant care and support developments and discharge their duties through the implementation of individual improvement/strategic plans. The Protecting People Team’s vision is that Dundee’s people will have the protection they need, when they need it, to keep them safe from harm.

A central theme of our City Plan is a commitment to tackling the inequalities that exist within our society as a result of socio-economic disadvantage. People can also face barriers because of their race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion or belief. In delivering this plan, the Partnership will seek to tackle inequality in the city in whatever form it manifests itself, through clear and coordinated approaches.

The Partnership is acutely aware that the outcomes experienced by equalities groups with protected characteristics are often poorer than for the city as a whole. We are also conscious of particular issues addressed by individual groups and want to work more closely with our colleagues in the third sector to develop new forms of engagement that can more effectively respond to their needs.

The Dundee Partnership Management Group meets quarterly, and brings together senior managers from Partner agencies. It is currently chaired by the Chief Executive of Dundee City Council and has the role of shaping the overall strategy for the Partnership. This includes oversight of the three Strategic Leadership Groups formed in late 2022 to replace the previous Executive Boards.

The Dundee Partnership Coordinating Group meets up to six times a year and is chaired by DCCs Community Planning Manager. Its role is to coordinate the implementation of Community Planning across the city on behalf of the Dundee Partnership and so its membership includes operational managers from the range of partners involved.

The Dundee Partnership Forum aims to host two focused events each year.

One of these will be the Annual Conference of the Fairness Leadership Panel and the other will cover a topic that is current to developments that need to be examined and addressed (e.g. cost of living, housing, substance use, etc.). 

The Dundee Partnership Forum is made up of managers and officers from across the whole Partnership - Public sector, third sector and private sector. Councillors and community members are also included, and local & national experts in relevant fields are invited to topical discussions to ensure they are fully explored at the events.

This funding is available on a Ward by Ward basis for projects that aim to reduce deprivation and provide additional opportunities to close the gap for those living in our Community Regeneration Areas (incorporating places in the 15% most deprived data zones in Scotland).

Applications fall into two types;

• Youth Inclusion. Focussing on work with children & young people, and providing activities and opportunities for them
• Small Grants. A catch-all category for smaller applications, up to £5k (though some Wards impose a lower limit – ask your local Community Worker)

Applications are assessed and awarded on a monthly basis, with a turnaround of approximately 8 weeks from application to award.

Applications for Capital projects that used to be supported through this fund are now dealt with through the new Neighbourhood Capital Fund.

In the six Wards with Community Regeneration Areas (CRAs), recommendations on funding are made by a Forum of elected local residents. In the West End and The Ferry, the Local Community Planning Partnership makes these. The application form for CRAs can be found here. Those seeking funding in The Ferry or West End should contact the local Communities Officer in the first instance, and the application form for these Wards can be found here. The associated data privacy statement for applicants is here.

For a look at what sort of projects and organisations have received awards use the links below:

2020-21 Awards - 2021-22 Awards. For more recent information please contact dundee.partnership@dundeecity.gov.uk(link sends e-mail).

The fund for 2024-25 has now been fully allocated. It is anticipated that funding for 2025-26 will be available following Committee approval in late April 2025. 

This funding is available for one-off awards that support ‘the common good’. Approximately £75k is available each year, with all applications assessed on their individual merit. Guidance is contained in the Common Good Application form, but if more information on potential eligibility is needed, please contact paul.davies@dundeecity.gov.uk(link sends e-mail).

This fund will be for festive activities taking place in late 2025 / early 2026 and is likely to have £50,000 for allocation during round one of applications. This allocation will be finalised in April 2025 and funding will then be made available to community-based organisations and groups to assist them in hosting a festive winter event or putting in place a festive installation for their community. The first deadline for applications will be in early June, and based on previous experience, will allocate the full amount available. If any funding does remain there will be a second deadline in early-mid August.

Information on the criteria, guidance and submission dates are in the Festive Fund application form. Any group considering an installation should also download and make use of the Technical Guidance. Dundee City Council's Events Team also have useful guidance and advice on delivering an event.