Happy New Year everyone! I thought it would be useful as we go into 2025 to provide a brief update on one of the key pillars that underpins the civic space in Bath - our Civic Agreement. The Civic Agreement for Bath and North East Somerset was launched in May 2024, so we are well into its delivery now and therefore there are a few aspects on which we can update and some ambitions we have to share for the coming year.
How do I see the Civic Agreement?
It is available here [PDF], and you can read more about it and updates from some of the civic work done in our area on the Civic Agreement website 'Future Ambition Bath'.
Who are the signatories?
At present, the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Royal United Hospitals Bath are the four signatories. Being a signatory commits these organisations to working collaboratively on developing solutions to local challenges, and on each working internally to ensure their organisational behaviours (such as procurement policies, HR policies) deliver civic value.
What has been delivered since the launch?
The Future Ambition Board is the delivery mechanism for the Civic Agreement, it brings the leaders of each of the signatory organisations together to determine where focus is required to collaboratively tackle local issues, and to reach agreement on how to focus attention. There are subgroups to the Future Ambition Board that focus on specific issues.
Since the launch of the agreement in May 2024, many deliverables have been achieved through these subgroups, including work towards setting up a local housing strategy group, the delivery of a shared economic strategy for the region, the introduction of a 5G network trial across Bath, and work to make retrofit and green energy solutions available to more people.
What is changing in 2025?
Recently, conversations have started regarding the structure and focus of the FAB subgroups, and these are currently being reworked to address up-to-date local challenges for 2025, with representation from each of the Civic Agreement signatories and from relevant organisations across the city. These groups will support the delivery of the shared Economic Strategy, and will continue to report into the Future Ambition Board. Watch this space for updates!
Another big step for the agreement is a new plan to include Curo as a signatory in 2025. The existing signatories recognise the central role that housing plays in the realising solutions to many of the region's biggest challenges and opportunities, and Curo has been instrumental in bringing together key organisations across the city to address housing issues through the Future Ambition Board. It is hoped that Curo will formally sign the Civic Agreement this year.
Additionally, it is hoped that in 2025 each of the Civic Agreement partners will sign up to the West of England Combined Authority's 'Good Employment Charter' which sets out goals for employers to ensure that they are elevating work conditions, boosting employee wellbeing, and setting high standards for work practices in our local area. As some of the biggest local employers, we each already commit through the Civic Agreement to continually scrutinise our HR policies and to work to ensure we lead by example in this space, and joining the Charter will provide a framework through which this activity can take place.
How can you keep up to date with progress?
The Civic Agreement website has a blog where updates are posted monthly on the progress of the agreement and of the Future Ambition Board. You can access this here.
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