Work on the North East Assembly's first community plan is well under way.
The plan will identify the priorities for the area for the next 12-18 months which will guide the assembly and its partners in the work it does.
The plan will include Citizens’ Targets which are direct actions the Community Assembly will commit themselves to as the result of residents’ comments. A good example of this would be the clear up of a ‘grot spot’.
The plan is developed through a variety of approaches. These are:
Talking to locally-elected members about the issues
Looking at data and information for the area
Talking to partners
Talking to the local community
It is important that this plan reflects what the local community wants and to do this the Community Assembly Team have been talking to residents at local festivals during the summer and have also given people the opportunity to return freepost postcards to tell us what they want to see happen in their area.
Using our communications bus at the numerous festivals, the community assembly have spoken to over 600 people and with postal feedback, nearly 1,000 responses have been fed into the work so far. In addition, the team have been talking to other local forums and all voluntary and community sector representatives were invited to an open day at the end of July.
Information about the plan was presented at a series of local ward-based meetings across the area in September before the plan is taken to the next Community Assembly Meeting in October for discussion and decision by members.
Cllr Peter Price, Chair of the North East Community Assembly said:
“It is very clear from our consultations so far, that not surprisingly, community priorities do vary a little across such a large population within our four different wards. This is why we presented our findings to each of the ward meetings before taking the plan to our Community Assembly meeting in October. Your elected members feel that this is the best way of making sure that our plan takes on board all the issues raised by residents and that each neighbourhood has had a chance to give there own priorities.”
The next Community Assembly Meeting will be October 21st 6- 8pm at Shirecliffe Community Centre, Shirecliffe Road (Catch number 83 or 7 to Shirecliffe)