Agenda item

This report sets out a new approach to working with local communities in Bath and North East Somerset called “Connecting Communities”. It identifies the overall Framework jointly adopted by local public services as well as identifying a “Toolkit” of good practice which will be built upon at locality level. The report also outlines the key changes and actions for delivery of Connecting Communities and the benefits expected from this new way of working.

Tony Crouch in a statement [a copy of which is attached to these Minutes as Appendix 10 and on the Council’s website] welcomed the initiative but expressed some reservations.  He felt that local communities should be taking the lead albeit with a lot of advice from the Council.  He also felt that the phrase “cluster group” might put off some parish and town councils and might be misleading.  Finally, he was concerned that Chew Valley and Keynsham were being proposed as separate cluster groups, despite the fact that they currently formed a single Partnership.

Councillor Paul Myers in an ad hoc statement said he felt that delivery of the proposals would be problematic, and cited the community asset transfer as an example.  He felt that the proposals were short on actual measures to do things.  He said that localism could not be imposed from above – it could only come from the community.

Councillor David Laming in an ad hoc statement observed the failure of the report to mention the river as an asset.  He reported that the Keynsham River Group had been looking at ways to connect Keynsham back to its rivers.

Councillor Paul Crossley introduced the item by thanking Tony Crouch for his contribution and agreeing that cluster boundaries were notoriously difficult to draw; but he acknowledged his point about the Somer Valley Partnership being in 2 separate clusters, and said that the Divisional Director, Policy and Partnerships, would meet with him to discuss his points.

Councillor Crossley advised Councillor Myers that the Council had in fact handed over its first community asset only the day before.  He emphasised that assets should only be handed over when they were clearly right for the community.  He said that in Councillor Myers’ own ward, the Town Hall and the Railway Station were assets which might possibly be transferred.

He referred to the points made by Councillor Laming and said that the proposals before Cabinet were a tool kit, not a geographic map, and so did not contain specific mention of any assets.  He was delighted that this was a road map to connect all the local services – there was already good evidence of this happening in a variety of ways and was delighted to move the proposals.

Councillor David Dixon seconded the proposal.  He had been the Chair of the Local Engagement Steering Group and was pleased to see the more engaging title Connecting Communities.  Communities would be able to tell the Council what they wanted.  He hoped that local councillors would be encouraged to act as community leaders.

On a motion from Councillor Paul Crossley, seconded by Councillor David Dixon, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To ADOPT the “Connecting Communities Framework” set out in Appendix One, along with other public service partners working through the Public Services Board;

(2) To REQUEST officers to begin the implementation of the framework through widely publicising the “Core Offer” set out in the “Connecting Communities Toolkit”;

(3) To DELEGATE authority to the Divisional Director, Policy and Partnerships in consultation with the Council Leader the detailed plans for implementing the “Local Offer” set out in the “Connecting Communities Toolkit”;

(4) To REQUEST the Divisional Director, Policy and Partnerships to work with local groups and communities to keep updated the Connecting Communities Toolkit in order to share good practice in local communities;

(5) To NOTE the Draft Action Plan set out in Appendix Three of the report; and

(6) To REQUEST a further report in 6 months updating on progress in implementing Connecting Communities.