City Council establishes Neighbourhood Forum for Brunswick & Adelaide to give residents a direct voice

10.26.54am GMT Fri 24th Sep 2004

Paul Elgood and David Watkins

A Neighbourhood Forum for the Brunswick & Adelaide ward has been established at the Council's Policy & Resources Meeting on 15 September 2004. The pilot will be the first such Forum formally established by the Council, and will commence in 2005.

The meeting will task ward Councillors Paul Elgood and David Watkins with establishing a Forum, with the aim of:

• Co-ordinating service delivery and neighbourhood management across public sector partners.

• Community Engagement, Capacity Building and Empowerment.

• Enhancing democratic leadership of communities.

Liberal Democrat Councillors have long argued that a series of Neighbourhood Forums across the city will improve the link between the Council and residents. This pilot will be the first step in achieving this.

Councillor Paul Elgood said: "This is a positive step forward for the Brunswick & Adelaide community which at present has no area-wide community group.

"It will give residents a direct say in the issues which matter to them and indeed increase democratic accountability for the area. It is about engaging the community.

"This is a first for Brighton and Hove and we hope that if it is successful the pilot will be expanded."

Councillor David Watkins said: "We have long fought for this and we are delighted. A Neighbourhood Forum in Brunswick & Adelaide is long overdue. There are many issues which concern local residents, from parking to the waste collection, and this will give them a direct say.

"The key thing is that this Forum is supported by the City Council. As ward Councillors we always felt that a Forum would need this to be successful."

The Forum will:

• Create, develop and implement a local area action plan informed by local priorities.

• Provide its membership with regular open forums to discuss issues and concerns at a local level, including cross-cutting issues and partnership working with other agencies.

• Act as a focus for discussion between service providers and residents on the improvement, co-ordination, delivery and monitoring of services including area based initiatives and neighbourhood services.

• Bring together plans, partnerships and initiatives to provide a focus through which service providers can work effectively together to meet local needs and priorities.

• Help co-ordinate consultation and feedback undertaken, preventing duplication across services and agencies.

• Enhance the role of Ward councillors in this role as Community Champions.

• Build community capacity and leadership by developing local skills, knowledge and experience and through this assist in revitalising local democracy.

• Build community capacity and leadership by developing local skills, knowledge and experience and through this assist in revitalising local democracy.