Agenda item

To receive updates from ward councillors from Holderness, Dinnington and Hellaby on the activities supporting Thriving Neighbourhoods across the Borough.

Further to Minute No. 55 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 19^th November, 2018, consideration was given to the annual Ward Updates for Holderness, Dinnington and Hellaby as part of the Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy.

The Strategy signalled a new way of working for the Council both for Members and for staff and covered every Ward in the borough delivered through Ward Plans developed with residents to address local issues and opportunities. Ward Members would be supported by the neighbourhood team and would work with officers and residents from a range of organisations to respond to residents.

Councillors M. Elliott and Taylor, on behalf of the Holderness Ward, gave an update on their ward priorities.

Councillor Elliott described the use of the devolved budget for worthwhile causes, the discussions with residents when formulating Ward Plans and the issues identified as a priority.

He further reported that Holderness Ward itself had around twenty-three groups and organisations undertaking fantastic work so wherever possible assistance was provided with raising funds through use of the Community Leadership Fund.

The Ward also supported, through the Start a Heart Project, the location of a defibrillator.  In addition, the relocation of a community group to Heighton View Community Centre was supported through a variety of consultations and awareness raising sessions.

Additionally, there have been number of skip days at different venues around the Ward with the aim of avoiding residents’ temptation to fly tip, engagement in the Love Where You Live initiative with residents and the local Scout Group and the installation of covert cameras deployed in known local hotspot areas.  These cameras have been used to gather information for offences linked to fly tipping and had resulted in the seizure of four vehicles and prosecution for the offenders.

A number of road safety initiatives have also been supported outside schools and public buildings.   Aston Springwood School have also been asked to submit designs for signs to be erected to promote playgrounds around the Ward.  The standard of entries was overwhelming.

Speeding traffic remained an issue in the Ward and liaison had taken place with the community to join together to use a handheld speed camera, to undertake a survey with Highways  and Councillors were in the process of purchasing a mobile speed activation sign to support the concerns on Nickerwood Drive.

Swallownest Bowling Club offered to support an initiative to allow groups of school children to experience crown green bowling, which would be taken forward.

Numerous estate roads were also in need of attention and through the utilisation of the multi-hog machine it was hoped the areas suggested would be repaired.

A number of community safety initiatives have also been supported for vulnerable persons including window, shed and scooter alarms, which were being distributed and based on a person’s need.  In addition, a community engagement initiative where local craftsmen would undertake small immediate repairs was promoted.

Councillor Taylor thanked his Ward colleague and commended how easy it had been to work together in developing ideas and solutions and wished to formally thank the Neighbourhood Working Team for all their hard work and support.

During the initial stages of the Ward Plan, various methods of communication and consultation were considered and as many groups as possible were visited to discuss and share ideas, taking into account individual residents’ concerns raised at surgeries.  It was emphasised this was a community plan to make the area better.  Whilst around sixteen groups were visited initially, this had since risen to twenty and more visits were scheduled throughout the year to ensure the ideas were free-flowing, that they became more inclusive and diverse and the conversations taking place influenced ideas during the formulation of this year's Work Plan.

Councillors Mallinder, Walsh and Vjestica, on behalf of the Dinnington Ward, gave an update on their Ward Action Plan.

Councillor Mallinder formally thanked everyone involved in the Neighbourhood Strategy.  This had been a collaborative process with partners in Neighbourhoods and the community who came together in one meeting to put forward ideas for the Ward Plan.

After several years of collaborative working Ward Members managed to turn what was an overgrown and unused piece of land into allotments, which would not only address issues of flytipping, but promote health loneliness and isolation.  This showed community working with Neighbourhoods at its finest.

Work had also taken place with Laughton Junior School to place Billy and Belinda bollards outside the school.  A competition was held for the design and the winner received book tokens and certificates from Ward Councillors.

Following receipt of a petition local residents were supported with a flashing speed camera sign on Lords Road.

In December a partnership community event was held for residents to receive advice and equipment to keep safe in their homes and neighbourhoods.  This also provided an opportunity for residents to discuss with their Ward Councillors any issues of concern.

Ward Councillors put the community at the heart of everything and would continue into the future.  Cabinet Members were also thanked for their support.

Councillor Tweed reported on the Ward budget spend through the Community Leadership Fund and how the first large project involved repairs and lighting to a multi-use games area so it could be used during the winter and dark evenings.  This was now a well-used facility and provided outreach team activity.

There was a huge push to engage as many residents in the diverse Ward of Dinnington as much as possible and for all areas to benefit from the devolved budget in some way.  With this promotion more and more applications for support were being received.  The Ward Councillors worked collaboratively together and often merged funds from their Community Leadership Fund for the benefit of residents for certain projects.

Councillor Vjestica had great pleasure in reporting how inclusive and efficient the mechanism for neighbourhood working had been and thanked Cabinet Members for their work and support.

This had enabled the Ward to deliver on both local and Council priorities such as loneliness and supporting young people with environmental projects in schools.  In the future it was planned to support training, provide play equipment, fund craft sessions for children during school holidays and also support cleaner communities.  

Ward Colleagues were actively involved in the community clean-ups, promoted the events of the Salvation Army who provided advice and support on a range of issues and had recognised community heritage providing a memorial bench for coal miners and their families.

Information was regularly provided on information boards throughout the Ward of activities available from sewing groups to craft clubs.  The contributions through neighbourhood working would hopefully enrich the lives of residents of all ages and the communities in which they lived.  Particular thanks were made to the Neighbourhood staff for their dedicated and enthusiastic work.

Councillors Andrews, B. Cutts and John Turner, on behalf of the Hellaby Ward, referred to their Ward priorities.

Councillor Andrews welcomed the neighbourhood working approach and the opportunity to deliver projects in the community. Ward Members particularly supported a project to update Lyme Tree Park at Maltby following the concerns of residents about its condition.  New play equipment was jointly funded by the Council and Area Housing Panel and the whole area had now been transformed into a safe play area for local children.

A number of walkabouts have been carried out to identify what was important to local people and businesses and how they could be supported.

To help raise awareness about suicide prevention signs were placed around the Ward, posters distributed to businesses and local clubs, including doctors’ surgeries.

Councillor Andrews welcomed the support from her Ward Colleagues and from the neighbourhood staff who supported the area. More ideas had been received for the following year and the funds would be allocated accordingly.   She was so pleased with what had been achieved and how the priorities had been met.

Councillor B. Cutts highlighted how social isolation and the safety of residents had been addressed through a modern concept of solar light which funded  eight solar lights along a footpath that connected residents from an estate to local shops.  This had been of great benefit to that particular community and had been very successful.

Councillor John Turner echoed the sentiments about the less satisfactory Area Assembly mechanism and the positivity around neighbourhood working on a cross party basis across the Ward.

Regular meetings had been held with the Police about crime, funding was provided for speed awareness cameras, regular liaison with schools involving some litter picking with them across the borough and speed reduction initiatives at St. Alban’s School were only part of the good work taking place.

The value of the walkabouts, finding out what was important to local people, had been invaluable and information had been provided where possible advertising Councillor surgeries where residents could visit to share other concerns along with mechanisms of support that were in the area.

The Ward had a number of priorities that were being explored and work was already taking place with initiating double yellow lines for a Dementia Group, the Wickersley young people's music society had been supported and for Bramley Parish Council support had been given to the decoration of the youth club and village hall.

The Ward Councillors would continue to explore opportunities to improve road safety, provide resources to keep neighbourhoods clean, provide grants to various groups and had purchased burglar, shed and fire alarms to assist local residents in made their homes more secure.

Resolved:-  That the Ward updates be received and the contents noted.

Mover:-  Councillor Watson                    Seconder:-  Councillor Read