Agenda item

This paper presents the report which will be considered by the Executive on 30 July 2015.  It sets out a new approach to community engagement through working with local neighbourhoods and the establishment of revised ward committees.

Members considered a paper which presented a report which was due to be considered by the Executive on 30 July 2015.  It set out a new approach to community engagement, through working with local neighbourhoods, and the establishment of revised ward committees.

The Executive Member for Economic Development and Community Engagement was in attendance and went through the key issues in the report.

Members were asked to comment on:

·        The new approach to community engagement

·        The allocation of increased funding to these ward committees

·        The production of ward fact sheets in order to support ward councillors and explain the process to residents

·        The production of a range of local service choices giving options for how the ward committee funding pot could support local communities

·        The options set out in paragraph 8 of the report to the Executive for the constitution of ward committees

Members’ comments on the proposed arrangements included:

·        Whilst generally welcoming a more localised approach and the devolving of more funding to local communities, some reservations were expressed regarding the challenges that the new arrangements would present.  These would include ensuring that local people had an input and addressing the complexities that would arise because wards were likely to have different service requirements.  Members also commented on the need to manage residents’ expectations regarding the funding that would be made available, particularly in view of the challenges to the Council’s budget. It was also important that the new arrangements did not detract from integrated working or strategic planning.

·        There was a need to ensure that there were sufficient local facilitators and that the ward committees were appropriately supported. There were already significant demands on officers.

·        In respect of the options as to how ward committees could be established within the Council’s Constitution, the general view was that, initially, they should remain informally constituted, relying on the delegated authority of the relevant chief officer to implement the wishes of the committee (subject to Council policy and procedures), for example in its spending decisions.  This option (Option B in the report) acknowledged that the new arrangements would need to evolve over time and recognised that a number of ward members were new to the role.

·        Some concerns were expressed regarding the timescale of the implementation of the new arrangements and it was acknowledged that this may necessitate the carry forward of some funding.  The Executive Member confirmed that there would be the option for ward committees to budget for larger projects by carrying funding forward. 

·        Concerns were expressed regarding the use of Section 106 funding and requests were made for local members to be more involved in decisions as to how this funding was used.

·        Members found the ward team meetings to be very useful.

·        There was a need to ensure that the Community Care Fund was targeted effectively.

The Executive Member was thanked for his attendance at the meeting.

Resolved:  That the committee’s comments be noted.

Reason:     In order to support the Council’s commitment to working with local communities and devolving power and budgets to residents.