Introduction
In 1999, Leeds City Council introduced Community Involvement Teams. A key component of their function is to produce Community Plans. These plans provide a framework for improvements to service delivery and to support targeted neighbourhood regeneration.
The Moortown, North and Roundhay Community Plan 2001/2002 was published following the success of a community survey and follow up consultation events. The plan outlines key issues and actions covering all aspects of community life. However, within this much larger area, is that identified as the Moor Allerton SRB 5 area. This was designated as an SRB 5 area in 1999, because of indicators such as crime rates, benefit dependency, unemployment, housing demand, infant mortality and life expectancy. These indicators highlight that the area is suffering from deprivation and in need of targeted regeneration. SRB 5 Government regeneration funding is therefore made available to tackle deprivation and improve the neighbourhood.
The Leeds 17 Community Facilities Group, made up of local residents, local city councillors, local authority officers and other representatives from key organisations in the area, have a strong interest in working together to improve facilities across the Moor Allerton Estates. Having secured SRB 5 and Moortown, North & Roundhay Community Involvement Team funding to find out the views and aspirations of the residents that live in the SRB 5 Moor Allerton area, they commissioned Neighbourhood Initiatives to undertake a “Planning for Real®" consultation. It was felt that the process and results of the consultation would help identify further projects important to the community and bring together others interested in driving forward and delivering on some of the ideas.
Aims and objectives
- To develop a local action plan, from problems identified and suggestions put forward by local residents
- To work with the Leeds 17 Community Facilities Group to develop and implement the detail of the programme
- To carry out a community consultation programme and achieve community participation using “Planning for Real®" as the principal tool
- To facilitate open access, drop in “Planning for Real®" events including events aimed at young people
- To carry out prioritisation and action planning with residents based on the problems / suggestions put forward at the “Planning for Real®" events
- To produce a final report detailing the consultation process and listing the findings of the exercise in the form of an action plan suitable for implementation and continued community involvement.
OutputsThe results revealed that people are most concerned about crime, leisure and traffic issues in the area. Other issues considered included the environment, community , employment and training, health and housing.
Some other positive outcomes of the process include:
- Residents/key workers provided with an opportunity to learn new skills and build confidence through delivered training and experience of involvement
- Opportunity given to everyone to “have a say” through a participative and enjoyable experience of consultation
- Partnerships strengthened and a new group established to take forward and implement some of the outcomes.
