Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on the current actions (Phase One) undertaken by the Neighbourhood Management Unit in relation to the motion on the Sustainable Communities Act agreed by Full Council on in November 2008 and seeks approval for a proposed course of action (Phase Two) to deal with proposals arising from the consultation process required by the SCA.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the information provided in paragraphs 3 to 9 of the report and in Annexes 1 and 4 be noted.

REASON:      So that Members are informed in detail of the specific requirements of fulfilling the SCA.

                        (ii)        That the current action detailed in Annex 2 be endorsed.

REASON:      To approve the actions that have already been carried out by Officers in the Neighbourhood Management Unit to progress the requirements of the Council motion.

                        (iii)       That the proposed course of action and timetable detailed in Annex 3 to the report, to ensure that the Council submits proposals under the SCA which comply with the requirements of the Act and associated Statutory Guidance, be approved.

REASON:      To ensure that the requirements of the Council motion are fulfilled, along with those of the SCA and the Statutory Guidance.

Members considered a report which provided an update on the current actions being undertaken by the Neighbourhood Management Unit in response to the motion on the Sustainable Communities Act (SCA) approved at Full Council in November 2008 and sought approval for a suggested course of action to deal with proposals arising from the SCA consultation process.

In agreeing the motion, Council had resolved to ‘use the Act by preparing and submitting proposals for local sustainability to central government by 31^st July 2009’ and also to encourage local community organisations to hold meetings enabling ‘citizen panels’ to put forward appropriate proposals.  To help fulfil the second part of this resolution, the Neighbourhood Management Unit (NMU) had taken steps to facilitate discussion of the SCA at the next round of ward committees, scheduled for April and May, and to encourage the involvement of parish councils and community groups.  Details of this process (Phase 1) were attached as Annex 2 to the report

To ensure full compliance with the SCA and the associated Statutory Guidance, a wider course of action (Phase 2) was required, involving Officers across a range of Council departments.  The proposed course of action, culminating in the submission of the final proposals to government by 31 July, was set out in Annex 3 to the report and summarised in paragraph 8.  The process would include the formation of an Officer project group and a Citizens’ Panel, and a screening of all proposals by the Without Walls Board before advice was sought from the Executive on which proposals to submit.  A list of matters to which the Council must have regard in agreeing and prioritising the proposals was attached as Annex 1 to the report and the detailed information to be submitted with each proposal was set out in Annex 4.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the information provided in paragraphs 3 to 9 of the report and in Annexes 1 and 4 be noted.

REASON:      So that Members are informed in detail of the specific requirements of fulfilling the SCA.

                        (ii)        That the current action detailed in Annex 2 be endorsed.

REASON:      To approve the actions that have already been carried out by Officers in the Neighbourhood Management Unit to progress the requirements of the Council motion.

                        (iii)       That the proposed course of action and timetable detailed in Annex 3 to the report, to ensure that the Council submits proposals under the SCA which comply with the requirements of the Act and associated Statutory Guidance, be approved. ¹

REASON:      To ensure that the requirements of the Council motion are fulfilled, along with those of the SCA and the Statutory Guidance.