(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Roger Mace)
The Corporate Director (Community Services) submitted a report suggesting a model for the way that Neighbourhood Management could be developed in Lancaster District and seeking approval to develop that approach into a practical implementation plan.
The options, options analysis, including risk assessment were set out in the report as follows:
Option 1
This is the option as outlined in this report which builds on the success of Neighbourhood Management so far whilst utilising modest resources in integrating the Neighbourhood Management approach into the mainstream activity of the City Council and its partners within the LSP.
Risk
That insufficient resources are made available thus diluting the impact of this changed way of working. This can be overcome, should members approve the recommendations set out in the report, by developing this approach further and identifying the resource requirements required to deliver it. These could then be fed into the budget process and if approved, the proposals could go ahead.
Option 2
Researching and bringing forward other neighbourhood models.
Risk
There has been much interaction between the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder in Poulton and other neighbourhood initiatives nationally since 2002. Visits have been conducted to other programmes, lessons learnt at national conferences and best practice shared by neighbourhood renewal advisors. It is not envisaged that any significant new approach is likely to be uncovered and momentum is lost.
Option 3
This is a ‘do nothing’ option which assumes that the current Neighbourhood Management programme finishes in 2010 when the Area Based Grant allocation ceases and it is no longer possible to support Neighbourhood Management in Morecambe’s West End.
Risk
That the learning from the past six years of operating successful Neighbourhood Management is wasted and that an opportunity to develop a new cross-cutting, neighbourhood, agenda with our partners is lost.
The Officer preferred option was option 1 which, as outlined in the report, allowed for an integrated approach whilst keeping costs to a realistic minimum.
It was moved by Councillor Mace and seconded by Councillor Gilbert:-
“1 That a Cabinet Liaison Group be formed, chaired by the Portfolio Holder responsible for Neighbourhood Management, to advise the Cabinet Portfolio Holder on options for the development of neighbourhood management arrangements for the District. The terms of reference for the Group to be that it should examine the options of an effective model for the delivery of Neighbourhood Management, considering how this would integrate into mainstream service delivery for Lancaster City Council, and how such a model would relate to the LDLSP, and the community engagement agenda, and be supportive of the Council’s priorities and Core Values around Putting Our Customers First and Leading Our Communities.
2 That a further report be brought forward considering the outcomes of the Cabinet Liaison Group and setting out how Neighbourhood Management could be practically implemented in 2009/10, and the resource implications of such implementation.
3 That, as an interim measure, the existing functions of Strategic Housing be moved out of Neighbourhood Task Force and into the Health and Strategic Housing Service.
4 That Area Based Grant be used to continue existing neighbourhood management in Poulton and the exit strategy developed in line with the proposals from the Cabinet Liaison Group, with any under expenditure in Poulton being set aside to help fund any proposals for rolling out neighbourhood management elsewhere.”
Members then voted as follows:-
Resolved:
(7 members (Councillors Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Charles, Fletcher, Gilbert and Mace) voted in favour, 2 members (Councillors Burns and Kerr) voted against and 1 member (Councillors Archer) abstained):
(1) That a Cabinet Liaison Group be formed, chaired by the Portfolio Holder responsible for Neighbourhood Management, to advise the Cabinet Portfolio Holder on options for the development of neighbourhood management arrangements for the District. The terms of reference of the Group to be that it should examine the options of an effective model for the delivery of Neighbourhood Management, considering how this would integrate into mainstream service delivery for Lancaster City Council, and how such a model would relate to the LDLSP, and the community engagement agenda, and be supportive of the Council’s priorities and Core Values around Putting Our Customers First and Leading Our Communities.
(2) That a further report be brought forward considering the outcomes of the Cabinet Liaison Group and setting out how Neighbourhood Management could be practically implemented in 2009/10, and the resource implications of such implementation.
(3) That, as an interim measure, the existing functions of Strategic Housing be moved out of Neighbourhood Task Force and into the Health and Strategic Housing Service.
(4) That Area Based Grant be used to continue existing neighbourhood management in Poulton and the exit strategy developed in line with the proposals from the Cabinet Liaison Group, with any under expenditure in Poulton being set aside to help fund any proposals for rolling out neighbourhood management elsewhere.
Officers responsible for effecting the decision:
Corporate Director (Regeneration)
Head of Neighbourhood Management
Reasons for making the decision:
The decision allows for an integrated approach, which reflects the wishes of Cabinet for Member involvement in the development of neighbourhood management arrangements, whilst keeping costs to a realistic minimum. The resolution also provides for the necessary financing to be in place to continue the existing Neighbourhood Management schemes until their completion dates.