Agenda item

To consider the report which indicates progress on the delivery of the Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy and the Neighbourhood Working model.

N.B.  Due to the size of Appendix 5 this will be added to the Members’ Portal and a link will be circulated.

Consideration was given to the Thriving Neighbourhoods Annual Report 2023/24 and detail provided on progress on the delivery of the Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy and the Neighbourhood Working model.

The high-level Delivery Plan for 2023/24 (and a Full Equality Analysis were presented to the Improving Places Select Commission in October 2023. The Delivery Plan combined the Council Plan’s Outcomes and Commitments along with the common themes coming out of the 2023/24 ward priorities and identified the contribution from the Neighbourhoods Team and Elected Members in their community leadership role within their wards.

The Delivery Plan also referenced existing relevant Council strategies, programmes and plans. The detailed delivery of activity was captured within the 25 Ward Plans which Elected Members and the Neighbourhoods Teams reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

A range of Performance Indicators were recorded throughout the  and performance and impact were also captured through case studies and stories that were included in the Members’ ward reports, the Good Practice Guide, warde-bulletins and other media channels.

To support this report officers provided a presentation which provided information on:-

·              The Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy.

·              What it wanted to achieve.

·              LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2023.

·              Councillors as Community Leaders.

·              Community Engagement.

·              Partnership Working.

·              Significant Events – Community Recovery.

·              Impact on Activity.

·              Moving Forward.

·              Place Based Approach.

·              Strengths-Based Working.

A discussion and question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·              Thanks and appreciation were given to the Thriving Neighbourhoods Team for the incredible support they had provided to new members.

·              Neighbourhoods played a key role in the incident at Manvers and the support they provided to Members and residents was extraordinary.  The move from the Area Assembly model to Neighbourhood Working gave wards more flexibility and power to get things done with greater leadership within communities.

·              Could the criminal activity details shared at the CAT meetings be reinstated as whilst the Police statistics were complex, the detail was very much appreciated in the area.

Officers would look to see how data was being produced at a ward level and would look to discuss this further.

·              The raising of the level of the CLF money would be very beneficial as funds currently allocated only went so far.

The Deputy Leader confirmed there were many deserving projects in wards, but as well as the CLF there was also CIL, which was another source of funding.   As a Council there had been so many cuts to the budget that it would be some time before there was any opportunity to increase CLF funding.

·              Accounting for the funding was an issue as the guidelines for CLF were very prescriptive on how this could be spent.  Whist suggestions could be put forward for CIL funding, it appeared any projects requiring capital requiring funding were pointed towards CLF funding.  This unfortunately reduced Ward Members ability to support people for service-based activities.  Perhaps this should be taken up with Finance. for certain things.  Split it a bit more fairly From the CLF to capital.

Officers agreed to take this back and discuss further with Finance colleagues and the Deputy Leader.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the progress of the delivery of the Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy and the Neighbourhood Working model be noted.

(2)  That Neighbourhoods discuss further with Finance about the £500 limited CLF barrier

(3)  That consideration be given to the sharing of complex Police data at ward CAT meetings.