Agenda item

To determine the priorities and areas of focus for the Local Community Network for the next 12 months

(a)   What are Local Community Networks (LCNs) and how we will work together.

A map of the Crewkerne and Ilminster LCN area is attached for reference.

(b)   Discussion – What is important to residents and businesses in our area? (An opportunity to raise any local issues or concerns for the LCN to consider).

 

The Terms of Reference for the LCNs are detailed at agenda item 1 or can be viewed at: Terms of reference (somerset.gov.uk)

 

Frequently Asked Questions can also be viewed at: Frequently Asked Questions (somerset.gov.uk)

Minutes:

Kate Hellard (LCN Development Lead) provided a presentation on the purpose of the LCN and how it would feed back into the work of Somerset Council. The presentation slides are attached.

 

There is also a dedicated page for Local Community Networks (LCNs) on the Somerset Council website which is viewable at: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/local-community-networks/

 

In break-out groups, attendees were asked to consider three discussion questions (sub headings below) and to share what themes, issues and opportunities they wanted the Crewkerne and Ilminster LCN to explore over the next 12 months.

 

What is important to our residents and how do we know that?

 

Transport

 

·     Public transport – routes and costs vs fares

·     Road links

 

Communication / Connectivity

 

·     Poor access in some areas to fast internet/broadband service.

·     Poor mobile network coverage in many areas

 

Services - Lack of, or difficulty accessing

 

·      Banks

·      Dentists

·      GP access and nurses – stroke and hyper acute services

·      Access to health hubs and links to transport

·      School Places

·      Youth Activities

·     Services accessible to the elderly

·     Lack of health infrastructure to support growth

·     Access to education and youth provision

 

Rural / Social Isolation

 

·     Lack of public transport – and so reliance on private car

·     Growing elderly population

·     Lack of things for young people to do / and transport.

·     Rural sustainability

·     Access to and maintaining existing essential services such as shops and post offices

 

Environmental Issues

 

·     Dog Bins/Mess

·     Litter and fly-tipping.

·     Maintaining open spaces

·     Ranger services – communication – management and cost vs quality.

·     Play park equipment

 

Anti-Social Behaviour

 

·     Lack of Police

·     Perceptions of Anti Social Behaviour

 

Employment and Skills

 

·     Employers – needed to attract people to stay and live locally

·     Support infrastructure / jobs for population growth

 

Highways

 

·      State of roads – potholes, verge and hedge cutting, land slips, fly tipping – reporting and timelines for issues

·      Accountability of utility companies regarding states of roads post their works.

·      Efficiency of repairs

·      Road closures  - notices – lack of consistencies

·      Volume, speed and weight of traffic, and also driver behaviour

·     Flooding and blocked drains and culverts.

·     Dualling of A358 delayed

 

Somerset Council

 

·     SC Financial performance

·     Growth in properties has been slowed by the phosphates issue

·     Housing need

·     Sheltered housing and affordable / social housing

·     Planning – Parish Councils not listened to.

·     Planning – issues with portal, timeframes, enforcement and inconsistencies

·     Financial support for village halls

·     Finance and grant funding

·     More engagement early and often at a local level

·     How will LCNs empower communities and deliver priorities if no access to funding or beudgets?

·     More accountability and easier access into services.

·     More input at parish council meetings.

·     Access to every-day services delivered efficiently and cost effectively – able to speak to person when needed.

 

Other

 

·      Access to resources – equality across the LCNs

·      Cost of living – distribute data

·      Resilience

­  weather – flood and heat

­  food security

­  isolation

 

How do we know?

 

·     Social media / Facebook

·     Emails

·     Speaking to residents informally and formally

 

 

Is there something we can do about it, and / or are there examples already working?

 

Highways

 

·      Some parishes have local speedwatch schemes / 30mph and SIDs

 

Somerset Council

 

·     Communication – list of contacts

·     Up to date website

·     People / officers to talk to

·     Email contacts

·     Answering the phones

·     Service Level Agreements

·     Know who people are and understanding what they do

·     Different Portfolio Holders attending Parish Council meetings

·     Rather than councillors providing feedback on what SC will be doing – opportunity for more early engagement and consultative approach with parishes

·     More information as to what level of local government does what and how those roles affect the communities.

·     Funding

·     Share good practice across the LCN and wider – what can be learned from neighbours?

·     Share proactive initiatives

·     Better connections – Highways, public transport, Police feedback, access to youth facilities

·     Planning

­  important to residents

­  lack of enforcement

­  status of parishes

­  planning department – local knowledge

 

Transport

 

·     Community driving schemes

·     Highways wardens

·     School / education

 

Health

 

·     Build community driving schemes – links to resilience

·     NHS needs to be a key stakeholder

 

Resilience. other groups and projects – examples already working elsewhere

 

·     Community groups – eg Green Ilminster

·     Frome and Bruton – Transition Towns

·     CARG (Chard Area Resilience Group)

·      Ilminster are working with young people

·      Scything project, re-wilding and finger-post maintenance

 

Rural Isolation

 

·     Bring generations together at a local level.

·     Consider community land trusts – mixed housing including social housing

·     VCFSE and village agent involvement in LCN

·     Get residents involved and talking

·     Better Police contacts

 

Environmental Issues

 

·      Link parishes to strategies e.g trees

 

Other

 

·      Volunteers need access to training and freedoms to take local action (insurance).

 

 

Who do we need to talk to? Who else could be in the room? Is there any data that would help?

 

·        Somerset Council – Difficulty in accessing the right contact.

·        Guest speakers from Somerset Council from various departments or on a required basis (SC Accountability)

·        Youth worker

·        Police

·        Fire Service

·        Highways

·        Planning

·        Portfolio Holders

·        NHS – Doctors and Dentists

·        Grant application advisor

·        VCFSE

·        Environment Agency

·        Utility Companies

·        Businesses

·        Farmers and land owners

·        Speedwatch volunteers

·        Other agencies and service providers

·        Residents

·        The other LCNs and all the parishes within this LCN

·        Public transport providers

·        Citizens Advice Bureau

·        Wessex Water

·        Community infrastructure – to include education

Supporting documents: