Brunswick & Adelaide Neighbourhood Forum launched

11.53.55am GMT Sun 5th Jun 2005

The Liberal Democrat Councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council have long campaigned for greater public involvement in council decisions.

The 1st Brunswick & Adelaide Neighbourhood Forum takes place on Wednesday 15th June 2005 at Hove Town Hall, 7.00 - 8.30pm with a talk from Helen Gregory, Senior Planning Officer on the new Local Development Framework and how residents can become involved in its preparation.

The Forum was established by the City Council's Policy & Resources Committee, following a long campaign by Liberal Democrat Councillors to increase local accountability within the Council. The Forum is a pilot to gauge public support for the scheme.

Run by the Brunswick & Adelaide Ward Councillors, Paul Elgood and David Watkins, the Brunswick & Adelaide Neighbourhood Forum will:

• advise the Council and other public service providers on specific issues that affect your area;

• have a say on new community initiatives in your neighbourhood;

• raise issues of importance to you with public services like the Police, Health Authority and Council.

The Forum is open to all residents in the Brunswick & Adelaide ward.

For further information or to raise an issue for discussion at the meeting please contact paul.elgood@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Terms of Reference

Pilot Brunswick and Adelaide Neighbourhood Forum

A. Overall aims

• To provide the Forum's membership with regular open forums to discuss issues and concerns at a local level, including cross-cutting issues and partnership working with other agencies;

• To 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;

• To bring together plans, partnerships and initiatives to provide a focus through which service providers can work together to meet local needs and priorities;

• To help co-ordinate consultation and feedback;

• To enhance the role of ward councillors in their role as community champions;

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

B. Membership

All residents living in Brunswick and Adelaide are welcome to attend the Forum.

Brighton & Hove City Council will lead the Forum. The local councillors will work with the community, local service providers and local community organisations to develop the forum.

C. Practicalities

• Brunswick and Adelaide Neighbourhood Forum will meet 4 times per year.

• Meetings will be promoted by public information placed around the ward and sent to local organisations.

• One of the elected councillors for Brunswick and Adelaide will chair the Forum. The councillors shall agree between themselves who shall chair each meeting of the Forum.

• The Chair has the discretion to set the agenda, either in advance or in response to issues raised on the day at the Forum.

• The Chair has the discretion to curtail long contributions and move discussions on.

• Feedback forms will be available at the Forum so that where appropriate people raising issues can note down their issue and contact details so that a personal response can be given.

• Officer support will be provided by the Chief Executive's Policy Team.

D. Funding

Funding for production of promotional leaflets and room hire will be provided through the Chief Executive's Policy Team during the pilot stage.

E. Monitoring / Evaluation

The Forum is established following a report to Brighton & Hove Council's Policy and Resources Committee of 15 September 2004. This was a report of the Chief Executive and stated that "the Forum will be monitored and evaluated during the pilot phase to help decide whether to establish other forums in the City. An evaluation of the pilot will be reported to Policy & Resources by the end of the financial year 2005/06".

Monitoring and evaluation will be incorporate views on the success of the pilot forum by all those involved and will form the basis of a report by the Chief Executive to Policy & Resources Committee, probably in March 2006.

For more information go to: http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/NFleaflet.pdf