• Project Leader: Lynne Humphrey
• Staff: Sarah Walsh, Ben Whiston, Rob Wilson
• Sponsors: Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE)

Local authorities hav been designated 'place-shapers' and strategic leaders of the complex policy landscape promoting and governing community engagement, empowerment and development.  The approach and practice of local authorities is therefore key to the effective delivery of this agenda.  National evaluations of its main delivery vehicle, Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), have highlighted the varying degrees of enagement infrastructure and practice in operation across local authorities as well as between Neighbourhood Renewal and non-Neighbourhood Renewal LSPs.  Further variations were likewise identified in Community Strategy and Community Empowerment Network development and practice as well as local authority attitudes towards the concept of participatory democracy.  Also relevant, a 'ladder of participation' indicates a variety of process appropriate to the fundamental practice of partnership working.  An evidence base of existing local authority engagement capacity, mind-set, strategy and structure across the North East region is this pertinent to both VONNE and its local authority partners (individually and collectively through the Improvement Partnership for North East Local Government).