Agenda item

The Committee was asked to give consideration to a report regarding progress and achievements in the South West Ward of Gainsborough. The Wellbeing and Health Manager explained the background to the work that had been undertaken and Members were asked to note progress and achievements and to make recommendations to the Prosperous Communities Committee based on their discussions.

The Head of Paid Service further explained that the report being presented was an update report on work which had originated from a Motion to Council in 2015. These updates had been presented six monthly to the Challenge and Improvement Committee and the interventions which had arisen were ongoing, not only in the South West Ward but also across the District.

Considerable discussion ensued between Members, Officers and visiting Members. Highlighted issues included increased levels of unreported crime and drug use, the lack of successful community groups and the ongoing problems with empty properties. Positives noted included the highly successful and ongoing work with pupils at Benjamin Adlard School, personal casework through the safeguarding team, a particularly successful court case and steps taken to address the level of empty houses in the area.

There was significant support for the work conducted by the Officers however it was also highlighted that there were areas for other agencies to be involved, such as the police or County Council. It was recognised by all that the difficulties faced by residents in the area were considerable and it would remain high priority work for the Council.

It was suggested that the report itself could be re-configured in such a way as to highlight each area of work and to demonstrate the actions in place to address the separate issues, and the resources being deployed. Members enquired whether it would be possible to join Officers on a work day to see the issues faced first-hand and how these were being addressed. It was agreed this could be arranged and for interested Members to contact the Housing and Enforcement Manager or the Wellbeing and Health Manager.

With regards to the recommendations of the report, Members were keen to highlight that, if the Committee was no longer to be updated every six months, there was to be assurance that work would continue in the area. It was confirmed that this would be the case, the work was integrated into daily work plans and that Members would still receive updates via a quarterly newsletter and that the Challenge and Improvement Committee would receive an annual report for scrutiny.

With this assurance, it was:

RESOLVED that progress and achievements be noted and it be RECOMMENDED to the Prosperous Communities Committee that:

a)    committee co-ordination of the required work programmes to further support the Gainsborough South West Ward be managed as part of an overall ‘Place Based Regeneration Strategy’, subject to approval of the strategy by Prosperous Communities Committee

b)    given a significant amount of activity was progressing and was integrated into the service delivery across a range of Council service areas, the South West Ward work be considered ‘business as usual’ and be co-ordinated by the Council’s Senior Community Action Officer and overseen by the Wellbeing and Health Manager as a work programme of an overall ‘Place Based Regeneration Strategy’

c)    the ‘Placed Based Regeneration Strategy’ and its associated work programmes be subject to annual scrutiny by the Council’s Challenge and Improvement Committee

d)    a quarterly information update be provided in the form of a newsletter for stakeholders and Elected Members  

After Members had concluded the vote, the Vice Chairman noted that should there be no sign of improvement within the next quarter, he would ask for a meeting to be held between Members, Senior Officers and key figures from other agencies such as the police and the County Council.