NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTION PLAN
2008 - 2011
CONTEXT
The Community Engagement Action Plan seeks to build on this approach by encouraging the people who live and work in the North East area to see themselves as stakeholders in raising and addressing local concerns.
This action plan is a first attempt at bringing together information from a range of agencies in one document. The challenge is to ensure that the action points are implemented and that a robust review mechanism is put in place to monitor the effectiveness of the planned developments. The Community Engagement Action Plan is an integral part of the local Community Planning Process and will be monitored in line with the mechanisms already agreed.
The Community Engagement Action Plan sets out to:
§ Better inform
§ Improve understanding
§ Develop constructive dialogue
§ Raise the levels and quality of participation
STRATEGY AREAS
Information: The provision and exchange of information is a two way process. While we will disseminate and encourage the circulation of information about Council services we will also gather and re-present intelligence about communities to better inform people about Dundee City Council and partner services in their area.
Understanding: The City Council and its partners will support and provide appropriate opportunities for residents to examine local issues and to clarify how desirable solutions can be achieved. We will encourage stakeholders to share their plans and raise the general level of public awareness about Dundee City Council and it’s services, the services of our Community Planning partners and the issues that effect the development and delivery of these services.
Dialogue: We will ensure that all stakeholders in the community have the opportunity to contribute to setting local priorities for action and to ensure that their views will be taken into account when making decisions about the development of services or projects affecting their community. We will listen to the views of local representatives and other stakeholders before initiating actions and will welcome critical comment on proposals for action.
Participation: Our aim is to persuade more people to take part in the organised life of their community. We also view individual participation as a fundamental step towards the development of community networks. Without participation there is no engagement, with no engagement there is no dialogue, with no dialogue there is no exchange of information and no learning.
Throughout the city community engagement and communication strategies are being created to undertake the above.
CONTENTS
INFORMATION / 1-2
UNDERSTANDING / 3-4
DIALOGUE / 5
PARTICIPATION / 6
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
STRATEGIC AREA: / INFORMATION / REVIEW DATE: / JANUARY 2009Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points) / By Whom
Information Points / 10 Community Noticeboards plus a number of facilities boards are available for publicity. / Produce information on availability and access to noticeboards and circulate to officers and community organisations. / Bus information displays will publicise initiatives and events. / Police
Youth Work Team
Sports Development
Community Newsletters / There are none at present although Housing Associations circulate them to their tenants and agencies produce their own. / Produce an annual newsletter which will be delivered to all households. / All agencies will be asked to contribute and aid the creation of this production. / Braeview Academy
Craigowl
Communities Officer
Community Maps/ Directories / An electronic map is available on
www.dundeecity.gov.uk/wardmaps/northeast.html / Evaluate the likelihood of interest for the production of community map leaflet. / Communities Officer
North East LCPP
Web-Based Community Information / An electronic community profile is being compiled at present for the city.
E-Mail Briefings / 4 e-mail briefings are produced every year. / Officers and community groups will be encouraged to contribute articles on developments or plans. / Communities Officer
Neighbourhood Forums / Specific events have been held in the past for initiatives like Community Safety or Regeneration. / Community Safety Forum will meet annually. / Community Safety Team
Police
Community Safety Wardens
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points) / By Whom
Community Festivals/Events / Fun days/galas are run in Mill O' Mains and Whitfield. Abertay Housing Assoc. hosted a gala in Fintry for its tenants and the Finmill centre held a seasonal celebration in 2008 / A Fintry festival will be organised in 2009 / Fintry Community Council
Finmill Centre
Abertay Housing Association
Dundee City Council
Police
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points) / By Whom
Community Group Support / A database is held on all the local community organisations in the North East Ward. / A regular letter will be circulated regarding the local plan and new ideas and actions will be encouraged. / Communities Officer
Learning/Training Opportunities / Learning and training opportunities offered in relation to individual or group learning plans or from guidance interviews. / Identify evening learning courses from contact with interested people through Fintry survey. / Discuss common training/learning needs at the Community Engagement Groups and possible joint courses/sessions etc. / PR - Adult Learning Staff
WTR -Communities Officer
Seminars/Conferences / Members of groups offered the opportunity to participate in national seminars. / All people on databases will be invited to an annual community seminar to review the North Eeast Community Plan. / Communities Officer
Neighbourhood Forums / Specific events have been held in the past for initiatives like Community Safety or Regeneration. / Community Safety Forum will meet annually. / Community Safety Team
Police
Community Safety Wardens
Postal Panels / Databases are held for residents in the North East who have taken part in surveys in the past. / Continue to develop the database and keep residents in touch with developments. / Communities Officer
Community Profiles / An electronic profile is in the development stage. / Develop a community map for access through the Dundee City Council website. / Communities Officer
Community Consultation/ Stakeholder Events / With Whitfield and Mill O' Mains going through regeneration, a considerable number of events have been held, especially in Mill O' Mains. / The Whitfield Development Group will hold a range of consultation events in Whitfield on the topics of open space, housing and community facilities. / Regular Mill O' Mains events will operate through the Task Group. The first of these is consultation on the draft Masterplan. A copy is available in the Sheltered Complex. / PR - Community Worker
WTR - Mill O' Mains Task Group
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points) / By Whom
Impact Assessment - including focus groups and user satisfaction surveys / A number of services operate surveys of users and non-users e.g. community centres. The Annual Consumer Survey is also available. / A consumer feedback process will be established for FSF environmental initiatives. / The Community Planning Partnership will establish a monitoring system for the Local Community Plan which uses focus groups to identify the impact of the plan on residents. / Communities Officer
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points) / By Whom
Round Table Events/Reference Groups / Regular round table events were held prior to the establishment of the LCPP. Reference groups functioned with the CR Forums / The North East Community Planning Partnership will organise a community seminar on an annual basis. / North East Community Planning Partnership
LCP/CLD Events / Six themes provide the framework for the Local Community Plan. Task groups are to be established to achieve actions. / Ten task groups will be established with officers and residents to respond to issues raised through research and Local Community Plan. / North East Community Planning Partnership
Focus Groups / Housing Dept. (DCC) has established a number of focus groups of tenants on relevant topics. / Focus groups will be created to monitor the impact of the Local Community Plan. / Communities Officer
CRF Forums/Events / A Forum meets monthly and has elections every September. / The CR Forum will be supported to operate and allocate funding from its budget in line with Local Community Plan and residents aspirations. / Community Worker
Community and Voluntary Sector Networks / A meeting of voluntary organisations was organised to identify representation on the LCPP. / An annual meeting will be organised to discuss issues and nominate a new representative. / Communities Officer
CLD Partnerships / Existing partnerships exist with providers through the CLD sub groups i.e. Young People, Community Engagement and Adult Learning. / CLD practitioners will meet quarterly as part of Integration Meetings to encourage CLD development in line with community need. / John Hosie/Karen Gunn
Youth Forums
NORTH EAST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVIEW
Community Engagement Structure / Current Position / *Planning Review
(Action Points) / *Working Together Review
(Action Points / By Whom
Community Councils / Fintry Community Council has recently merged its functions with Finmill Community Safety panel. / Create an action plan with the merged organisations that tackles issues highlighted in the Fintry survey 2008 / Work with partners to encourage new members to become involved in the organisation. / Dundee City Council
Tayside Police
Neighbourhood Representative Structures / Whitfield Development Group was recognised as a Neighbourhood Representative Structure in August 2008. / Support residents involvement in this organisation and encourage regular open events. / Investigate the possibility of establishing a Neighbourhood Representative Structure to cover Emmock Woods/Mill O' Mains and Dalclaverhouse. / Dundee City Council
Tayside Police
NECPP
Community Regeneration Forums / The CRF has 13 members as of 2008 with one vacancy each from Fintry and Mill O' Mains. / The Community Planning Partnership will organise annual walkabouts to prioritise projects with the Forum. / Communities Officer
Working Groups/Task Groups / Various Task Groups were established to implement the last Local Community Plan. / 10 Task groups will be created to address topics identified through research. / North East Community Planning Partnership
Representation on Dundee Partnership Structures / Residents have representation on the North East Community Planning Partnership, Building Stronger Communities and the CRF Chairs' meeting. / Host a community seminar for all interested residents to elect representatives to the North East Community Planning Partnership and continue to support reps on partnerships structures. / Communities Officer
Local Management Groups / There are three Community Centres all of which have Management Groups. / A new group will be established to manage the Fintry North Community Block. / More community involvement will be encouraged at Middleton Wood Management Group / PR - Abertay HA,
Dundee City Council
WTR - Urban Ranger, DCS
Youth Action Groups
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