Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copy attached as item 13

The Committee had a report before it, attached as item 13, which had been circulated to all Members, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes.

This report set out background information on the Portfolio of the Worthing Deputy Leader to enable the Committee to consider and question the Deputy Leader on issues within their portfolio and any other issues which the Deputy Leader was involved in or connected with the work of the Council and the Worthing communities.

A Member asked, “We're living within an unusually difficult current financial climate with a large lack of resources to local authorities and predictions of further struggles to come. Can you highlight any successes in the part of your portfolio for developing community participatory decision-making structures and what future work is required to utilise the abundance of skills in the community to support the council through its next challenges?”

Members were informed that as part of the application process for the Cil Neighbourhood Fund 2023, the council experimented with a new model of community assessment panels. Assessment panels for the Cil Neighbourhood Applications included ward councillors from across parties, community representatives and were chaired by the VCS infrastructure organisation Community Works.  Assessment panels were held in community spaces in the neighbourhood and recommendations were then given to the deputy leader for final approval and sign off.  This decision making structure enhanced the role of the ward councillor and of Community Works, and brought decision making processes into the neighbourhood, making good use of local knowledge.

In West Durrington, the council led a successful community participation process in collaboration with the consortium of three housebuilders to refine the design requirements of the long overdue West Durrington community park facilities.  

During this process a number of engagements were held in West Durrington where residents, community groups and community interest groups were invited to contribute their local and specialist knowledge to inform decisions around the design of sports pitches, allotments and play park facilities.  The refined park design included junior sports pitches (rather than adult), inclusive play park equipment catering across the age range and for those with disabilities, and a coherent allotment and community garden design which was better integrated with the existing Humber Avenue Allotment community. 

Under the banner of Council for Community they had been developing a visible offer to residents, members, staff and partners for how they can get involved in participative activity, including a calendar and/or map of activity; digital tools for people to have their say and match people up to increase social action; and an applied learning and development programme to enable residents, staff and partners to develop and share skills in place-based working and participation and apply them to practical challenges. This would improve the quality of how they did participation and community development – including through improved hosting and facilitation skills and make better use of partner/community skills.

Members also asked about raising awareness for Boom Community Bank; how the portfolio engaged with other portfolios in terms of children’s’ wellbeing; the young people’s Cabinet and developing an apolitical strategy.
Members were informed that Boom had not specifically requested help in terms of advertising but the Council was always happy to help where it could; that the Deputy Leader wanted to support young people in deciding what they wanted from the town, had recently worked with the head of Chesswood school and was in the early stages of getting others involved; that participation officers were putting together a long term plan to be co-produced with young people, a model of a young peoples’ Cabinet and that officers were working with Members to develop an apolitical neighbourhood model and for it to be successful, it would need input from all Members.