This meeting was scheduled to include updates on the implementation of Camden Council’s missions-based approach to delivering its strategic objectives, the Council’s partnerships strategy for delivering on these objectives, and the Committee's work programme for 2024/25.

Camden Missions

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report updating it on how Camden Council has been implementing its missions-based approach, which was first agreed in December 2021, and is intended to “transform [the Council’s] services and our Council to better harness the collective resources of our Borough and have long-term impact on the urgent and important issues for our communities.”¹

The report included for the Committee’s consideration seeks to provide a summary of what has been done, arguing that:

“Since we agreed our Missions and We Make Camden in 2022, we have been developing our tools and capabilities for delivering missions as well as seeking to understand more the change we need to deliver to achieve our Missions.”

The report scheduled for discussion included an update on Camden’s four missions:

Estates and Neighbourhoods Mission

By 2030, Camden’s estates and their neighbourhoods are healthy, sustainable and unlock creativity.

This section of the report gave examples of schemes the council is undertaking to involve residents in spending decisions, including a pilot of participatory budgeting on the Hilgrove Estate, and the use of Community Champions to work with residents to identify local priorities on the Regent's Park Estate and the Ampthill Estate.

Youth Mission

By 2025, every young person has access to economic opportunity that enables them to be safe and secure.

This section of the report highlighted the Camden Young Talent Guarantee, which aims to connect every 16-24 year old in Camden to employment opportunities and a partnership with Google and Camden Learning to create an AI Campus for young people in the borough.

Food Mission

By 2030, everyone eats well every day with nutritious, affordable, sustainable food.

This section of the report updated the Committee on the Council's Food Growing Accelerator Programme, which is piloting different models of food growing on three estates in the borough and provided an update on the progress of the council's programme to bring its schools catering service in house.

Diversity Mission

By 2030, those holding positions of power in Camden are as diverse as our community – and the next generation is ready to follow.

This section of the report focused on the underrepresentation of some minority groups as school governors, and described how the council has been seeking to address the issue.

We Make Camden Partnership Strategy

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report updating them on the implementation of the We Make Camden partnership strategy.

The report explained that the strategy focuses on:

“non-contractual and non-statutory partnerships that we are developing in response to the shared goals set out in We Make Camden and through a Missions approach.”

The report argued that the council already had a strong track record of partnership working, and explained that recent work has focused on:

“developing new partnership relationships and networks, with a view to enabling local organisations to find new inspiration and opportunities to contribute towards delivering We Make Camden and the missions, drawing on their wide range of levers, resources and expertise.”

The report included for the Committee's consideration sought to assure the Committee that the Council was in the process of:

“adding more rigour and infrastructure, combined with clarity of partnership asks in order to enhance what is already a rich partnership landscape.”

The report went on to give an update on Camden Council’s work with “anchor institutions”, how the council’s Good Life Camden framework can be used to align organisations around shared objectives and measure their impact, and the council’s partnership with Camden Giving to deliver the We Make Camden Kit.

Work Programme 2024/25 and Action Tracker

The Committee was scheduled to consider its work programme for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year, and to note an update on the implementation of its actions from previous meetings.²