COUNTY COUNCIL LOCAL COMMITTEE FOR BARROW Paper No. Meeting date: 27 June 2008 From: CORPORATE DIRECTOR – SAFER AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES 11

WALNEY DEVELOPMENT WORKER

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 This is an update on the work of Friends of Walney and a request for a financial support towards the continued employment of the development worker.

2.0 POLICY POSITION AND BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

2.1 Friends of Walney support a number of community projects which contribute towards all of the Councils key themes. 2.2 Local Committee is requested to contribute £5k to Friends of Walney towards the employment of their development worker in the year 2008/9 and to consider in principle future allocations of a similar amount.

3.0 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 Members are asked to note the content of the report and to consider making a financial contribution of £5k to Friends of Walney towards the employment of their development worker in the year 2008/9 and to consider in principle future allocations of a similar amount.

4.0 BACKGROUND

4.1 Friends of Walney was formed several years ago to implement the Walney Plan. Since its formation, Friends of Walney has become a registered charity and it has become the focal point for raising community issues and developing projects on the Island. A comprehensive list of recent and planned projects is attached as Appendix 1.

4.2 Since 2004, Friends of Walney has employed a part-time development worker. Initially, the worker was employed through Barrow CRC. At the time, Friends of Walney had no employment systems in place and the worker was able to benefit from being part of the CRC’s Community Development team. Local Committee agree to contribute £5k towards the cost of the worker each year up to 2006-7.

4.3 Unfortunately, Barrow CRC went into liquidation in 2006. With support from the County Council, eventually Friends of Walney established its own employment and payroll system and was able to employ the development worker directly in 2007. During the difficult transition period, Barrow Community Trust and Barrow Council contributed to continuation of the post.

5.0 CURRENT SITUATION

5.1 The cost of the part-time worker (including oncosts and rent etc) is approximately £20k. As part of the Neighbourhood Renewal Complimentary Programme, £10k has been made available to Friends of Walney for the current year. Barrow Council has agreed £5k. This leaves a shortfall in the current financial year of £5k. Friends of Walney is requesting a grant of £5k from Local Committee to meet this shortfall.

5.2 The role of the development worker is extremely beneficial to the Community Unit, as this frees up time of our own Community Development staff. Although this application is for one year only, it is likely that Members will receive applications in future years. Members may wish to give guidelines to Friends of Walney about reporting to Local Committee and any future applications.

6.0 OPTIONS

6.1 Members may wish to not award a grant on this occasion. Friends of Walney may be able to obtain this funding elsewhere but as this is not a new post, this would be difficult.

6.2 Members may wish to award £5k. This would enable Friends of Walney to continue to employ the worker until April 2009.

6.3 Members may wish to award £5k and indicate any future funding in principle.

6.4 In the event of Members agreeing options 6.2 or 6.3, Members should indicate future reporting requirements.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 Friends of Walney work closely with the Council at Member and officer level and provide a focal point for issues on Walney. The employment of a worker is essential to continue the level of success of Friends of Walney. Members may wish to contribute financially to support the ongoing employment of the worker.

Derek Brook, Community Development Officer 16 June 2008

APPENDICES Appendix 1 Friends of Walney update June 08

IMPLICATIONS

Staffing: None Financial: £5k Electoral Division(s): Walney North,

Executive Decision YES

Key Decision No

If a Key Decision, is the proposal published in the current Forward N/A Plan?

Is the decision exempt from call-in on grounds of urgency? No

If exempt from call-in, has the agreement of the Chair of the relevant N/A Overview and Scrutiny Committee been sought or obtained?

N.B. If an executive decision is made, then a decision cannot be implemented until the expiry of the eighth working day after the date of the meeting - unless the decision is urgent and exempt from call-in and the Head of Member Services has obtained the necessary approvals.

Contact: Derek Brook, Community Development Officer Tel: 01229 407575 Email: [email protected]

Appendix 1 Friends of Walney update June 08

Completed or Long Term Projects: • Benches for Biggar Bank – Thorny Nook to Sandy Gap (Feb 05 – Nov 05)

• Benches for Biggar Village - two benches for those who walk the Walney circuit (Jan 07 – Sept 07) • Northscale channel side clearance (Nov 05 – Jan 06) • Northscale Children’s play ground security fence (March 06 – Aug 07) • New fence for Park Vale all weather play area (Jan 07 – March 08) • Floodlights for Mill Lane Play Park – skate park and MUGA (Jan 07 – Sept 07) • Floodlights for Park – to help in policing unsociable behaviour in the children’s play area at night. (Jan 07 – Feb 08) • Initial clearance of Channel side south of bridge which rediscovered the original historic promenade. – 2006 - 2007 • Youth Shelter improvement on Mill Lane Play Park (Feb 07) • Provision of Youth Shelter in South Walney (April 05 – July 06) • Fitting railings to wall on Amphitrite Street to deter youths loitering near house – (November 05 – June 06) • Feasibility study and proposals for creation of Linear Park for the channel side from bridge to Avon Street – presentation in Town Hall June 2007 - ongoing project • Clearing of several footpaths in North Walney – an ongoing project

Current Projects 2008 • Regeneration of Mill Lane Pond to provide general access and viewing platform for rare reed bed area. Working with Furness College, Probation Service, Cumbria Wildlife and Natural . This will provide a public amenity and also outdoor classroom facilities for local schools Funding drawn from Breathing Spaces Fund (£9,710) – completion - Summer 2008 • Formation of constituted fishing club to manage three ponds on the North of Walney for the benefit of young people in conjunction with the Environment Agency, BAE Systems and Barrow Borough Council. Funding (£2,000) - for initial assessment, survey and guidance re constitution etc drawn from the Environment Agency – completion Summer 2008 • Feasibility study and progress to planning stage for indoor activity centre at Park Vale for North Walney communities – disabled, youth, sports and general community use. Investigation of options/community consultation late 2008, plans developed Jan/Feb 2009. • Possibility of more youth activities within the Park Vale area such as BMX track for juniors and adventure play area. Linked with above Park Vale development. • Regeneration of disused flats on Mill Lane for use by Youth Services and Walney School for daily out of school and after school sessions for young people and children. Completion ideally September 2008 – depending on negotiations and funding availability (funding bid lodged with Cumbria Youth Capital Fund £28,460) • Provision of toddler equipment on green areas on North Walney- timescale dependent on agreements with local authority. Spring 2009 • Provision of extra youth services in North and South Walney – working with Drop Zone Youth Project, Walney School, Cumbria Youth Alliance and Walney Community Trust. This is ongoing and according to funding streams becoming available but ideally to start September 2008 if premises ready. Funds raised to date for extra youth provision on Walney from various funders - £29,000 • Helping with Jubilee Bridge Celebrations – June/July 2008 • Provision of toilets for the disabled at Vickerstown Park Bowling Club July 2008 • Work on the Northscale pond to protect the bank and provide pond dipping facilities and nature observation provision for local schools as an “Outdoor classroom” facility. This has been delayed by the loss of the warden post at Natural England on North Walney who was guiding the project environmentally. • Helping the Ocean Wave Community Centre get established.

Projects in hand but waiting for information and/or funding: • Creation of Linear Park to South of the bridge – waiting for estimate of cost to reinstate the channel bank to adoptable standard for flood defence and ongoing maintenance and negotiations with Local Council and Boughton Estates. • Regeneration of the Monk’s Dyke Path to provide a safer walking route to join the Greenway between the bridge to the south and west to Biggar Bank. This should not be a costly project but does need research into the historic nature of the Dyke Path so that any development would not be detrimental to a site of historic interest.

Future Projects being explored for 2009 • Children’s play area / garden complex at southern end of Empress Drive • Feature for new triangular piece of land created by new road layout at entrance to Empress Drive • Possible landscape feature to mark the start of the Walney to Wear Cycle Way at Sandy Gap / West Shore • Feature to mark entrance to Northscale village on small grassed area on the roadside at entrance to the village

Friends of Walney - membership At the regular Friends of Walney meetings the following groups are regularly represented:

North Walney Tenants and Residents West Shore Park Residents Northscale Residents Biggar Village Residents Channel View Residents Ocean Wave Community Centre Walney Community Trust Walney School Community Police Age Concern Sure Start / National Children’s Homes Cumbria County Council Barrow Borough Council Drop Zone Youth Project Warden from North Walney Nature Reserve (Natural England)