Agenda item

The Head of Neighbourhood Services will give a briefing on the progress of the Transforming Neighbourhood Services Project and respond to questions from the Commission.

Members of the Commission received an update on the progress of the Transforming Neighbourhood Services (TNS) Project. The Head of Neighbourhood Services explained that the challenge was to find manageable solutions to ensure that as many of the Council’s key services were retained as possible.  The TNS project had already been implemented in the south and west neighbourhood areas of the City. The next area to be considered would be the North West of the City where consultations had already taken place.

Substantial consultation exercises had taken place to establish which services were more important and which buildings were used. Consideration was being given as to whether savings could be made on Council buildings. In some areas, multi service centres had been created, such as the Pork Pie Library and St Matthew’s Centre. The meeting heard that this initiative was proving to be very successful with increased usage and more community groups working together.

The Director of Culture and Neighbourhood Services explained that it was a gradual process; from commencing consultations to building up to a set of proposals. Scrutiny had played an important role in the process and its contribution was valued.

A Member questioned when the eastern part of the City would be included in the TNS project, and was advised that it was a step by step process and could possibly be in the second half of 2016, after north-west and north-east areas. The Member expressed disappointment about the delay.  The Head of Neighbourhood Services responded that he understood the concern, but problems had arisen in the cities where too many changes were carried out too quickly.

Officers were questioned about the process of consultation and were advised that they talked to and listened to residents at numerous different venues; they had also met with focus groups. Where groups had a particular concern, efforts had been made to find a solution.  A finding from the consultations was that people were more concerned with the services than the actual buildings.  A Member spoke of the importance of speaking to the right people, and the Head of Service responded that any help Members could give, in identifying the right groups would be very welcome.

Members referred to the Community Asset Transfer scheme and were informed that the scheme was one of the outcomes from the Localism Act.  The Council needed to save money and could do this by saving on property costs.  A group involved in the transfer would take responsibility for the costs associated with the running of the building. To help groups do this, the Council involved a Government Organisation called Locality whose role was to provide specialist support. Members questioned what would happen if the group who had taken transfer of the asset could not fulfil their obligations.  Officers explained that there was an ongoing relationship with the groups and the Council would talk to them about any concerns. There was an option to end the lease if, for example, the organisation concerned could not fulfil their responsibilities.

A Member expressed concerns that a previous consultation exercise in his ward, had omitted the relevant councillors, who had only received an update afterwards. The Head of Service acknowledged that there was a need to improve the process of consulting with the ward councillors. In response to further questions, Members were advised that in the criteria for groups applying for the community asset, was a requirement that they should be a local group and also that the asset should be accessible to other community groups. A Member cited an example of a community group that had denied access to other groups however the meeting was informed that the Council had intervened quickly to rectify this issue.

RESOLVED:

                        that the Commission:

1)    note the update on progress on the Transforming Neighbourhood Services Project;

2)    ask officers to note the need for engagement with ward councillors on the Transforming Neighbourhood Services Project

3)    request that details on the progress of the Community Asset Transfer Scheme be brought to a future meeting of the Commission.