Report of the Bradford South Area Co-Ordinator to the Meeting of the Bradford South Area Committee to Be Held on Thursday 22 January 2009 AL
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Report of the Bradford South Area Co-ordinator to the meeting of the Bradford South Area Committee to be held on Thursday 22 January 2009 AL Subject: Neighbourhood Forums, Local Action Planning, other Community Engagement Activity, Community Initiatives, and support to Voluntary and Community Organisations within Bradford South in the period 1st July and 31st December 2008. Summary statement: This report provides information regarding Neighbourhood Forums, Local Action Planning, other Community Engagement Activity, Community Initiatives, and support to Voluntary and Community Organisations within Bradford South in the period 1st July and 31st December 2008. Steve Hartley Portfolio: Assistant Director Neighbourhood Service Community Report Contact: John Breen Overview and Scrutiny Area: Area Co-ordinator Phone: 01274 431155 Corporate E-mail:[email protected] Report to the Bradford South Area Committee 1.0 SUMMARY This report provides information about Neighbourhood Forums, Local Action Planning, other community engagement activity, community initiatives, and support to Voluntary and Community Organisations within Bradford South in the period 1st July to 31st December 2008 2.0 BACKGROUND A. Neighbourhood Forums. 2.1 A total of 36 Neighbourhood Forums have taken place in the Bradford South within this period. 2.2 These included 26 Scheduled Neighbourhood Forums and 10 Single Issue Neighbourhood Forums. 2.3 The total attendance figure for this period was 1126 of which 312 are identified as first time attendees (27.7%). A detailed table of attendance numbers is provided within Appendix B. 2.4 During this period a total of: ¾ 256 items of information and 30 items of consultation were presented at Neighbourhood Forums. ¾ Community involvement in regeneration or Action Planning was progressed at 6 Neighbourhood Forums. ¾ Safer Communities issues were addressed at 9 Neighbourhood Forums in this period. ¾ Activities to support community cohesion issues took place at 1 Neighbourhood Forum. ¾ 177 examples of service responsiveness to issues raised previously by the public were recorded. 2.5 Police Officers attended 25 Scheduled Neighbourhood Forums and their contribution is much appreciated. 2.6 The Area Co-ordinator’s Office continues to seek to 'tailor' Neighbourhood Forums and other forms of consultation and community engagement to the interests and character of each individual Neighbourhood. This is illustrated by the broad range of issues discussed; the number of partner agencies contributing to Neighbourhood Forums; and the range of different “styles” of Forums which have been developed. These are outlined with a summary from each meeting, within Appendix A. 2.7 A number of key issues have figured strongly in Neighbourhood Forums over this Autumn period. These have included: • Crime and Community Safety Issues – These issues are always high on the agenda and with dark evenings and Christmas close become a greater priority. 2 • Local Development Framework (LDF) – An area of Greenbelt to the east of Holme Wood has been included in 2 of the 4 Spatial Options, which could result in up to 5,000 properties being developed. We, therefore, supported the initial public consultation in Holme Wood, Tong Street and Westgate Hill and Tong Village. This was both through scheduled Neighbourhood Forums and a range of special events. • Community Clean-Ups – Bradford South Area Committee allocates an annual budget of £20,000 to support Community Clean-ups across Bradford South. We consulted local people, through the Neighbourhood Forums, to get their views on where these Community Clean-ups should take place. 2.8 478 issues were raised through the Autumn Cycle of Neighbourhood Forums, and these are outlined in Appendix C. 3.0 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS B. Local Action Planning, community engagement, community initiatives, and support to local Voluntary and Community Organisations. The Neighbourhoods Service has recently introduced a suite of new performance indicators which provide a broader picture of the work of the Service. Additional details on the activity of the Neighbourhoods Service can therefore now be provided within these regular reports to the Area Committee. 3.1 LOCAL ACTION PLANNING The Area Co-ordinator's Office continues to support local action planning within Bradford South. 3.2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 3.2.1 Whilst Neighbourhood Forums remain the 'core business' of the Area Co-ordinator’s Office, “community engagement” work also includes consultation and involvement of local residents and partner agencies in decision making through: • partnership bodies • local problem-solving groups (Ward Safer Community Partnerships) • special events (e.g. ‘Not in my Neighbourhood Week’) • action planning 3.2.2 The number of local residents and partners who have been involved in such forms of community engagement, where the Area Co- ordinator’s Office have been completely or significantly responsible for the organisation of the activity, is 7731, the details of which are outlined in Appendix D. (These do not include activities or events where the Area Co-ordinator’s Office has contributed to meetings at the invitation and organisation of others or where activities involved only Elected Members and/or Officers). 3 3.2.3 The total number of people involved in Neighbourhood Forums and other community engagement activities between the 1st July and 31st December 2008 was 8857. 3.3 COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND SUPPORT TO VOLUNTARY AND / OR COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS 3.3.1 The Neighbourhoods Service monitors the work undertaken to develop and support community initiatives and to provide support to Voluntary and Community Organisations. 3.3.2 In the period covered by this report, Bradford South Area Co- ordinator’s Office provided support to 58 new or continuing community initiatives, of which: • 43 contributed to strengthening community cohesion; • 56 were working to find 'local solutions to local problems'; • 51 contributed to community safety; • 38 contributed to the 'greener and cleaner' agenda; • and 55 contributed to addressing priorities within the Bradford Area Committee Action Plan 2007-2009. 3.3.3 In the period covered by this report, the Bradford South Area Co- ordinator’s Office offered advice, guidance or support (in relation to assisting the effective functioning of the voluntary organisations) to 42 Voluntary and Community Organisations. 4.0 OPTIONS This report is provided primarily for information. 5.0 FINANCIAL AND RESOURCE APPRAISAL The current Neighbourhood Forums and other community engagement activities are provided within existing financial resources. Bradford South Area Co-ordinator’s Office continuously reviews ways of working in order to use these resources in the most efficient and effective manner. 6.0 LEGAL APPRAISAL There are no legal implications for Bradford Council arising from this report. 7.0 OTHER IMPLICATIONS 7.1 LINKS TO BRADFORD SOUTH AREA COMMITTEE ACTION PLAN 2007 - 2009 The Area Committee Action Plan includes a commitment on the part of the Bradford South Area Committee to continue to support community engagement through Neighbourhood Forums and other public engagement and consultation events and activities. 4 7.2 EQUAL RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS In organising Neighbourhood Forums and other Community Engagement activities work is undertaken to ensure that they are accessible to all sections of the community. 7.3 SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS Public consultation and involvement leads to the development of locally focused solutions issues. This results in more efficient and effective use of resources whilst supporting the development of more sustainable communities. 7.4 COMMUNITY SAFETY IMPLICATIONS Crime and Community Safety issues are frequently addressed through Neighbourhood Forums and other Community Engagement activities. Working with West Yorkshire Police and other partners to address these issues has a positive impact on quality of life issues in local communities. 7.5 HUMAN RIGHTS ACT There are no Human Rights Act implications arising from this report. 7.6 TRADE UNION IMPLICATIONS There are no trade union implications arising from this report. 8.0 NOT FOR PUBLICATION DOCUMENTS There are no not for publication documents. 9.0 RECOMMENDATIONS That the constructive engagement with local communities public on a wide range of issues at Neighbourhood Forums and through other forms of community engagement in the period 1st July and 31st December 2008 be noted. 10.0 APPENDICES Appendix A: Scheduled Neighbourhood Forum Summaries between the 1st July and 31st December 2008. Appendix B: Scheduled and Single Issue Neighbourhood Forum Attendance Figures between the 1st July and 31st December 2008. Appendix C: Monitoring of key issues raised between the 1st July and 31st December 2008 Appendix D: Other Community Engagement Monitoring between the 1st July and 31st December 2008 5 11.0 BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS “Neighbourhood Forums, Local Action Planning, other Community Engagement Activity, and support to Voluntary and Community Organisations within Bradford South Area between 01/01/08 and 30/06/08” (Document Q), Report to Bradford South Area Committee, 24th July 2008. “Neighbourhood Forums, Local Action Planning, other Community Engagement Activity, and support to Voluntary and Community Organisations within Bradford South Area between 01/09/07 and 31/12/07” (Document AE), Report to Bradford South Area Committee, 24th January 2008. “Scheduled Neighbourhood Forums, Single Issue Neighbourhood Forums, and other Community Engagement Events