12. Community Development Update
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AGENDA ITEM 12 COMMITTEE: WEST LUTON AREA DATE: THURSDAY 22ND JULY 2010 SUBJECT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (BULLET POINT UPDATE) REPORT BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICE - AREA WEST CONTACT OFFICER: SANDRA HAYES – COMM. DEV. SERVICE MANAGER SHAMSUZ ZAMAN – UNIT DEV. MANAGER ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Activities Summer Play schemes at Chaul End, Hockwell Ring and Lewsey Community Centres have been planned. Staff will be supported by volunteers who, recruited as part of Community Development Service’s extensive campaign, gave great commitment and enthusiasm, making the play schemes successful and providing hours of entertainment for 5 to 10 year olds. Policing & Diversionary Activities Community Development Service staff at Chaul End, Hockwell Ring and Lewsey Community Centres continue to work closely with the police and are working with local groups to help provide diversionary activities e.g. • The Lewsey Boxing club have promoted a new programme aimed at young people, • New Boxing club has started in Chaul End centre as of April 2010 attracting 30 to 40 young people from Challney ward on a Wednesday and Saturday mornings. • Mitlee Youth club for girls began in May 2010 and aims to provide a much needed facility in the area . They meet every Monday from 4.30-6.30 • Junior youth club 5-7pm age 10 to 12 on a Thursday and Boys only youth club every Thursday on the MUGA 5 a side football pitch Adult Learning Adult literacy and numeracy classes were rolled out during term times at Hockwell Ring, Chaul End centre and at Lewsey CC. Generally there has been an increase in numbers of people accessing the services across all 3 centres. Play Schemes Project Play schemes were delivered throughout all Community Centres this year. A programme booklet was produced which included involving children in design work 12/1 July 2009 from last year’s play schemes to help promote the activities and make it appealing to all communities. The booklet was widely available in local schools, libraries etc. Challney Ward The Community festival took place on Saturday 19th June 2010 at Chaul End Centre. Over 2000 people attended the event. Cllr Mead was in attendance and Kelvin Hopkins MP (Luton North) and Deputy Mayor Cllr Mohammed Farooq officially opened the event. This was the second such Challney festival and was warmly received by the community. Many people took the opportunity to participate in the Neighbourhood Governance tent and express their views on their neighbourhood and how it can be improved. Chaul End Centre CDS currently work in partnership with Adult Social Care in providing activities for individuals who are in special needs care and are developing partnerships with the community for various activities. Such activities run at the centre include Art and Languages class, Exercise sessions for all ages and a new Social group for all ages called the Challney Evergreen. We have also formed a User committee, which meets 3 times a year with the participation of local councillors. Chaul End Centre has longer opening hours and has increased the number of activities for the local community. A number of steps have been taken to increase the use of the centre beginning by seeking approval from councillors to lower the centre’s room hire prices by 15% and also improving the signage. As a consequence we have more community and voluntary groups using the centre. Leagrave ward CDS staff are currently delivering their work from the Hockwell Ring Day Centre and supporting groups that were originally based at the Hockwell Ring Community Centre. Various groups have been temporarily decanted to Lewsey Community Centre , Acworth Court (warden controlled flat) , Gill Blowers nursery and the local school; this has meant that the activities of the groups can continue till the work is completed at Hockwell Ring Community Centre. The refurbishment of the Hockwell Ring Community Centre began in April 2010 and will incorporate the Adult Social Care Service move from the Hockwell Ring Day Care Centre in September 2010. Cllr Sheila Roden and Cllr Desline Stewart visited the site of the centre and saw the work being carried; both felt that the new initiative will ultimately improve community usage . The following space has been planned at the centre: • Café • Four community rooms • Accessible toilets • Large Community kitchen • Garden 12/2 July 2009 • LBC touch down bases The Community festival is being planned for Saturday 7th August 2010 around Hockwell Ring Community Centre, due to the refurbishment work at the centre this year. Summer activities including family day trips for those less able to afford such an excursion are being planned by area staff. Lewsey Ward The Community festival took place on Saturday 26th June 2010, at Lewsey Park. The event was a wonderful success attracting a hugely diverse attendance. The event was officially opened by Kelvin Hopkins MP (Luton North) and Luton Mayor Councillor Tom Shaw. The festival committee, councillors, Community Development Service staff and volunteers are to be congratulated on ensuring the event was a success. It was estimated that this year’s festival attracted in the region of 2000 people. Like every year there was a 5-a-side football tournament organised by staff based at Lewsey Community Centre. Around 20 teams entered the 5-a-side competition . The 5-a-side this year was won by Lewsey Finest ( A ) with Lewsey Finest ( C ) coming second. Community Pay Back Through the Area committee and via the Neighbourhood Governance project, Lewsey Community Centre’s patio/garden area had a general clean up and painting was carried out on all affected areas; this work is on-going. The community are now able to use the garden on a regular basis with greater confidence. Area Committee Funding Staff would like to extend their gratitude to the Area Committee for £400 of funding. The Lewsey Art project were able to buy 3 display boards to showcase their art work. The display of art work proudly sits in the centre reception for public view. The Lewsey art class in particular would like to thank the councillors for their support. Family Quiz Night This was held on Tuesday 1st June 2010 as part of National Family Week. The evening was organised and run by Luton Borough Council’s Community Development Staff, Bedfordshire Police and the Lewsey Area Partnership. Approx 70 people attended on a ticket sale basis. First Aid Sessions Lewsey Area Partnership were lucky enough in being successful in their Neighbourhood Governance Participatory Budget application in February 2010, and consequently ran the basic first aid sessions on the 15th, 16th & 17th June 2010 at Lewsey Community Centre. The sessions were run by the Red Cross and 81 parents from the 6 schools that are part of the partnership took up the offer of places. 12/3 July 2009 As part of the Community Development Service’s commitment to improving communication, each area committee will now receive a report on the service as a whole, as well as specialised items of their particular area. The Community Development Service (CDS) - Management /Staffing Information: Cllr. Ashraf is the Luton Borough Council port-folio holder for The CDS, which is part of the Housing and Community Living Department of the Council, managed by Pam Garraway. The CDS comes under the direct line management of Mike McMahon(Head of Housing Strategy & Private Sector) whilst The CDS team is headed up by Sandra Hayes (Community Development Service Manager), supported by an Area Operations manager and 4 area managers (UDMs) and Centre staff; a Neighbourhood Governance Team (Manager and assistant - who are working exclusively in Luton West / South on the Neighbourhood Governance Project); 2 Project Managers (one specialising in group work and the other in communications) and a Service Support Team. CDS staff are very keen to hear from members of the community who might like to either take part in new activities or become involved in helping to decide what the service needs to provide. Please telephone Community Development Service on 01582 556692 to let us know. In Area West, the Community Development Service runs the Chaul End, and Hockwell Community Centres – the latter which is currently under-going refurbishment. The highlights for / from the centres / area from the March 2010 (as the last Area Committee was cancelled due to the General Election), follow together with a Performance Management report on / from the Community Development Service in general, with some interesting information on the communities we work with in Area West: 12/4 July 2009 General Information on Community Development Service Community Development Service Performance Management Report Sandra Hayes Year Ending March 2010 12/5 July 2009 Contents 1. How Community Centre figures relate to local population based on Cumulative Throughput figures for Raynham Way Community Centre 2. Visits to Community Centres during 09-10 and contact with groups outside of Centres 3. Migrants Impact Worker Report 4. Connecting Communities - Report 12/6 July 2009 1) How Community Centre figures relate to local population based on Cumulative Throughput figures for Raynham Way Community Centre Throughput figures – based on first qt 2009-10 In order to ensure that our community centres are catering for the local community, a comparison has been carried out comparing usage figures to the Ward Census. Usage Chart 12/7 July 2009 2) Visits to Community Centres during 09-10 and contact with groups outside of Centres Usage figures: Asian Black Oriental White Other Bury Park 28519 9315 148 3084 236 Bushmead 3489 1730 212 14007 103 Farley 3256 812 58 10259 427 Hockwell Ring 1886 3171 97 5529 625 Jubilee 4716 1521 84 4279 698 Lewsey 3051 1634 133 15245 271 Limbury 55 52 2 448 833 Park Town 1374 2163 2162 12934 573 Raynham Way 1746 1224 238 18048 44 Saints 11435 675 102 1971 55 Sundon Park 706 2406 127 7940 0 Chaul End is not included in this analysis as it had only just been taken over by the Community Development Service, but it will be included in future performance management work.