Residents are being encouraged to turn out and give their views on local issues that are important to them. Local community forums are being set up so that anything that matters to people in a local area can be discussed. Issues such as local policing, Alfreton Leisure Centre, sports, recreation and leisure opportunities around Alfreton, Belper Townscape Heritage Initiative and the Lottery Fund Bid for Belper River Gardens, are set to be tackled at the first ones.
Co-ordinated by Amber Valley Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, two pilot local community forums are set to take place next week. The first is in Belper Town Football Club on Wednesday 9th May starting at 7.00pm. Alfreton Town Football Club is the venue the following night on Thursday 10th May, same start time. The full-time whistle for both events will be blown after 90 minutes.
Peter Carney, Amber Valley Borough Council’s Chief Executive, urged residents try out the forums and explained that: “This is about providing an informal venue for local people to discuss issues one to one with Councillors and senior representatives from the County Council and the Borough Council together with the Police and the Primary Care Trust in one place at one time. We will all be attending to listen and help. The challenge for all the partners will be to respond to the issues raised and to report back openly and candidly on actions that follow in response.”
From Derbyshire County Council’s perspective, Chief Executive Nick Hodgson, added: “A strong partnership is backing the forums with other agencies such as the police and the PCT also using the events to share ideas and to glean views from local people.”
All the agencies are taking a very positive view about the opportunity for residents to tell the people who deliver their local services about their wishes and concerns. Police Chief Superintendent Clive Hinkley reinforced this: ‘Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams are working to provide lasting solutions to the issues affecting local communities. Amber Valley’s local community forums are one of many important opportunities to consult and engage with the public. Through this forum we can establish current local concerns and work on resolving those issues along with our partners and local people.’
Peter Carney concluded: “If you have an issue to raise, want to share an idea or just listen, please come along to one of the forums. These informal meetings provide you with an opportunity to play your part. If successful, the Partnership will be looking to roll the forums out across the whole of Amber Valley during the rest of 2007.”
END
Note to editors
Local Community Forums are being co-ordinated by Amber Valley Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council with support from Derbyshire Constabulary and Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust.
If a resident has a question it will help to have it a couple of days before so we can provide the best answer – contact Peter Butcher on 01773 841656 or email peter.butcher@ambervalley.gov.uk for help on this. Questions on the night will be answered if we can and, if not, we’ll share our answer as soon as possible afterwards.
All views and actions will be noted and feedback provided via Amber Valley Borough Council’s website and to future events.
Operating community forums supports the activities and strategies of Amber Valley Borough Council and those of its partner organisations such as:
ü The Council’s own strategic objectives to 2015
ü The Amber Valley Partnership’s Community Strategy
ü The Derbyshire Community Strategy
ü The Derbyshire Partnership Forum’s Local Area Agreement
ü The aims of the Derbyshire Constabulary “A” Division
ü The Audit Commission’s proposals for Comprehensive Area Assessments
ü The Government’s agenda on neighbourhood working
Amber Valley Borough Council will be considering a report on the pilots at its meeting on 16th May 2007.
Ends
News release issued by the Council’s Policy and Change Unit (01773 841655)
