Agenda item

KA gave a presentation on the new Neighbourhood Working model and the ward budgets.

Listening to Residents: Ward Committees: -this is a new approach to community engagement through working with local neighbourhoods and the establishment of revised ward committees.

The Council’s approach to neighbourhood working aims to empower local residents and to support ward members so that they can:

·         Work with local communities to develop local priorities and help deliver on these

·         Help empower local communities and devolve more budgets to residents

Ward Committees:

What are Ward Committees and what do they do?

·         tackle local issues in partnership with residents

·         improve the Council’s accountability to residents

·         provide opportunities to influence services

They can do this by:

·         Talking to residents on issues affecting the ward and the city

·         Prioritising local issues

·         Agreeing how to allocate ward budgets

·         Supporting local projects that help address ward priorities

·         Working with communities to help inform what local services are needed

There are 21 Wards in York.

Meetings will take place up to four times a year with a formal meeting at the beginning of the financial year (Autumn 2015).   Further meetings can be in other formats depending on the need of the ward e.g. walkabouts, stalls at fairs, drop-in, consultations etc.  This means that a wider range of residents can engage.

Ward Teams

Ward Teams are led by Ward Councillors, ward-based partners will hold regular meetings to:

·         Set priorities based on data, local intelligence

·         Work on projects that address the ward priorities

·         Liaise between ward partners (police, estate managers, voluntary groups, businesses, parish council)

·         Supported by a ward co-ordinator

Devolved Budgets

These are additional budgets to wards in order to create a pot that wards can use flexibly to help to address their priorities and develop community initiatives which benefit local residents and reduce reliance on council services.   They are made up of:

General Ward Budget £3393 – this could be spent in two ways. 

·         Grants for funding projects from this fund should be made via an application form.  They can be made from constituted groups and must show a benefit to the local community.  Citywide organisations cannot apply to multiple wards

·         Alternatively should a group or organisation want to commission a particular piece or work.   Or both

Pride in York Fund (one off) £3926 –this money is allocated to wards, based on current grounds maintenance spending and could be used to provide grants to partner, community and voluntary organisations to develop initiatives that benefit the community and help reduce the reliance on Council services.

Pride in York Fund (recurring) £4524 – this fund is to commission projects and initiatives that improve the local environment and street level issues in the ward.   It could be spent on council services if the ward wished and is allocated to wards based on a per capita basis

Community Care Programme £1697

·         To support through community activity the prevention or delay of people needing to access formal care packages and statutory support

·         Key areas identified which can help achieve this:

·         Reducing social isolation/loneliness

·         Prevention of falls

·         Nutrition

·         Transport

·         Practical support/handyperson services

·         Support for carers

Highways Programme £5655

·         Highways improvements

·         Reprioritising using local knowledge

·         Resurfacing

·         Footpaths/PROW          

·         Cycle way improvements

·         Street lighting: improvements to existing lamp standards

Budget Discussion

Q

A resident asked whether these monies could be carried forward to another year.

A

Under the previous system this may not have been possible but as communities need to plan ahead these monies generally can be carried forward.

Q

Do we get the Application Forms from CYC?

Application forms can be provided by Claire Taylor, CYC Community Involvement Officer, please contact her on 01904 551810 or alternatively email her at c.taylor@york.gov.uk . Claire has forms available this evening if anyone would like one.

Applications will be considered as and when they are submitted so please could any applications for funding be submitted as soon as possible so that the Ward Committee can make their decisions.   Applications will be considered at the end of November and further applications would be considered in January.   The Ward team would consider all the applications and discussion would take place between Fulford and Heslington residents as to how the money could be maximised.

Q

Will Residents be asked to vote on the decisions?

A

 KA said that here would not be a ballot to every household as per the Ward Committee system prior to 2011. However, the Ward Team would very much welcome input form local residents and have set two deadlines for bids: November 2015 and January 2016.

Q

Please could you clarify the difference between Ward Committees and Ward Teams?

A

The Ward Committee is a public forum.  Ward teams are a group of community representatives who meet more regularly than the Ward Committee.  It is expected that in the Fulford and Heslington Ward there will be more Ward Team meetings than Ward Committee meetings.

Q

Is proof required that the money has been spent?

A

Yes. The rule is that the money has to be spent in the financial year it is awarded.   Money can not be put in a bank account to be spent in later years.

Discussion took place on ideas for spending the monies:

Pride in York Fund

·         Fulford in Bloom had made an application for new planters and bulbs

·         Heslington Parish Council were submitting a bid to refurbish and replace benches

·         The Telephone box on Main St would be included in the Lottery bid

·         Possibility of bollards to stop people parking on verges

·         Removal of Himalayan Balsam

KA said that in terms of community areas residents may want more rubbish collections or dog bins.   Provision has to be made for staff to empty litter and dog bins which is an additional cost.   Should any Ward Committee want to spend money on these services the cost of a dog bin or salt bin is approximately £750 per annum.  Alternatively it may be that community volunteers could empty the bins rather than CYC which would be a cost saving.  The Parish Council could submit a bid for one off funding for more litter bins.   The Parish Council could also apply for one-off funding to top up the money spent on cutting verges and this could be used to extend the area covered.   

General Ward Budget

·         Cubs need a new floor in the scout hut

·         Heslington scouts need repairs to the roof

·         Local History Group - could apply for funding for a project.  This could be split between, Fishergate, Heslington Village and Fulford Wards. 

Community Care Fund

·         Transport for the Timeout Group for the elderly that meet in the Church Hall

·         York Wheels could be funded on a monthly basis to bring more people to Timeout meetings

·         Delwood Social Group (Silver Circle) money could fund some of their trips out.

Highways

·         Cherrywood Crescent

·         Fulfordgate will be resurfaced by the Council

·         Suggested that some of the grass be cut back to provide parking at Delwood but this idea was rejected.

·         Glenn Close – some money for schemes there

·         Footpath along the Ings – very boggy in winter, needed to be raised to make it walkable

·         Germany Beck Lane towards the A64 used to be a public right of way, now it is very overgrown but it is an important route for walkers.

KA said that suggestions would go to the Ward Team meeting in November.  The Ward Team would be asking local groups if they wished to make an application for funding.