AGENDA ITEM NO 8 TITLE: Neighbourhood Panel Update

Committee: East Strategic Partnership

Date: 14th February 2011

From: Neighbourhood Panel Coordinator [K269]

1.0 ISSUE

1.1 To report the latest progress in the Neighbourhood Panel project, and to discuss current development issues.

2.0 RECOMMENDATION

2.1 That the Board note the content of this report, and suggest further effective ways of developing the work of Neighbourhood Panels.

3.0 SUMMARY OF RECENT PROGRESS

3.1 This time of year is both a time of review and of development.

3.2 A review of the feedback from Panels for the past 3 years can be summarised as follows:

2,913 people have attended Panel meetings between January, 2008 and November, 2010 and every issue of concern which has ever been raised at a Panel meeting during the last 3 years has been actioned, with an increasing focus on resolution and impact

Audience members’ 2008 2009 2010 responses (149 (164 responses) (86 responses) responses) Issues discussed important to your neighbourhood ? 100% yes 100% yes 100% yes

66% yes; 78% yes; 64% yes; Action from meeting to 32% don’t know; 15% don’t know 30% don’t know; make a difference ? 2% no 7% no 6% no

54% yes; 74% yes; 67% yes; Actions from previous 42% don’t know; 24% don’t know; 33% don’t know meetings had an impact ? 4% no 2% no 0% no.

3.3 It is clear that the issues being discussed are the important ones, that they need to be taken seriously and that the actions taken are having and have had a positive impact, but it is clear there is a need for further development to increase the perception of positive impact(s).

Agenda Item 8 – page 1 3.4 Panel members, although some were initially sceptical, are positive too.

Panel members’ 2008 2009 2010 responses (85 responses) (79 responses) (66 responses) Actions from previous 84% yes; 96% yes; 92% yes; meeting 14% don’t know; 3% don’t know 7% don’t know; had an impact? 2 % no 1% no 1% no Successful way of 71% yes; 89% yes; 86% yes; consulting public ? 22% don’t know; 7% don’t know 10% don’t know; 7% no 4% no 4% no

3.5 I summarised the impact of actions (taken by partner agencies working together) on some of the main issue categories in the recent East Cambridgeshire magazine (Winter, 2010, p.19):

• Reduction in fly-tipping; • Reduction in ‘green laning’ (4x4s driving along droves/by-ways) • Production of action plans to combat dog fouling; • Reduction in levels of crime; • Reduction in reported acts of anti-social behaviour (ASB); • The introduction and work of the Speedwatch scheme across the District – a reduction in the numbers of recorded speeding vehicles . 3.6 The summary report (to the ‘In Your Patch’ meeting on 20th October, 2010)following on from the County Council’s Review of Neighbourhood Panels (September, 2010) concluded by saying:

Panel meetings are managed and administered effectively by East Cambridgeshire District Council; The content of meeting agendas is varied and not Policing-focussed; Neighbourhood Action Groups are held promptly after panel meetings and all actions are logged, acted upon and reported back to subsequent meetings; There is an ongoing challenge to increase the diversity of those attending the panels. A good start has been made with the young people's involvement. The aim is to build upon this in future and also to increase the involvement of hard-to-reach groups; Partner agencies in other districts within the County have implemented arrangements which are based upon the good practice operating in East Cambridgeshire. ‘

3.7 An initial review meeting of officers from partner agencies was held on 20th October and, following this, there have been Panel Members’ meetings in 4 Panel areas within the District.

3.8 Feedback from the recent Panel Members’ meetings has been collated and discussed with representatives from partner agencies on 7th February, prior to a projected meeting with Panel Chairmen in early March (so that we can implement best practice on a consistent basis

Agenda Item 8 – page 2 and be well set for further developments). Continuous improvement has always been a feature of our Panel processes.

4.1 The January series of Neighbourhood Panel meetings has just taken place, with, uniquely, the agendas all having the same main items for discussion:

ECDC: Budgetary implications;

 NHS Services in the Community Foundation Trust – consultation;

Police Authority – update and consultation;

In addition, in there was detail about an award for provision for young people in the town, Woodland creation and the town’s Masterplan, while in Ely, there was also discussion about the future of The Maltings.

All meetings had, as always, feedback on actions taken to address issues of concern raised at the meetings in October, listening to participants’ issues of concern and agreement of priorities for partner agencies for the next 3 months.

4.2 The priority issues for each Panel area are outlined below:

South area Panel

Speeding and driving offences across the Panel area;

Develop a strategy to approach CCC Highways for speed limit improvements – adopting ideas from other districts and parishes – as part of the ‘localism agenda’;

Re-activate Speedwatch – with volunteers coming from all villages in the Panel area.

Soham and East area Panel

Anti-social behaviour on the Barleyfields Estate, Kingfisher Drive in ;

Parking close to schools in the Panel area;

Litter alongside roads in the Panel area.

West area Panel

Drugs issues in the Neighbourhood Panel area;

Agenda Item 8 – page 3 Obstructive parking outside schools;

A multi-agency approach to the Windmill Walk, Sutton parking issues in general

Littleport area Panel

Drugs activity in Littleport;

Obstructive parking – warnings, followed by enforcement (with subsequent reporting on both warnings and enforcement actions)

Dog Fouling in Parsons Lane, Wisbech Road, Victoria Street and elsewhere (need for community information)

Ely area Panel

Address drugs activity in Ely

Alcohol-related ASB in the City centre (in readiness for the introduction of the DPPO around the Cathedral precincts)

5.1 Neighbourhood Panel meetings for the rest of 2011 are as follows, in:

March

M 21st West Panel………. Witcham Village Hall T 22nd Littleport Panel….. Littleport Community Primary School, Parsons Lane W 23rd Ely Panel…………. The Council Chamber, ECDC

T 29th Soham and East Panel. Soham (Beechurst Hall) W 30th South Panel…………… Kirtling Village Hall

( Local Elections ) June

T 28th South Panel……………… The Ellesmere Centre, Stetchworth W 29th Soham and East Panel…. Soham Village College (Beechurst Hall)

July

M 25th West Panel……… Village Hall T 26th Littleport Panel……. Littleport Community Primary School W 27th Ely Panel………… The Council Chamber, ECDC

Agenda Item 8 – page 4 October

T 4th Soham and East Panel….. Soham Village College (Beechurst Hall) W 5th South Panel…………….. Burwell Village College

M 24th West Panel……….. Witchford Village Hall T 25th Littleport Panel…… Littleport Community Primary School W 26th Ely Panel………… The Council Chamber, ECDC

Agenda Item 8 – page 5