Issue - meetings

Members are invited to interview North Herts District Councillor Judi Billing for a perspective from another authority. Members are also invited to provide some feedback to the Committee on the areas that they have agreed to lead on which was deferred from the last meeting. Finally Members are invited to begin to consider possible recommendations for the review.

Following presentations from Members and officers and evidence supplied by Councillor Judi Billing (North Hertfordshire District Council), the Select Committee formulated the following recommendations:

·      Resident engagement should include a mechanism for dealing with issues at a street-by-street level;

·      There should be a corporate branding of SBC consultation/engagement exercises, along the lines of SoSafe;

·      From time to time, residents’ meetings should be encouraged to consider town-wide topics, as well as focussing on local issues;

·      Residents’ groups should be encouraged to set up Facebook pages;

·      Consideration should be given to moving residents’ meetings around each area;

·      Consideration should be given to re-visiting the concept of Area Committees, which could be a helpful mechanism for dealing with larger neighbourhood issues;

·      The proposed Community Engagement Framework should include an information booklet providing a directory of local groups and a flowchart on best practice for community engagement;

·      All committee reports should include a section on consultation / engagement;

·      The correct methodology should be adopted for carrying out Random Structural Surveys (eg) Resident’s Surveys;

·      The methods of digital/electronic engagement should be improved, including the idea of a consultation hub;

·      Consideration should be given to the installation of a screen in the SBC Reception area focussing on current consultation exercises;

·      Data analysis, using digital platforms, should be undertaken regarding the hard to reach groups;

·      The Neighbourhood Warden Service should be developed to ensure each County Division was supported, and that consideration should be given to re-naming their job title to Community Engagement Officer;

·      The Policing Priorities meetings should be held in community venues; and

·      Consideration should be given to diversifying resident representation through existing mechanisms, such as the Housing Management Advisory Board.

It was RESOLVED that the above recommendations be incorporated into the final report on the Resident Engagement Review to be submitted to the Select Committee in due course.