Issue - meetings

Received a report setting out options for future community involvement and participation within the context of local and strategic decision-making in the light of a comprehensive review of the role of Community Forums, which were established over five years ago as part of the Council’s decision-making structure.

Following the decision in 2005 to review whether the Community Forums were still meeting their key aims and objectives, an extensive consultation exercise was undertaken to ascertain the views of the local community, Council Members and officers, partners and other local stakeholders.  The report set out a summary of the responses to this consultation, outlined the additional mechanisms for community consultation and involvement that the Council has adopted since the inception of Community Forums and presented options for the future.

Discussed issues relating to the positive and negative aspects of Community Forums and concurred with the officer’s view that a move to a Neighbourhood Management approach, which has a proven record in the Borough following successful pilots in the Marks Gate and Abbey, Gascoigne and Thames areas, could represent an improved, modernised way of communicating with and empowering local communities.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community’ and to enhance and improve the arrangements for community engagement, to:

(i)  support in principle the introduction of a ward/community based Neighbourhood Management structure (as set out in option 2 in the report) as a means of consultation and engagement between the Council and the local community;

(ii)  discontinue Community Forums in the light of the present methods of community consultation and engagement that exist and the support for a Neighbourhood Management approach;

(iii)  receive a detailed report later this year on the neighbourhood management option, including the financial and other resource implications;

(iv)  recommend the Assembly to approve the necessary amendments to the Council’s Constitution to reflect the above proposals.