Steadfast & Hearth Combined Sphere Authority is Havenstead's Mayoral Strategic Authority for the Steadfast and Hearth area. It is a separate public authority made up of six constituent councils and, once the first election has taken place, a directly elected Mayor.
Why the Authority exists
The Authority exists because some issues need to be considered across the whole region. People travel between council areas for work, study, services and leisure; infrastructure in one place can support communities elsewhere; and decisions about growth, skills and investment often have consequences beyond a single local boundary.
SHCSA provides the regional level at which those connections can be understood and coordinated. It brings the councils together, develops shared evidence, agrees strategic priorities, takes the decisions assigned to the Authority and works with the organisations responsible for delivery.
The area and its councils
The constituent councils are Alderstead Council, Brightmere Council, Stonehaven Council, Rosehaven Council, Bridgewell Council and Greenhaven Council.
Alderstead, Brightmere and Stonehaven currently participate in formal Authority decision-making. Rosehaven, Bridgewell and Greenhaven are constituent councils and will participate from their respective commencement dates. Each council remains a separate local authority with its own elected leadership, services and local responsibilities.
How decisions are made now
There is currently no Mayor. Until the first Mayor takes office, representatives of the active constituent councils take the collective decisions that can be made under the present legal arrangements. Formal meetings, reports, decisions and declarations are recorded through Democratic Services.
The mayoral model
After the first mayoral election, the Mayor will chair the Authority and provide strategic democratic leadership. The Mayor, constituent-authority representatives, Cabinet, scrutiny committees and professional officers will each have defined roles. The constitution and the legal basis for each function determine who takes a particular decision.
What the Authority is responsible for
SHCSA's current strategic responsibilities cover place, infrastructure, movement, skills relationships, local growth, strategic investment, communities, resilience, culture relationships and wellbeing coordination.
The Authority's role is regional. Local council services remain with the constituent councils unless a lawful change transfers a particular responsibility. Central departments and public bodies also retain the functions assigned to them.
Working with government and public bodies
The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communities and Local Government leads the central-government relationship with SHCSA on strategic authorities, devolution, local government and relevant infrastructure matters.
Other relationships depend on the subject. Infrastructure can involve the National Infrastructure Service; skills can involve the Department for Work and Skills; culture can involve the Department for Culture, Media and Recreation; and resilience can involve councils and emergency or public service partners.
How the organisation is run
The Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service leads the professional organisation and coordinates delivery of the Authority's lawful decisions. The Monitoring Officer provides independent legal and governance advice. The Chief Finance Officer is responsible for the proper administration of the Authority's financial affairs. Democratic Services supports members, meetings, agendas, minutes and decision records.
The staff structure is organised around strategy and partnerships; strategic place, infrastructure and movement; growth, skills and strategic investment; communities, culture and wellbeing; resilience and public-safety coordination; and corporate services.
Accountability and public information
The Authority is accountable through elected leadership, public meetings, published decisions, scrutiny, audit and governance, financial control, information rights, consultation and complaints arrangements.
This website brings those public routes together. It also explains which organisation is responsible where a subject involves a constituent council, central government or another public service.