Agenda and draft minutes

No apologies were received.

Members of the Sub-Group are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000,the Council’s Constitution and the individual Member should not participate in a discussion on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting and not seek to influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interest by any of the Councillors in any of the agenda items.

The Sub-Group to continue to interview selected witnesses in connection with the ongoing inquiry into Neighbourhood Working

The main theme for the meeting is “What approaches to neighbourhood working should we consider?”

The following officers will be interviewed:

Derek Ormerod – Ulnes Walton Parish Council

Lynne Rowett – Ulnes Walton Parish Council

Chief Inspector Chris Bithell Lancashire Constabulary

Adrienne Banks – Lancashire County Council Neighbourhood Engagement Policy Officer

Attached are details of the night’s session along with the questions the Panel would like to put to the officers as well as a witness-briefing note.  

The Chair reminded the Members that this fourth session of the Sub-Group had been convened to interview further witnesses selected to assist the on-going inquiry into neighbourhood working.  The purpose of the meeting would be to ascertain the witnesses’ views on: “What approaches to neighbourhood working should we consider?”

The Chair introduced and welcomed the following persons invited to the meeting:

?         Adrienne Banks – Lancashire County Council, Neighbourhood Engagement Policy Officer

?       Cindy Lowthian – Lancashire County Council

?       Chief Inspector Chris Bithell – Lancashire Constabulary

?       Derek Ormerod – Chairman of Ulnes Walton Parish Council

?       Lynn Rowett – Clerk of Ulnes Walton Parish Council

The Sub-Group received a presentation from Adrienne Banks, the Neighbourhood Engagement Policy Officer of Lancashire County Council.

The session for this Sub-Group will hear about plans and proposals being considered by Lancashire County Council.  Two aspects are of particular interest for the Sub-Group:

1)      The County was consulting on a strategy for neighbourhood engagement in County services.  This could include devolving some powers and budgets to recognised neighbourhood structures including neighbourhood management, partnership, parish councils etc.  The quality parish council scheme was seen as a possible model for this recognition.

2)      The County had also worked with the Regional Government Office to identify three or four pilots for ‘neighbourhood arrangements’ especially to explore engagement in the Local Area Agreement process (this directs public funds from different sources to meet key targets and priorities across the county; those can be ‘tailored’ around neighbourhoods).  One of these pilots will be in Chorley.  It was likely to be word-based and the neighbourhood is to be agreed by the Local Strategic Partnership.

The session took the form of a discussion amongst these authorities and taking account of the experience and aspirations of the public services and the community leaders, what was the best approach for Chorley.

There was currently out for consultation a document entitled Engaging Communities and Neighbourhoods.  Consultation period being 22 January 2007 to 21 April 2007.  The consultation paper sets out the County Council’s proposals for getting people at a local level involved in what they do and how they do it and ultimately taking responsibility for owning and managing local services and facilities themselves.

It was determined that most neighbourhood issues could be resolved locally.  Lancashire County Council was committed to drawing on local knowledge and experience to influence and shape future decision making and service planning.

It was pointed out that Lancashire County Council had introduced Liability Programme setting out a programme of activities to bring LCC closer to the community.  The Locality Focus Programme had identified four key strands for future development:

?       To support members as community advocates

?       To engage effectively at the local level

?       To open ourselves up to the public

?       To engage effectively with partners and stakeholders

Much was made of examples of neighbourhood arrangements/structures being:

?       Parish and Town Councils

?         Neighbourhood Management

?       District Area Committees/Councils

?       Market Town Partnerships

Four Local Area Agreement Pilots had been established one of which was Clayton Brook in Chorley.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.