Information on Loughborough

Communities have say in who has say

Posted on 04/07/2007
P. Klein

meeting room

COMMUNITITIES in Loughborough and the rest of Charnwood are being asked to comment on the look, feel and responsibility for a series of groups that will push local issues to the right people, in the right organisation to deliver results.

The groups, referred to as Area Forums, will aim to increase peoples direct involvement in their communities, including linking directly to local Councillors but also pushing to solve local issues head-on.

Cllr Richard Shepherd (Conservative councillor for Quorn and Mountsorrel Castle), Chair of Charnwood Together, explained: "This is about people working together, with the right authorities and organisation to make a real difference to their neighbourhoods.

Charnwood Together, the voluntary, non-executive partnership which brings together the local authorities, public service providers and statutory agencies, businesses, voluntary organisations and the local community, is now asking for comment on what the Area Forum should look like, how they should act and who should be members.

Cllr Shepherd, added: "Area Forums will be about bringing representatives together focus on local issues.

"The Forum sessions will be open to the public and Forums will be encouraged to have time in their sessions for a public question time.

The proposals that are now being consulted on have been developed in response to decisions of Leicestershire Together, the county level Local Strategic Partnership, to promote the creation of such Forums across the whole County of Leicestershire.

The consultation document has been sent out to Parish and Town Councils and other local organisations and partners asking for their preferred geographical model and comments on the membership and the decision making responsibilities of each forum and members of the public are also able to comment by visiting Charnwood Borough Councils website.

The consultation finishes in August and a final decision will be made in September with the first forum meetings planned for October/November.

Further Information:

Area Forums will contribute to revitalised local democracy and effective community engagement across the Borough by facilitating public engagement with elected representatives. They will provide Forums for local issues to be raised with the appropriate local authority or other agency. It will bring Borough, County and Parish Council elected representatives together with partners to focus on local issues.

Membership:

Area Forums shall have a core membership of;

  • All Borough Councillors for the Area
  • All County Councillors for the Area
  • All chair persons of Parish and Town Councils for the Area
  • A voluntary sector representative
  • A business sector representative

This core membership shall;

  • Appoint a Chair person for the Area Forum, annually
  • Formulate recommendations to the Borough Council on the use of funds allocated by it for use in the area following consultation with relevant interested parties and stakeholders.
  • Extend the Area Forum membership to establish a body reasonably representative of the key community interests in the Area, for instance:
    • Community groups
    • residents associations
    • neighbourhood watch
    • play groups
  • Communities of interest
    • Ethnicity
    • Disability
    • CYP - (youth reps from school/district youth councils)
    • Older (reps from the OP Consultative networks)
    • Faith reps
  • School Governors (representatives of school families)

(It is expected the Forum membership will not normally exceed 25)

  • Carry out an annual review of the work of the Area Forum and report that to

    Charnwood Together

  • Decide the style, frequency and format of meetings provided that
    • each Forum shall not meet more than x times in each calendar year
    • each Forum meeting will be open to the public and publicised as such
    • each Forum meeting will provide a time to hear questions from the public