Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by Asim Munir, Principal Community Involvement Officer, which set out how the Department for Communities and Local Government was working with Government Offices and local partners in looking to deliver a new and intensive programme of activity in some of the wards and neighbourhoods suffering most from the effects of the recession and from low levels of civic engagement.  The focus would be on the neighbourhoods which were likely to suffer particularly sharply from the recession and where residents felt that they were not being listened to or having their needs responded to.

The launch of Connecting Communities took place on 14^th October, 2009, by John Denham (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government), where he announced a £12 million plan to reinvigorate and connect with those communities that were feeling the pressure from recession most acutely and to ensure they were well placed to share fully in future prosperity and emerge stronger and more cohesive.

The programme had three key priorities:-

·              Leadership.

·              Giving People a Voice.

·              Increased Opportunities.

Rotherham’s NI1 and NI4 scores were low against the Place Survey and, therefore, been identified by Government Office Yorkshire and Humber as an area which needed resources and support.  Government Office Yorkshire and Humber have been working with local authorities in the region including Rotherham and their Local Strategic Partnership partners to bring qualitative and quantitative intelligence to bear on the selection of places. 

East Maltby and Dinnington were selected as the two areas as they are unlikely to benefit from related initiatives such as Neighbourhood Management Intensive Schemes and were deprived communities with a high majority of disaffected indigenous white communities and areas which suffered from:-

·              High Worklessness.

·              High Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.

·              Low Educational Attainment.

·              Low Adult Skills.

The Chief Executive Directorate had been working closely with the Area Partnership Managers from Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley South and the Manager from Rother Fed (Rotherham Federation of Tenants and Residents) to identify interventions and what support was needed from Government Office Yorkshire and Humber to ensure local needs were being met.  The evolving proposals for East Maltby and Dinnington have been approved by Government Office Yorkshire and Humber and the Department for Communities and Local Government and the initiatives were now ‘live’.

Rotherham began their delivery of the project in the second wave from January, 2010 and this would be up to March, 2010.  It was envisaged that there would be a third wave to sustain the work, but this was subject to the procurement process.

Discussion ensued on the unfavourable conclusions that could be drawn from this report by some into the Council’s attitude towards the democratic process.  Also discussed was the amount of Area Assembly participation, the lack of Ward Member or Parish Council involvement, the amount of funding made available and the delivery of outputs.

It was, therefore, suggested that evaluation of this initiative be submitted to this Scrutiny Panel in three months following its completion at the end of March, 2010 or in six months time should a bid be successful into the third wave.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the update on the Connecting Communities areas relating to East Maltby and Dinnington be noted.

(2)  That regular update reports be submitted to this Scrutiny Panel  on progress in due course.