Legal Advice

Dudley Community Legal Service Partnership

This site gives information about Dudley Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP). If you are looking for advice or legal help try the Community Legal Service Direct web site.

What is Dudley CLSP?

Dudley CLSP is a network of providers, funders and clients of legal advice and information services in Dudley, supported by and including the Legal Services Commission.

The work of the CLSP is co-ordinated by a Steering Group.

The Aims of Dudley CLSP

The Dudley Community Legal Service Partnership aims to improve access to and provision of legal advice and information services by:

Building a Network - Strengthening and Developing the Partnership
Actively Promoting and Supporting the Provision of Quality Advice
Enabling People to Understand and Exercise their Rights
Targeting Resources - Identifying and addressing the gaps in services

The First Year

Over the last 12 months the Steering Group has produced:

A Needs Analysis - an initial assessment of the legal needs of Dudley’s citizens. This was done using statistical models and data and the knowledge and experience of service providers and community groups.
A Map of Current Suppliers - by surveying current providers of information and advice to find out what services they offer and how they are provided. If you are searching for advice please see the Community Legal Service Direct web site.
A Gap Analysis - identifying and prioritising the gaps in provision.
A Referral Protocol - a protocol and form to standardise and improve current referral practices between providers. If you provide advice and would like to use this form, please print it off and Contact Us.

Full copies of all these documents are available on request (see Contact Us).

The Strategic Plan

The Partnership has a strategic plan which outlines an action plan for taking the CLSP forward. For a copy of this document please see Contact Us.

Providers Group

There are quarterly meetings around the borough for all providers of legal information and advice from the voluntary, public and private practice sectors. These are invaluable networking opportunities as well as opportunities to discuss Partnership work. If you would like to come to a meeting please go to Contact Us.

Community Network Meetings

These are held twice a year to ensure that Community organisations are able to play their full role within the Partnership. If you would like to come to the next meeting please go to Contact Us.

Links with Other Partnerships

The Community Legal Service Partnership is aware that there are many other partnerships and initiatives that operate on local, regional or national issues. We aim to link with any relevant Partnership to ensure that work is not duplicated, resources are not wasted and because we believe that more can be achieved by working together than in isolation.

Below are brief details -

Consumer Support Network - The vision of the CSN is a simple one; to improve consumer access to expert accurate and timely consumer advice. The network currently consists of representatives from voluntary, public and private sectors. The network will be pursuing various projects to achieve its vision. For further information contact Val Laville on 01384 814673 or email: Legal Advice.
The Dudley Community Partnership (DCP) comprises representatives from the community, voluntary, public and private sectors. It is the Borough's Local Strategic Partnership and has been accredited by Central Government. DCP is a dynamic partnership with a robust action plan and committed partners.
Domestic Violence Forum - The forum aims to bring together a range of agencies providing services and support to individuals and families experiencing domestic violence and working with perpetrators. The purpose of the Forum is to promote co-operation between agencies, to raise the awareness of and to address the issues surrounding domestic violence as a major social issue. The forum also seeks to ensure the co-ordinated provision of support of all kinds for those who have experienced Domestic Violence and their families.

For any information on the Partnership, copies of documents or to ensure that your organisation is on our mailing list please contact either:

Ruth Bartlett, Legal Services Commission, Centre City Podium, 5 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UD or 0121 665 4784 or sophie.brookes@legalservices.gov.uk.

Karen Holden (Chair of CLSP), Dudley District CABx, St. James’s Road, Dudley, DY1 1JG Or 01384 816081 or chiefexec@dudleycabx.org.

Steering Group

The work of the CLSP is co-ordinated by a Steering Group. Members of the 2003 Steering Group were:

Steve Allen, Elliot & Allen Solicitors
Ruth Bartlett, Legal Services Commission
Julie Duffy, What? Centre
John Dukes, Dudley Tenants Federation
Caroline French, William Wright Solicitors
Sheila Gill, Dudley CVS
Karen Holden, Dudley District CABx & Chair of the CLSP
Val Laville. Dudley MBC Trading Standards - Consumer Support Network
Lisa Phillips, Elliot & Allen Solicitors
John Polychronakis, Dudley MBC
Kenneth Rodney, Dudley Race Equality Council
Louis Spragg, Louis Spragg & Co Solicitors

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