Agenda item

8.1

The Terms of Reference for Local Area Committees (LACs) provide that each LAC must agree a Community Plan setting priorities for the area of the committee, monitor delivery of that plan and keep it under review, and that the decisions it makes in relation to funding must fit with the priorities set out in the Community Plan and following engagement with the community.

Through public consultation, the South LAC has developed a draft Community Plan that seeks to identify the key issues within the area, and develop a series of priorities that will inform the direction of the LAC, and direct the spending of delegated budgets, where the LAC has authority to do so.

This Report recommends the approval of the draft South Community Plan, attached as an Appendix to this report.

8.2

RESOLVED:That:-

(1)  Approval be given to the South Community Plan as a statement of the priorities of the area;

(2)  Authority be given to the Community Services Manager to produce a final version of the Community Plan document, incorporating any amendments approved by the LAC at this meeting, and to publish it on the webpages of the South Local Area Committee; and

(3)  Notes that future LAC decisions relating to funding must fit with the priorities set out in the Community Plan and following engagement with the community.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

The proposal to approve the South LAC Community Plan is recommended on the basis that the Plan provides a clear framework in how the LAC will direct it’s resources to address key issues identified through community consultation.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

None. A key element in establishing LACs is the principle that each LAC

will develop a Community Plan.

8.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

8.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

8.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Executive Director People Services

8.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

7.1

The Committee received a presentation from Diane Owens, Community Services Manager.  Diane Owens referred to the Online Consultation Meeting which had been held in January, 2022. She said that following conversations held with some 2,000 residents and businesses, feedback from this had been reviewed and data had been looked at to establish the positives but also the concerns raised by communities.  Diane Owens said that sessions had been held in each of the four Electoral Wards within the South area, with the voluntary, community and faith sector and local groups to discuss the draft Community Plan and asked for their contributions and comments on the Plan with feedback from those meetings being taking back to Members of the Committee to develop the Plan now set out at this meeting.  She outlined the six key themes that the Plan would be based around, these being the Environment and Green Spaces; Transport and Highways; Community Safety and Crime; Communities; Employment and Skills and Children, Young People and Families.  She acknowledged that the Plan was quite high level and that more detailed work was still needed to identify where the hotspots were in the area and where particular issues would need to be focused on.  Diane Owens stated that the Plan was all about working in partnership with communities, and partners e.g. Police and Members of the Committee.

7.2

Diane Owens summarised each of the key themes set out the Community Plan and stated that more detail was set out in the Plan.  She then referred to the budget stating that the South LAC has a dedicated budget of £100,000 for the year 2022-23 and would be able to influence a Council budget of around £57,000 for targeted work around fly tipping and tackling graffiti.  Diane Owens said that Ward Councillors would over also oversee two local budgets, being ward pots and Community Infrastructure Levy, which could potentially support some of the activities outlined in the Community Plan.  Finally, Diane Owens set out the next steps stating that the South Local Area Committee would work to deliver the projects and priorities set out in the Plan adding that there was a commitment to work with partners, and that the committee would continue to listen and connect with communities and that there would be a minimum of four public meetings a year to listen to what the community had to say and to provide an update on the Community Plan, Diane added that the Team could be contacted at any time via the details set out on the South LAC webpage.

7.3

The Chair thanked Diane Owens for her presentation and all the hard work the Team had carried out to develop the Plan. 

7.4

RESOLVED: That the South Local Area Community Plan be agreed.

7.5

Reasons for the decision

The proposal to approve the South LAC Community Plan is recommended on the basis that the Plan provides a clear framework in how the LAC will direct it’s resources to address key issues identified through community consultation

7.6

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

None. A key element in establishing LACs is the principle that each LAC will develop a Community Plan.

7.7

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None.

7.8

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None.

7.9

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Executive Director. People Services.

7.10

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

At the conclusion of the consideration and voting on the Community Plan, a series of breakout groups were organised which comprised members of the public in attendance, a Council officer and a Member of the Committee leading the discussion, to consider the six key themes that had been highlighted in the Community Plan.  Following discussions lasting around 45 minutes, the Chair asked each Lead Member of the groups to report back.  The Chair stated that Members would work through the outcomes of the discussions and held and would endeavour to work them into the Community Plan.

2/3 key priorities to feedback from each group discussion:

Transport & Highways

•       Parking on verges and yellow lines and blocking driveways

•       20 mph zones - some areas suggested

Environment & Green Spaces

•       Litter on Bochum parkway and lack of bins in Graves Park

•       Pollute and pay policy

•       Solutions to climate change - biodiversity and green spaces - both need to be mapped / coordinated

Communities

•       Community hubs - importance / what’s going on in your neighbourhood

•       Need a directory to access information - Sheffield directory not really fit for purpose too clunky - Flourish better example

•       Have lost too much funding from community development work

Community Safety & Crime

•       Set up NAG (Neighbourhood Action Group) for Gleadless Valley

•       Neighbourhood Watch (NW) – still has an important role to play, helps with commutation; could NW groups use other mechanisms for commutation e.g. social media / what’s app – they could help with work of NAG’s

Children, Young People & Families

•       Street art project across the LAC

•       Community hubs - knowing where to go for activities / included suggestion re. Music hub

•       Young people need safe spaces

Employment & Skills – as only 1/2 people choose this theme it was agreed they would join another group discussion.

The Chair thanked everyone for attending and for their contribution to the workshops, he said that the next public meeting would be in June / July and that we would let people know once a date had been set.