Falcon Lodge Community Plan 2018 – 2022 This Community Plan has been produced following extensive consultation and listening to both the local communities of Falcon Lodge and the agencies that provide services to those communities. RSCTC Logo Compass Logo 1 CONTENTS PART ONE – SHAPING THE COMMUNITY PLAN 1. Foreword by Councillor Simon Ward, Leader of Sutton Coldfield Town Council (To add pre-print) Picture 2. The Plan on a Page 3. A Profile of Falcon Lodge 4. How we have written the Community Plan a. Policy, Future Delivery Arrangements and Accountability of the Plan b. Agency Appointed to Develop the Plan c. Approach and Method for Developing the Plan 5. Informing the Community Plan a. Community Research b. Community Conference c. Theme Working Groups d. Desktop Research – demographics, health, education, employment and housing data e. Mapping PART TWO – THE COMMUNITY PLAN 6. The Community Plan – Vision, Approach & Timetable 7. Action Plan 2 8. Partnership Arrangements 9. A Community Enabler 10. Accountability Arrangements PART 3 11. Background Papers and Information Appendix 3 PART 1 1. JOINT FOREWORD Councillor Simon Ward, Leader of Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council Independent Chair1 of the Falcon Lodge Community Forum To add at design stage post approval Pictures 1 The Independent Chair will work with the community enabler and new board to identify a community chair in readiness for January 2019. 4 2. THE PLAN ON A PAGE What’s our Vision? We aim to deliver a happy, healthy and connected community, a vibrant local economy and an appealing neighbourhood to live, work, learn and prosper. How we have developed the plan? Our plan has been shaped with and by the community in Falcon Lodge. By that we mean the people who live, visit, work and represent Falcon Lodge. We have engaged extensively to establish how the community feels about local issues, what their concerns are and what they would like to see change now and in the future. We have undertaken in depth community research, held a community conference and explored how we take matters forward through the plan in action groups. Four immediate key needs emerge from this consultation: 1. A better and joined up “offer” for young people 2. Targeted support to vulnerable households through family support and for older residents 3. Continued investment in community assets and community organisations 4. Improved communication with communities of Falcon Lodge Through the consultation three delivery themes have been identified to organise our immediate and longer term actions: 1. A Safer and Stronger Falcon Lodge 2. A Prosperous Falcon Lodge 3. A Greener and Healthier Falcon Lodge Who leads the plan? Our plan will be genuinely community led plan with on-going review and development organised through a new community partnership supported by a new dedicated post working exclusively in Falcon Lodge and with the engagement of the ward and town for the Reddicap Ward, support from the Town Council and from key partners and community stakeholders working in Falcon Lodge. What’s the timeframe for delivering the plan? The plan will deliver for a period of four years from 2018-22, which fits with the Town Council’s electoral cycle. It will include short-term actions for 2018 starting from June, with some actions cutting across future years in the plan and even beyond. We recognise that there are some vital early wins to deliver on to address immediate concerns, to build confidence and momentum and other areas such as long-term investment and regeneration, which will take longer. We will update our Plan annually. What are our immediate priorities for 2018? To approve the Community Plan through the Town Council, appoint the community enabler, set up the community board, develop a better youth offer, tackle immediate concerns around Anti Social Behaviour, complete the refurbishment of the Youth and Community Centre, 5 bring about a joined up and comprehensive youth offer and improve communications with the community. What are our long-term priorities? To tackle deep-rooted problems around isolation and family poverty, creating inclusion and prosperity, bring about housing regeneration and improved housing management, improve educational attainment and local skills, opportunities for developing enterprise through local start ups and identify long term improvements in community and environmental facilities. 3. PROFILE OF FALCON LODGE Falcon Lodge is situated in the Sutton Reddicap ward2, one of eight new wards3 in Sutton Coldfield. It occupies about two thirds of the footprint of this ward. As well as Falcon Lodge the ward includes Langley Pool, Old Langley Hall and Langley Park House. Since May 2016 Sutton Coldfield has had its own Town Council – the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council. In May 2018 two town councillors have been elected from the Sutton Reddicap ward to represent Falcon Lodge on the town council from May 2018 for a period of four years. Sutton Reddicap Town Councillors: Councillor Samuel Simper (Conservative), who sits on Planning and Highways Committee of the Town Council Picture Councillor Julie Ashley-Higgins (Labour), who sits on the Amenities, Leisure and Community Services Committee of the Town Council. Picture Alongside its two Town Councillors, the ward is represented on Birmingham City Council by a Councillor, Charlotte Hodivala (Conservative). 2 Previously Sutton Trinity up to 3 May 2018. 3 These are Sutton Four Oaks, Sutton Mere Green, Sutton Reddicap, Sutton Trinity Ward, Sutton Vesey, Sutton Walmley & Minworth, Sutton Wylde Green and Sutton Roughley replacing Sutton Trinity, Sutton Four Oaks, Sutton New Hall, Sutton Vesey from 3 May 2018. 6 Picture Details of all Councillor Surgeries, both Town and City, are included in the information appendix at the end of the plan. Overview of Falcon Lodge The bulk of the residential footprint Falcon Lodge is made up by a post-war council estate. This was built between 1948 and 1956 on what was originally an orchard, comprising some 1,450 dwellings, of which less than 800 are still council properties. There are two secondary schools, one of which falls just outside the boundary; two primary schools and a children’s centre situated just within the boundary. A number of places of worship serve the community with two of these within the boundary and three just outside. Two faith groups provide services and activity within the Falcon Lodge Youth and Community Centre. The estate is demarked by Rectory Road on the north side, with Lindridge Road and Springfield Road forming the eastern boundary, Reddicap Heath Road in the south, and Hollyfield Road (B4148) to the west. The map below, with its distinct horizontal arrow shape, illustrates its boundaries and includes some of its key community amenities. A pen portrait of the services provided by each of these amenities is set out below. 7 MAP 1 – Falcon Lodge Community Plan Boundaries and Community Amenities 8 Source: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 Ordnance Survey 100019153. 9 The main parade of shops is on Churchill Road, which includes the Second Thoughts charity shop and just further on the Falcon Lodge Community Centre. Another smaller row of shops and The Anvil public house can be found on the corners of Springfield and Reddicap Heath Roads together with a cluster of shops and the Pesto Restaurant, on the corners of Reddicap Heath and Hollyfield Roads. There is a private nursery and a doctors’ surgery on Carhampton Road. St Giles Cancer Support Centre is situated on the Lindridge Road. Sutton Reddicap Ward (including Falcon Lodge) is situated in the Sutton Coldfield Parliamentary Constituency, a generally prosperous district in the city (of Birmingham). It has higher levels of household income and low levels of unemployment and worklessness together with an older population base more economically active residents and owner-occupiers compared to city and national averages. However, Falcon Lodge, unlike the constituency as a whole has higher levels of unemployment and worklessness, lower income levels and a younger population – this is detailed below. The Member of Parliament representing the Royal Borough (since 2001) is the Rt.Hon. Andrew Mitchell. His surgery details are included in the information appendix at the end of the plan. Picture. 4. KEY SERVICES This section provides a pen portrait of some of the key services provided to the community in Falcon LODGE. A range of commercial and retail services complement this. Second Thoughts. 23 Churchill Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7 LD. [email protected], 0121 3555088. The Second Thoughts Project aims to promote community and provide support to the residents of Falcon Lodge and any others who wish to make use of its extensive range of resources and services. The Second Thoughts Shop (ST), been active on the estate for 23 years and is located in the center of Churchill Parade at the heart of Falcon Lodge. It is both the best-known organisation and the most widely recognised location for help and advice of any kind. Although the shop has been set up and is still run by the members of Sutton Coldfield Baptist Church, the only evidence of its Christian ethos is through its active 10 exercise of Charity; very few people on the estate are aware of the Second Thought‘s religious affiliation. From its tiny premises, the shop runs the only café on the estate, which, despite being small, is nonetheless popular with elderly, disabled, and isolated community members who come there for hot beverages and a friendly chat. The community shop on the estate is a base for all the project’s services selling low cost second hand goods, serving free tea and coffee, providing information, providing aassisted internet access, ssignposting local events and activities, Community Directory, monthly drop in surgery with police, monthly drop in surgery with Citysave Credit Union, baby bags for new mums, Food Parcel scheme (by referral only), Money Advice and working with New Hall Children’s Centre and Sutton East Extended Services.