Adult Learning and Parks
Those who attended the Community Assembly meeting in the Burngreave Vestry Hall in February, found it a very lively affair and two issues raised by residents resulted in Assembly members being requested to raise them with the City Council's Cabinet – the proposed reduction in the Regeneration Team within Parks & Woodlands and the impact this may have on schemes planned for our Assembly area and also the reduction in the Adult Learning classes which have been so popular here. Unfortunately, when it went to cabinet, Councillor Jackie Drayton was not allowed by the Leader of Council to address the meeting and put the concerns expressed by the assembly. However the recommendation was formally received by Cabinet and minuted. We are still hoping that we will be able to get them raised at Scrutiny board meetings. We also took a petition objecting to the introduction of a residents’ parking plan around the Northern General.
Grants approved
On a more happy note, the meeting did agree the allocation of all our community chest money. Thankfully, all the community groups who made bids for grants and met the criteria, were successful. Similarly, we were able to agree all the small highway schemes supported by the area wards, and several schemes using up our Climate Change fund.
We also managed to identify a little underspend and the Assembly agreed to fund more bring out your rubbish days and following our free swimming for the under 16's, the meeting agreed to support another pilot scheme, but this time in addition to the swimming, extend the option to include other activities within the sports centres and also extend the pilot to include the over 60's. Both meeting priorities identified within our delivery plan.
Peter Price – Chair North East Community AssemblyAdult