Agenda item

To receive and consider report number 175/07 of the Head of Community Strategy and the Monitoring Officer (attached).

Introduction and Report Summary

This report provides information about the responses at the Abingdon Area Forum held on 14^th November 2007 and the preparation of the Vale Sustainable Community Strategy.

The contact officer for this report is Toby Warren, Head of Community Strategy, Tel: 01235 547695, Email toby.warren@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Recommendations

that members note the information contained in the report

The Committee received and considered report 175/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer which provided information about the responses at the Abingdon Area Forum held on 14 November 2007 and the preparation of the Vale Sustainable Community Strategy.

It was commented that members of the public had appreciated an opportunity for discussion and debate. It was considered that the format of the Forum had been very successful and the Officers had gained lots of information about the sorts of issues which local people felt were important for the Vale in the future. 

It was noted that the Officers had analysed the responses received to the issues and options report and that information was being used to put together a draft Vale Community Strategy.  However, in discussion with Chair of this Committee it had been agreed that there should be a further Abingdon Area Forum to be held on Wednesday 30 April.  It was considered that a further forum would give residents an opportunity to be involved again in learning about the proposed actions to address the issues discussed in the autumn.  It was commented that there would be an electronic voting system.

Members agreed that the previous forum had been successful.  However, the following comments were made: -

·                    The outcome was dependant on attendees. 

·                    It was easy for specific interest groups to attend and influence the outcome. 

·                    Persistent speakers should be prevented from not allowing others to take part.

·                    The Chair felt that it would have been beneficial to have a panel of Members to field questions rather than him alone.

·                    It was suggested that it might be beneficial to have an Officer from the Communications Team present at the Forum as well as Officers specialised in the likely issues to be discussed.

·                    It was suggested that written questions could be sought from the floor and those questions of interest generally should be answered first with more specific questions only relevant to a small number of people answered thereafter. 

The Officers responded that public meetings attracted self interest groups but that it was important to let them have their say.   It was commented that the outcome of the Forum would not result in the final outcome of what should be in the Strategy, but it was one form of public consultation which was very important

Notwithstanding this, the Officers sought to seek advice from the Head of Communications of how to facilitate a meaningful debate having regard to persistent and dominant speakers.

Furthermore, the Officers undertook to provide feedback from the last forum to the next.

Arising upon consideration of this matter, one Member suggested that there was a need to address the perception held by some people about Abingdon.  He referred to paragraph 6.8 of the report noting that there was modest control of this but emphasised that the Council should address the matter and consider with the Town and County Councils how best make the town centre revitalisation a priority. 

One Member agreed commenting that there was a lot of negative publicity surrounding Abingdon and that people would start to believe this.  She emphasised that it was important for the Council to put out positive messages.

Another Member commented that advertising should be improved and she was surprised at the lack of information held by many people.  She commented that much of the information which Members took for granted was not known by an ordinary member of the public.

RESOLVED

that the report be noted.