Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by Asim Munir, Community Engagement Officer, which provided an update on the Connecting Communities Programme and the ‘Golden 7’ Project to sustain the work.

The programme focused on:-

·              Leadership – investment in Councillors, other leaders and front-line staff to build the confidence and skills to listen to communities and address problems head on.

·              Voice – giving people the chance to have an honest and open debate about the issues that matter most to them, even if those issues were difficult and uncomfortable and encouraging community champions to have a say in local decisions.

·              Opportunities – raising awareness of the opportunities available to local people.

Rotherham’s NI1 and NI4 scores were low against the Place Survey (now discontinued) and, therefore, had been identified by GOYH (Government Office Yorkshire and Humber) as an area which needed resources and support.  The focus was on the neighbourhoods who were suffering particularly sharply from the recession and where residents felt that no one spoke for them or were responding to their needs.  The areas that were identified as priority areas for interventions were East Maltby and Dinnington.

East Maltby and Dinnington were selected as the two areas, because they were unlikely to benefit from related initiatives such as Neighbourhood Management Intensive Schemes and they were deprived communities and these were also areas which suffered from high worklessness, high crime and anti-social behaviour, low educational attainment and low adult skills. Close working took place with the Area Partnership Managers from Wentworth Valley Area Assemblies and Rother Valley South and Rother Fed (Rotherham Federation of Tenants and Residents) to identify interventions and what support was needed.

To sustain the successful Connecting Communities work done in Maltby and Dinnington and in meeting the recommendations from the Connecting Communities Research report, Rother Fed working in association with 2010 and the Council successfully secured a funding bid from HACT (Housing Action Charity Trust) aimed at bringing communities, workers and service users together.  It was pleasing and proud to announce that the project bid had been taken through to the final twelve of this prestigious competition and was now in receipt of £5,000 to start what was called the ‘Golden 7’ Project. This project was successfully launched on 17th February, 2011 by the Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues with 120 people in attendance made up of volunteers, Area Housing Panels, Councillors and relevant service providers.

Golden 7 was a new community involvement project linking Area Housing Panels, Tenants and Residents Associations, tenants, residents and volunteers together with vulnerable groups around Rotherham, getting everyone to work together and learn from one another.  The aim was to bring together seven projects in seven areas to produce seven portfolios for each area producing a seven year sustainable project.  Community volunteers were at the heart of this project and through this communities would develop skills and experience around each of the seven categories. These were black and ethnic minority communities, disability, homelessness, young people, young families, community spaces and the elderly. Each Area Housing Panel was to be presented with their golden envelope at the Golden 7 Launch Event where the categories each area would be working on during the next year were announced.  A residential weekend at Northern College, funded by various sources including the TSF, had been planned for 25^th - 27^th March, 2011 to train the volunteers in project development to enable them to effectively develop projects in their area.

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

-                 How many members of the communities had expressed an interest to be involved with the Golden 7 Project.

-                 The confidence in sustaining funding for this project to continue.

-                 Opportunities for Members to be involved as Community Leaders.

-                 Sustainability of the projects and the need for well prepared exit strategies as and when funding ceased.

-                 Provision of links with the Golden 7 Project, Area Assemblies and the Co-ordinating Groups.

-                 Timings of activities.

-                 Themes of the seven projects and whether these were interchangeable between the different localities.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the update on the Connecting Communities (2009-2010) and the current ‘Golden 7’ Project be received.

(2)  That an update report be submitted to this Scrutiny Panel in six months time along with some examples of good practice.