One of the key factors in developing the successful project was the establishment of a broad Steering Group. This Steering Group, which meets three times a year, covers all City Council Departments and many partners from the public, private and voluntary sector. The group now comprises over 90 representatives from 50 partner organisations. The group regularly reports to the Leeds Skills and Economy Partnership.
Since the first full meeting of the Financial Inclusion Steering Group in July 2005 the partnership has been working to coordinate, promote and progress the city’s financial inclusion agenda. The steering group is not just a discussion forum. It was established to oversee the implementation of projects and ensure that work progressed by the group has a high profile both corporately and in the communities which are most at risk, and partners are active participants in that process. As a result of the collaborative working, Steering Group partners have been successful in securing close to £4 million, primarily through Government funding;
In 2006 the Steering Group supported two national government funding bids to the DTI face to face debt advice fund and the DWP Growth Fund. The DTI bid was overseen by the debt advice sub-group bringing together five advice agencies within the city to work collaboratively. This was the first time that such a partnership arrangement had been adopted and it was only made possible through the partnership network which had been established for the work on financial inclusion.
Minutes of the steering groups and terms of reference can be viewed on this page.
Links to other project pages