Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care and Housing

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Yasseen

Commissioner:         Myers (in advisory role)

Recommendations:

1.    That the progress on the review and the proposed new Vision Statement and Principles for neighbourhood working be noted.

2.    That a further report be submitted outlining proposals from the Elected Member Working Group on the future of the Council’s Area Assemblies and options for a devolved budget for councillors.

Consideration was given to a report which set out the proposed new Vision Statement for Neighbourhood Working in Rotherham, as part of the Corporate Improvement Plan’s objective for a new model of citizen engagement and neighbourhood working.

It was reported that the scope of the review had comprised three elements:

·           creating a council wide policy and approach to neighbourhood working,

·           developing a multi-agency approach to neighbourhood working and

·           following the adoption of the new locality model a review of the role and funding of the Neighbourhood Partnerships and Engagement Service.

A Members Working Group had been established to lead the review, which had undertaken visits to four local authorities to experience and learn from different best practice models of neighbourhood working, as well as a desk-top review of different local authority neighbourhood models.

Having undertaken a review, the following draft Vision Statement had been developed together with three working Principles that underpin its delivery:

“Putting communities at the heart of everything we do by

·           Councillors working with their communities on what matters to them

·           Listening and working together to make a difference

·           Supporting people from different backgrounds to get on well together

…….. to help make people healthier, happier, safer and proud”

It was noted that the Neighbourhood Working Review would continue its work to identify how the principles and vision could be put into practice in future, with a specific focus on the future of Area Assemblies and options for devolved budgets for ward councillors.

Resolved:-

(1)  That the progress on the review and the proposed new Vision Statement and Principles for neighbourhood working be noted.

(2)  That a further report be submitted outlining proposals from the Elected Member Working Group on the future of the Council’s Area Assemblies and options for a devolved budget for councillors.