Policies

Market Deeping Town Council

Community Engagement Policy

1. Aims and Objectives

Market Deeping Town Council is an open and transparent Council, which values the opinions of the community which it serves. It continues to listen to the needs and concerns of the community, and will do everything within its power and financial constraints, to make the Parish a better place to live and work.

The purpose of this document is to deliver a standard policy for engagement with residents and partners, whilst recognising the services that the Town Council provides must reflect the needs of its residents and the locality.

This policy aims to improve communication between the Town Council and the residents of the Parish in order to increase awareness of local issues and council involvement, encourage public participation and receive feedback.

Market Deeping Town Council aims to:

Represent and promote the interests of Market Deeping:

a. Pay attention to the needs of our children and young people

b. Pay attention to the needs of our elderly residents

c. Provide the best possible amenities and services by the efficient use of available resources

d. Actively involve local people in decisions affecting activities in the area

e. Promote equality of opportunity and oppose discrimination

f. Be open and accountable in all it does

g. Support development which is environmentally, socially and economically sound and sustainable

h. Enhance quality of life by protecting and enhancing the ecological and environmental assets

i. Encourage partnership working

j. Ensure all information published is clear, concise and widely available

In order to achieve these aims, the Council will:

a. Work closely with residents, businesses and community groups

b. Engage with as many people as possible who want to participate in decision making

c. Monitor services and plan for the future

d. Ensure, that through the use of a wide range of approaches to public involvement and community engagement, we actively encourage the involvement of residents to capture their views and learn their concerns and effectively use those views as an integral part of the decision-making process

e. Ensure that residents have the opportunities to be heard at every stage, and the capacity to be effective residents

f. Allocate a specific time for ‘Comments from the Public’ prior to Full Council meeting. This provides an opportunity for local residents to make representations to the Council or to ask questions relating to any of its areas of responsibility. Comments can be in verbal form by attendance at the meeting and /or by writing in advance

g. Publish all Council and Committee meeting agendas on the Town Council website and in the notice board outside the Town Hall

h. Ensure that minutes of Full Council and Committee meetings are available on the website (once ratified) or that printed copies are available upon request (once ratified)

i. The annual External Audit offers the opportunity for questions to be asked about the latest Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet. A synopsis of the financial accounts is published within the Annual Report

j. Publish contact details of all Council members on the website, in newsletters and in the Town Hall notice board

k. Produce regular newsletters highlighting town events and latest developments within the Council

l. Undertake consultation exercises with local residents, children and other user groups (where appropriate)

m. Invite members of the public to attend all Council meetings

n. Submit Council press releases for consideration to be featured in local newspapers to keep the general public informed of community events

o. To ensure Members and Officers attend, as appropriate, meetings of ‘Outside Bodies’ as well as those comprising community groups and other levels of local government and agencies

Future Improvements:

Market Deeping Town Council is committed to improving community engagement by:

a. Improving relationships with community groups including the development of measures to harness the views and opinions of people and groups who are often missed out of community engagement activities

b. Identifying and embracing opportunities to work with other local community groups, as and when the need arises

c. Participating in local networks to share knowledge and experience of community engagement activities in other areas

d. Publicising the positive results that have been achieved from working relationships between the Council and other community groups; in order to encourage new relationships / partnerships to be formed and raise community spirit

e. Ensuring that the public is appropriately informed about the difficulties as well as the successes with projects so that they can better understand the constraints that the Council operates within

f. Ensuring that appropriate evaluation is carried out following consultation exercises to ensure that lessons learned are carried forward and an assessment of how effective / useful the consultation proved to be

The outcomes the Council hopes to achieve are:

a. Improved communication with the local community

b. A better understanding within the community of the role of the Town Council and of its Councillors

c. Local people actively contributing to decision making

d. To respond to views and needs of local residents and address their priorities

e. Promotion of local democracy

f. Proactively working to improve the Parish and the lives of residents

g. Delivering and improving upon value for money

2. Defining the Community

Market Deeping Town Council is keen to reach all groups and individuals who work, or live in the Parish. It has historical links with many local voluntary groups, businesses and other local government bodies eg the Police

The Council considers the community to consist of:

a. All residents of the town

b. All users of the Town Council’s services

c. All those who own businesses within the town

d. All young people who live and/or go to school within the town

e. All local voluntary organisations, clubs and societies

f. Any group or organisation that represents some or any of the members of the above sections of the community

g. Visitors to the Town

Additionally, the Council recognises that there are certain bodies that are crucial to the quality of life in the Parish and aims to maintain excellent working relationships with these bodies, including the Police, the other tiers of local government and neighbouring Town and Parish Councils.

3. Provision of Information to the Community

Market Deeping Town Council has many avenues through which it communicates with its community:

a. The Town Council offices in the Town Hall, Market Place, Market Deeping, PE6 8EA are open Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 12 noon and can provide a wide range of information.

b. Town Councillor surgeries are held on the first Saturday of each month at the Library from 10am till 12 noon

c. The Town Council’s website http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/marketdeeping/ provides comprehensive information on the work of the Town Council

d. The Town Council provides two notice-boards around the Parish which are used to display Council information and contact details for local councillors.

e. The Town Council’s Newsletter is published twice a year and is distributed to households via ‘The Advertiser’. It is also available from the Town Council offices and on the Town Council website

f. The Annual Report is produced in May each year and is available from the Town Council offices and on the website. This report is also presented at the annual Town Meeting and the annual Parish meeting

g. All meetings of the Town Council and its committees and sub-committees are open to the public and a period is set aside at the beginning of each meeting for public questions relating to items on the agenda

h. Contact details of all the Councillors and the Clerk are published on notice boards and website.

i. A website containing all relevant information about the work of the Town Council including meeting minutes, financial statements, annual report and how to contact the Council; this also includes links to other organisations including the principal authority

j. Publishing of agendas and other information, on the Town Hall notice board for all Council and committee meetings

k. Publishing of minutes, on the Council website, for all Council and committee meetings

l. The production of the Annual Report, available from the Town Clerks office

m. The Parish Council’s involvement in the Annual Town Meeting

n. Public meetings are called to gauge public opinion about important issues affecting the town such as major planning applications

o. A councillor surgery is held each Wednesday morning in the Town Hall

4. Opportunities for Community Involvement

Market Deeping Town Council ensures the electorate has the opportunity to have access to council meetings and facilities ensuring increased and representative community involvement.

A public forum session is available at every full Town Council meeting, where the electorate can raise issues in relation to the business on the agenda. The electorate can also request other matters to be discussed at future meetings.

5. Opportunities for Formal Representations to the Council

Issues received in writing, may be included as a stated item on a future agenda dependant on relevance and legality within the Town Council’s duties, powers or responsibilities.

Correspondence received from a member of the public is acknowledged wherever possible, within five working days.

6. Involvement in Partnerships

The Town Council encourages and supports public meetings organised by the Police, the health authority, South Kesteven District Council, Lincolnshire County Council, neighbouring Parish and Town Councils and other organisations where it feels information should be made available to the residents of the Parish.

7. Role of Council Members, Town Clerk and members of staff

As an open and transparent Parish Council, both Elected Members and the Clerk seek to offer a high quality professional service to all whom they serve. Both Elected Members and the Clerk are keen to maintain relevant Codes of Conduct in their activities, and view the community as “customers” rather than an electorate.

The Council’s officers are staff members, employed to carry out the day to day functions of the Council and make sure that its services are provided for the local community.

The Clerk is employed as the Town Council’s ‘proper officer’ and has overall responsibility for the provision of Council services.

8. Objectives

a. To improve, plan and shape the future of the town according to local needs and priorities.

b. To improve the quality and delivery of services

c. To use engagement to inform decision making, ensuring decisions are fit for purpose and meet the needs of the town

d. To enhance the well being of the town

e. To be a stronger, more active and cohesive town

9. Specific Areas for Community Engagement

Where there is a specific issue, or new project that the Town Council wish to consider, it is of value to the Town Council to seek the views of the community who will be most affected. The residents of the Town can have confidence that their “voice” will be heard, and that the Council will work with the community to reach a common goal.

Community Engagement takes many forms and is best described by the Ladder of Engagement, as seen in the table below, which describes the different levels of involvement

• Informing

The Town Council will raise awareness of consultation processes by various methods including promotion through local publications, the website, and local media. Councillors are a rich and important source of two-way communication between the Council and its residents. Members of the Council will continue to inform their ward and residents of the Council’s vision, priorities and aspirations. In turn these Members will receive valuable feedback from residents which will assist in shaping the vision and priorities

• Consulting

The key to effective community engagement is the consultation of all residents on important issues. It will ensure those most affected are able to put forward an opinion and given an opportunity to make a difference.

The Council will ensure consultations include all members of the town by identifying the hard to reach groups such as youths, the elderly, the housebound, the disabled, ethnic minorities etc. This may require the establishment of different engagement channels.

• Involving

The Town Council will work with Police and Partner Authorities (e.g. LCC & SKDC), to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new ones.

The Town Council will liaise with minority/hard to reach groups and identify channels of contact and consultation to ensure inclusion.

The Town Council will work with and identify consultation/focus groups and identify residents (by means of survey to judge general opinions to minimise cost implications of full consultation processes) with specific skills who can be consulted on specialist subjects.

• Collaborating

The Town Council will support local organisations and assist them in meeting their own aims and objectives. Support for local projects and participating in and organising local events will raise the awareness of the Council and its aims and objectives

• Empowering

By bringing together residents and partners, the Town Council will find solutions to local problems ensuring they will be accepted and fit for purpose. Mediation and assistance in the formulation of action plans will engage and empower the community in decision making resulting in enhancements to the environment and the quality of life. Acting together in decision making and policy drafting will ensure residents have a voice and see they can make a difference

10. Measuring Success

Success will be measured by predefined targets on individual projects and reviewed at inception, during the project and at the end of the project. This process will include consultation outcomes, monitoring of resident participation in consultation processes and increases in their involvement in local projects and events.

11. Action Plan

How can the Town Council improve community engagement?

a. Improved communication through the establishment of new channels of engagement

b. More residents understanding the role of Councillors and getting the best effect

c. Improved engagement with local communities, with more people feeling that they are involved in decision-making and a higher percentage of people involved in volunteering

d. Improved satisfaction with services provided by the Council

12. Reviewing and Assessing Effectiveness of the Strategy

This strategy will be reviewed and updated annually; its effectiveness will be assessed by Councillors and Council staff and amendments and/or improvements would be recommended if benefits are identified.