Agenda item

Community Building in Gloucester

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods concerning plans for the medium and long-term delivery of community building activities in Gloucester and gain Cabinet’s support for the project.

Decision:

RESOLVED to:

 

(1)  Agree the vision, mission and principles for a longer-term approach to community building in Gloucester.

 

(2)  Approve the establishment of a formal partnership agreement with Barnwood Trust to deliver community building in the short-term and to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Partnerships) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods to finalise arrangements.

 

(3)  Note the budget, financing and the longer term financial approach to deliver community building in Gloucester.

 

(4)  Authorise the Corporate Director (Partnerships) to work towards setting up a separate legal entity such as a Community Interest Company (CIC) to undertake community building and to bring a further report back to Cabinet.

 

(5)  Authorise the Corporate Director (Partnerships) to explore the feasibility of transferring the Gloucester Lottery into a future CIC.

 

(6)  Commit the ‘Your Gloucester’ budget (£10k pa) to the project for two years

(7)  Commit £5k per annum of the Gloucester Lottery central fund to the project for two years.

 

(8)  Acknowledge that fundraising continues, but agree to cover any shortfall for the first two years as set out in section 8 of the report.

 

(9)  Undertake a piece of work on what input the community can have on community building

(10)         Organise a development session for Elected Members to explore Asset Based Community Development and Community Building more fully and that endeavours are made for it to include all Members.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods that outlined plans for the medium and long-term delivery of community building activities in Gloucester and sought Cabinet’s support for the project.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods described the background to the report.  She gave examples of how engagement with local people and communities had already changed the ways in which activities were delivered, made a positive impact and enhanced individual people’s lives but advised Members that continued evaluation was needed in what was a long-term process.  She further emphasised the importance of strengthening the partnerships with other organisations including the Barnwood Trust, Police and Crime Commissioner, and County Council.  She commented that Gloucester was already pioneering practices recommended in the government’s recent Civil Society Strategy well ahead of other councils in order to improve the lives of its residents.  The Cabinet Member for Environment reminded Members of the continuing legacy from the community builder in Kingsway with successful local community initiatives such as Men’s Shed, Parkrun and the Big Lunch.  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy noted that these bold community building plans complemented the regeneration plans for the city.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods drew Members’ attention to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 3rd December 2018 that a piece of work be undertaken on what input the community can have on community building and that a development session be organised for all Elected Members to explore Asset Based Community Development and community building more fully.  Concerning the former, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods reiterated that the achievements so far had been due to communities being fully engaged and endorsed the recommendation provided that the methodology of the work to be undertaken was right.  Regarding the latter recommendation she stated that as partner organisations would attend a development session it had to be positive and well attended with at least 20 out of the 39 Elected Members.  The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources advised Members that she was prepared to chair the development session provided that these conditions were met.

 

RESOLVED to:

 

(1)  Agree the vision, mission and principles for a longer-term approach to community building in Gloucester.

 

(2)  Approve the establishment of a formal partnership agreement with Barnwood Trust to deliver community building in the short-term and to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Partnerships) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods to finalise arrangements.

 

(3)  Note the budget, financing and the longer term financial approach to deliver community building in Gloucester.

 

(4)  Authorise the Corporate Director (Partnerships) to work towards setting up a separate legal entity such as a Community Interest Company (CIC) to undertake community building and to bring a further report back to Cabinet.

 

(5)  Authorise the Corporate Director (Partnerships) to explore the feasibility of transferring the Gloucester Lottery into a future CIC.

 

(6)  Commit the ‘Your Gloucester’ budget (£10k pa) to the project for two years

(7)  Commit £5k per annum of the Gloucester Lottery central fund to the project for two years.

 

(8)  Acknowledge that fundraising continues, but agree to cover any shortfall for the first two years as set out in section 8 of the report.

 

(9)  Undertake a piece of work on what input the community can have on community building

(10)         Organise a development session for Elected Members to explore Asset Based Community Development and Community Building more fully and that endeavours are made for it to include all Members.

 

Supporting documents: