Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group – Neighbourhood Working meeting held on 13 November 2014 (enclosed)

Decision: That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group – Neighbourhood Working meeting held on 13 November 2014 be confirmed as correct record for signing by the Chair.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

In accordance with the Council’s Members Code of Conduct, Councillor Mark Jarnell declared an interest in respect of item 3. Community groups and organisations, as he was a member of the Buckshaw Village Community Association. 

Representatives from the following Community Groups and Organisations have been invited to the meeting:

·         Buckshaw Village Community Association

·         Chorley Pastors

·         Clayton Brook Community House

·         Community Futures

The Chair welcomed Craig Lee, (Buckshaw Village Community Association - BVCA), Brian Jones (Chorley Street Pastors) and Jackie Heywood (Clayton Brook Community House).

The Chair thanked the representatives for their attendance and explained that the Task Group were interested in how they engaged with members of the public and the Council, if there were any barriers faced and, if there were barriers if the Council could do anything to assist. 

Craig Lee (Chair of the BVCA) outlined the background to the residents association.  It had started in 2008 and had a maximum of 20 people on the committee, which was open to all residents of the village.  Their main aim was to create a sense of community, to this end meetings and free community events were held.  The recent Christmas event had been very well attended.  Assistance was also given at other events in the Village, such as Iron man. 

Craig advised that Buckshaw Village was a unique area, as there were several Parish Councils, two District Councils, Lancashire County Council, the management company and eleven different builders who had responsibilities within the village.  This could mean resolution of issues was complex.

The main engagement method was through the community events, the seven noticeboards and quarterly newsletters.  The newsletters helped to fund the free events.  There was a pool of volunteers who delivered the newsletters by zone, each zone consisting of 100 to 150 properties, although assistance was received from the private sector in terms of volunteers and funding.  The newsletters had been found to be the most effective method of communication. 

The other key communication methods were through social media; including Twitter, Facebook and a web forum.  The web forum was free to join and policed by committee members.  There were common “moans” on the Forum, but Twitter and Facebook tended to be more positive - the most popular post had been in relation to a lost cat! 

Jackie Heywood (Centre Manager at Clayton Brook Community House) explained that the organisation had started as a food co-operative.  It was predominantly a resource and drop in centre. 

The organisation had outgrown the previous house and was now located in the old Places for People property.  The majority of people using the facility were looking for information on housing and welfare rights.  There were peaks in requests for service, e.g. when the bedroom tax was introduced.  People also presented themselves as homeless. 

The Community House organised events, including Halloween and a Christmas lights switch on.  The Community House was run by a small number of volunteers, supported by local Councillors. 

Jackie explained that, for the first time, Chorley Council had provided a Christmas tree.  A lot of work had gone into the Christmas lights switch on, with volunteers having sourced wood and a trailer and built a sleigh.  The organisation made the most of the resources available, in terms of people skills and materials people had, as they did not have a budget.  Some supermarkets had donated prizes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.NW17

The Chair noted that the next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, 8 January at 6pm and that the draft final report would be considered at that meeting. 

Members considered whether the Neighbourhood Areas were geographically correct and agreed that eight areas were working well.  There was potential for a liaison mechanism between the eight Chairs of the meetings, through an informal meeting, perhaps prior to a Chorley 3 Tier Liaison meeting as any issues (of a strategic nature and involving all three tiers of Local Government) could be raised at that meeting. 

Councillor Rogerson advised he had been to a meeting with Members from Lambeth who had engaged in a very positive way with Parish Councils.  Most Parish Councils were good and engaged with their residents, but Members considered how they could effect a change with those who were not as proactive.  Networking opportunities to enable best practice to be shared across the Parishes, sharing information with and from Parishes (through intheboro and Parish newsletters) were agreed as a way forward.

Members considered an annual event to facilitate networking for community groups and Parish Councils, which would empower residents to help themselves.  This was something which the VCFS co-ordinator could assist with.  Partners, such as LCC, Registered Social Landlords and the Police would be invited.  Part of the event could enable groups from each of the areas to come together to share ideas and discuss issues in their area.  Although there were representatives from the VCFS network on the Council’s Public Services Reform Board it was not possible to have representatives from all community groups in the Borough.    

The single point of contact from the Council was discussed as an excellent idea.  There was a need to embed Neighbourhood Working, in particular for improved communication from officers about the outcomes of priorities, to Councillors, community groups and the public.  Updates on progress could be delivered through intheknow, intheboro, Facebook and Twitter.     

The definition of Neighbourhood Working was considered and reaffirmed as “working with our partners to improve the quality of life, health and wellbeing of all our citizens and to improve the environment of the neighbourhoods in which they live”.  It was suggested that Neighbourhood Priorities be renamed as Neighbourhood Projects, in recognition that, over time, issues and aspirations changed. 

There was a role for Councillors in engaging and connecting people in their own areas.  A training course to give Councillors effect tools to do this would be helpful, as they had many roles, as a representative of the Council and of residents.  Councillor Berry noted that the Health Advocacy course would be a good option for this.  Members discussed the difficulties when political issues impeded the work of community groups and ward Councillors. 

Members considered Community Action Plans and noted that these would be produced for Chorley East, Clayton Brook and Astley Village.  The aim of the plans was to identify community needs and to look at how the Council, VCFS and Partners could assist in the resolution of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.NW18