Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Roni Hearn and Sarah-Jane Potter.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Community Select Committee held on 2 October 2018

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Community Select Committee meeting held on 2 October 2018 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent

None.

To consider the following motions:

1. That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2. That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Not required.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent

None.