Agenda item

Presentation from Stronger & Safer Team Manager on

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager gave an overview and explanation of the different levels of community engagement which were outlined in the Community Engagement Strategy.  She highlighted examples of effective consultation under each level as follows:

Empowering

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager stated that this was the highest level of engagement.  She advised that the Council had developed its community rights processes and already had areas engaged in neighbourhood planning and nominating assets of community value, as had happened with the Storey Arms in Osgathorpe, for example.  She explained that this legal process gave the community the opportunity to purchase assets of community value if they were put up for sale.

Councillor S Sheahan commented that this process was currently underway regarding the car park in Donisthorpe.

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager advised that 5 sites had already been listed as assets of community value.  She highlighted that the Community Focus Team had offered support to community groups for some years and had supported small and large scale projects, such as Whitwick Coffee Shop which had since gone on to deliver Talent Match support and training as part of a wider consortium to young people in North West Leicestershire who are not in education, employment or training.

Participating

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager stated that this level was about mobilising the community to help the Council decide what to do, for example, the tenant forums had helped to influence the way in which the Housing service was run.  She added that the Council also delivered the Supporting Leicestershire Families in conjunction with Leicestershire County Council. Service users had highlighted difficulties they were experiencing with completing housing benefit and housing application forms.  This information will help shape the service provided and the working group will assist with reviewing the application forms.

Involving

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager stated that the aim of this level was to bring people together to talk about issues.  She advised that the Council hosts Parish Liaison Meetings.  She added that the focus had shifted over the past 12 months towards joint working, with the Parish Councils being asked to set the agenda.  She advised that the meeting taking place this month would be discussing developing an approach to Leicestershire County Council’s reductions in grass cutting.  She highlighted that the Council also provided financial support to Voluntary Action Leicestershire.

Consulting

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager explained that the Council undertook a lot of consultation and highlighted the routine consultations on service developments by Leisure.  She highlighted that the Council can also utilise Citizen Space to run surveys and consultations online.  She advised that this facility had been utilised on 44 occasions in the last 2 years to undertake 15 consultations.  She commented that this facility could be utilised more; however it was difficult to say if this was due to officers being unaware.  She added that the Council had increased face to face contact, and highlighted the consultation which had taken place on the Local Plan whilst at Measham Heart of the Forest Festival, Coalville’s Picnic in the Park and Castle Donington’s Music in the Park.  In 2014, officers had attended 3 events and had engaged with over 400 residents.

Informing

The Stronger and Safer Team Manager commented that informing was the more traditional way of working with residents.  She advised that the Council had a range of leaflets available and had improved the way in which it informs residents about key issues.  She added that the basis of the discussion was how this could be built upon.