Neighbourhood Partnerships Review Overview
Neighbourhood Partnerships (NPs) were set up with the aim of bringing decision-making and influence closer to communities, and have been active in their current form since February 2010. Millions of pounds of devolved council money has been spent through NPs, and each NP also has local priorities which are delivered through a local action plan.
Although there has been a variety of feedback in the last three years, there has not yet been a full review of NPs. The Mayor is keen to ensure that the NP structures and activities are as directly accountable to local residents and communities as possible and deliver as much influence into the neighbourhoods as possible. This has presented a good opportunity to review NPs to ensure that they are fit for purpose and able to deliver effective local governance moving forwards.
The review will be based on feedback from citizens and councillors about what has worked well, what needs to improve and ideas from citizens and councillors about how the NPs could develop over the next 3 years to deliver more for their local neighbourhoods. A wide consultation is being planned with the aim to involve as many stakeholders as possible. There will be three different ways for people to get involved:
1. General survey for all citizens – this will be launched on 1st February 2013 and will run until 31st March 2013. People can complete the survey online, or fill in a paper copy and send it back to us or give it to one of their neighbourhood officers. The survey is available at www.bristol.gov.uk/npask
2. City wide consultation meetings for NP members, councillors, forum/subgroup attendees and any other interested citizens.
3. Consultation within Neighbourhoods through existing NP meetings and community engagement work, and wider engagement.
2 and 3 will explore in detail how NPs currently work, and will allow for detailed conversations, workshops, and detailed input into the future shape of NPs.
What do we want to learn from the consultation?
· What is of real value in the existing approach to NPs?
· What else could NPs do/achieve to contribute to their neighbourhoods and the city? What is possible? What is deliverable?
· What is the role of residents - as NP members and as citizens of their neighbourhoods (including the role in decision makers)? What is the right balance between the role of residents and the role of elected members?
What will the general survey cover?
· What would citizens like more local influence over?
· How would citizens like to take part in local decision-making?
· What are the best ways to communicate with people?
· Some questions about NPs – views and experiences of general public.
What will the citywide and neighbourhood consultation events cover?
· What should be the purpose of Neighbourhood Partnerships?
· Can we improve the decision making process?
· What is the best meeting structure, and how do we get more people involved in decision-making?
· How can we improve outreach work, community engagement and communications?
· What is of real value in the existing approach?
· What do we need to do differently?
· How can the council effectively respond to NP priorities?
Why are we doing a consultation?
· To review NPs to ensure they are fit for purpose for the future
· Identify further ways for NPs to meet aspirations of giving communities more influence over their neighbourhoods.
· Use detailed customer/user engagement (internal, external, members, users) to inform change
· Identify service delivery priorities and reshape services if required
What is not in scope for this consultation?
We want the consultation to be as wide as possible and for people to be able to challenge the way things are currently done, as well as tell us what works well. We hope to be able to make appropriate changes where a need is identified, and want to be as creative as possible. However, there are some limitations for the review, for example:
· We are not looking at changing geographical boundaries
· Delivery of NPs must fit within available budgets (meetings, supporting officers, devolved budgets)
· There are some legal constraints around devolved decision making
· There are some services that might be difficult to devolve – however, we would still like to know people’s ideas so we can explore what is possible.
Are we using existing feedback and other neighbourhood information as part of the review?
Yes, this survey will build on existing information that we know through Neighbourhood Partnerships themselves, the Voscur NP review of July 2012, data that we collect as a council about neighbourhood priorities and local satisfaction, and other written and anecdotal feedback received about NPs.
How are we ensuring that equalities communities are involved?
Specific consultation will take place with the NP equalities reps and with equalities forums. Additionally, the consultation that takes place within NP areas will be done alongside the NP communications plan, and will include engagement with local equalities communities as a targeted group.
How can you get involved?
· Complete the citywide survey at www.bristol.gov.uk/npask or by contacting staff (details below)
· Attend one of our citywide events (see programme below)
· Contact your Area Coordinator and Neighbourhood Development worker for details of events in your area (contact details are at the bottom of this document).
Citywide events for Neighbourhood Partnership Review
Consultation Phase
13th Feb6.30pm – 8.30pm City Hall / Public meeting for all areas of the city
18th Feb
6pm – 8pm
Knowle West Media Centre / Public meeting – South Bristol
20th Feb
6.30pm – 8.30pm, City Hall / Public meeting – Central Bristol
28th Feb
7pm – 8.30pm Badocks Wood Primary School, Southmead / Public meeting – North Bristol
27th March
6.30pm – 8.30pm, City Hall / Public meeting for all areas of the city
Design Phase
10th April2pm – 4pm, City Hall / Councillors and residents meeting – design and quality test session for review
24th April, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, City Hall / Councillors and residents meeting – design and quality test session for review
15th May 6.30pm – 8pm City Hall / Final meeting for NP review before final reports produced.
Contact details for Neighbourhood Partnership staff in each area
NP Area
/Area Co-ordinator
/Neighbourhood Development Officers
/Dundry View NP (Hartcliffe, Whitchurch Park, Bishopsworth) /
Keith Houghton: 0117 3773450/ 9222135
Mobile: 07585909029/
Heather Williams - tel: 9038010
Mobile: 07912 581566
Knowle, Filwood andWindmill Hill NP / Kurt James: 9084350
Mobile: 07973304548
/ Mohamed Ismail. Tel: 9036420
Mobile: 07827 979556
Ashley, Easton,
Lawrence Hill NP / Penny Germon: 0117 9039879
Mobile: 07947830973
/
Tracy Edwards-Brown 9039933Mobile: 07760323231
St George NP / Abdulrazak Dahir: 9036409
Mobile: 07810506909
/ Denis Wise - tel: 9036443
Mobile: 07810 506916
Greater Fishponds NP (Frome Vale, Eastville, Hillfields wards) / Abdulrazak Dahir: 9036409
Mobile: 07810506909
/ Sam Parker (Eastville) - tel: 9223029
Mobile: 07825 315772
Denis Wise - tel: 9036443
Mobile: 07810 506916
Horfield and Lockleaze NP / Jo Holmes: 9036898
Mobile: 07585909027
/ Debbie Clough – tel: 9036412
Henbury and Southmead NP / Keith Houghton: 9222135
Mobile: 07585909029
/ Sam Parker - tel: 9223029
Mobile: 07825 315772
Avonmouth and Kingsweston NP / Hayley Ash: 3521005
Mobile: 07585909026
/
Raquib Khandker tel: 9223741
Lynn Parfitt - tel: 9036978
Mobile: 07810 506918
Greater Bedminster Community Partnership / Nick Christo: 9224684
Mobile: 07585909030
/ Lorna Heaysman - tel: 9036441
Mobile: 07795 446560
Greater Brislington NP / Ariaf Hussain - tel: 9223218
Mobile: 07810 506923
/ April Richmond - tel: 92 23221
Mobile: 07810 506964
Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury on Trym NP / Andrew McGrath: 9036436
Mobile: 07795 445797
/ Farhan Ahmed - tel: 9036442
Mobile: 07827 979557
Bishopston, Cotham and Redland NP / Andrew McGrath: 9036436
Mobile: 07795 445797
/
Lynn Parfitt (Redland, Bishopston) - tel: 9036978
Mobile: 07810 506918
Farhan Ahmed (Cotham) - tel: 9036442
Mobile: 07827 979557
Cabot, Clifton and Clifton East NP / Nick Christo: 9224684
Mobile: 07585909030
/ Lorna Heaysman – tel: 9036441
Mobile: 07795 446560
Hengrove and Stockwood NP / Ariaf Hussain - tel: 9223218
Mobile: 07810 506923
/ April Richmond - tel: 92 23221
Mobile: 07810 506964
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