COUNTY COUNCIL LOCAL COMMITTEE FOR CARLISLE

Meeting date: 27 October 2016

From: Corporate Director – Health, Care & Community Services

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORT

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1. This report gives an overview of the work of the Carlisle Area Support team for the financial year 2015/16. It provides case studies of recent community engagement activities delivered across the Carlisle area and a summary of general community engagement activity undertaken by the Community Development Team since the last report to Committee.

2.0 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS

2.1 Community Forums, community events, community consultation and community development form part of the County Council’s engagement process and support the Council to ensure the underpinning aim of being ‘’Effective and Efficient’’ is achieved whilst targeting the County Council priorities, which are To safeguard children, and ensure that Cumbria is a great place to

be a child and grow up To enable communities to live safely and shape services locally To promote health and wellbeing, and tackle poverty To protect and enhance Cumbria’s world class environment To provide safe and well maintained roads and an effective

transport network To promote sustainable economic growth, and create jobs To support older and vulnerable people to live independent and

healthy lives To be a modern and efficient councilThe Carlisle Local Committee Area plan has four main priorities, which are:

Economic Growth Accessibility Strong Communities Health & Well being

2.2 A separate Equality Impact Assessment is not required as equality issues are dealt with at a grant level and through monitoring of the Directorate EIA. Applicants for funding are required to submit equal opportunity statements, child protection and vulnerable adult policies, along with supporting data about the inclusion of the community based on Ward & Divisional profiles, Community & Parish Plans etc.

3.0 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 Members are asked to note this report; the related case studies and recorded activity.

4.0 BACKGROUND

4.1 This report outlines the work of the Carlisle Community Development Team in supporting community engagement & community development across the Carlisle District and gives case studies as examples.

4.2 An example of this engagement work undertaken by the Community Development team includes delivering a quarterly newsletter informing the community on how they can get in touch with the team, and the range of work that the County Council does in and with the local community.

4.3 The team has been involved in a number of community development projects since the last report and we have highlighted three case studies as a part of this report. Community development can be wide ranging and is broadly defined by the United Nations as ‘a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems’. The case studies in this report showcase the role the Community Development Team have played in supporting local communities.

4.4 The first case study relates to the coordinating role the Community Development Team have played in setting up a range of events with the Pennyappeal Organisation. The organisation came to Carlisle in response to the December floods, bringing food and gifts to people effected during this time. They have been keen to keep a link with the City and by working with the Community Development Team they came back to Carlisle for a week of activities as part of a ‘Love thy neighbours project’. A team of volunteers, “team orange”, came to Carlisle in June to continue supporting communities effected by the floods, as well as run events alongside organisations working with the vulnerable and marginalised members of the community.

This included providing food and entertainment for the Botcherby Big Lunch, an event organised by the community centre to bring together friends, families and neighbours following the December floods. Team Orange also delivered presents and donations to Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice and hosted an event at Carlisle Food Bank, providing hot meals to people who access the food banks services. The initial engagement work and community links of the Development team enabled these activities to take place providing positive national coverage and uplifting experiences for local people and organisations.

(From left to right, Pennyappeal volunteers at Botcherby Big Lunch, Jigsaw Children’s Hospice, Carlisle Food

Bank, Greystone Community Centre)

4.5 The second case study is the development of Low Row Community Park which has taken a number of years to complete and was recently launched in September. This project highlights how outcomes are often long term and can take time, but when driven by the local community with additional support can achieve positive developments. The project began several years ago and has been the culmination of a lot of hard work by local volunteers and the parish council. The parish council originally purchased the land; the park committee applied for various grants and secured a contribution from the County Council towards the development of the park. Meanwhile local volunteers began the onerous task of preparing the ground to support a play area.The Community Park was officially opened by Councillor Lawrence Fisher and ex Carlisle United player Peter Murphy on 24 September 2016.

4.6 The third case study highlights the positive development of community led projects. Harraby Community Campus is a multifunctional building, incorporating: a three form primary school; early years nursery; community centre; a community theatre; a café, library, CDC and a range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The Campus development is part of the commitment in the Carlisle Area Plan 2014-2017 to deliver a new building for Pennine Way School and the community centre and represents an investment of £12 million.Carlisle Community Development Team has been involved in working with representatives from the community and the centre to develop a film club at the new theatre. Funding was awarded from Harraby Community Grants panel with support of Harraby Together We Can (HTWC). The film club will be run by the community centre with help from volunteers once a month. The film club will show classic films with the aim to attract older residents who are living in the local community. This project will also invite residents from three local care homes, and the pensioners group at the catholic club. It is hoped that those who attend will also take part in other activities and use the facilities at the new campus.

4.7 Funding for community initiatives is an increasing issue for local groups as sources of funding are reducing. Along with supporting groups to come together the Community Development Team works alongside other organisations to enable groups to be in the best position to apply successfully for additional grant funding from other organisations. This includes raising awareness of the range of County Council grants through being present at such events as the Cumbria CVS funding fair and Carlisle Partnership AGM. The team also offers support to groups to apply for funding to the range of County Council community grants available. It also

signposts and supports community groups, where appropriate, with information and guidance to apply for additional grant funding.In the last 2 years the Community Development Team have helped support a range of community groups with successful funding applications to a range of local and national funders, including Francis C Scott Trust, Peoples Health Trust, the Big Lottery and Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust. This has resulted in over £250,000 of additional grant funding benefitting community groups across the Carlisle area. This additional funding has helped the development of new community led projects or the continuation of existing projects.

5.0 OPTIONS

5.1 Members are asked to note the content of this report.

6.0 RESOURCE AND VALUE FOR MONEY IMPLICATIONS

6.1 There are no direct financial implications within this report for the Local Committee.

7.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1 As this report is to note only there are no legal implications arising from the recommendations contained within this report.

8.0 CONCLUSION

8.1 This report outlines some of the key areas of work delivered by the Community Development for members to note.

Brenda SmithCorporate Director – Health, Care and Community Services

October 2016

APPENDICES

There are no appendices with this report

Electoral Divisions: Carlisle Wide

Executive Decision Yes

Key Decision Yes

If a Key Decision, is the proposal published in the current Forward Plan? N/A

Is the decision exempt from call-in on grounds of urgency? No

N/AIf exempt from call-in, has the agreement of the Chair of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee been sought or obtained?

NoHas this matter been considered by Overview and Scrutiny?If so, give details below.

N/AHas an environmental or sustainability impact assessment been undertaken?

N/AHas an equality impact assessment been undertaken?

PREVIOUS RELEVANT COUNCIL OR EXECUTIVE DECISIONS[including Local Committees]

No previous relevant decisions

CONSIDERATION BY OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

Not considered by Overview and Scrutiny

BACKGROUND PAPERS

No background papers

REPORT AUTHOR

Contact: Niall Mcnulty, Community Development Officer, Email: niall.mcnulty@cumbria.gov.uk