Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first meeting of 2022 and wished the Members a healthy and happy new year. The Chairman also welcomed Councillor Mrs Yvonne Woodhead, as the newest member of the Committee.
The Chairman advised that the recent Tenant Engagement Survey gave a small positive response to the proposals for future engagement which will now be complimented with neighbourhood pop up events, targeted in unrepresented neighbourhoods alongside telephone and door step campaigns to seek wider views. The officers are also looking at social media to promote feedback.
In line with the digital declaration and to encourage the use of the digital services involved tenants have been trained so that they can become trainers themselves and deliver training to other tenants. The digital training has now been completed and the content of the lesson plans and handbook are progressing through the final stages. These will be tested during a number of pilot sessions at Chatham Court Hub. For those tenants wishing to progress further with their digital learning a connection has been made with Inspire and Newark College.
At the end of quarter 3, 71 tenants had been actively engaging and we have set challenging targets to expand our pool of engaged tenants over the next year.
The Community Engagement Team, working with partners delivered a very successful district wide Veteran’s Breakfast and Support Awareness event at Newark Town Hall in December. It showcased a number of services including Careline and Support for Older Persons. This event was well attended and requests have been received to replicate our approach across Nottinghamshire.
The team has also co-ordinated the Crop Drop End of Season Celebration Event which showcased the value of sharing fresh surplus produce and supported over 200 families in need of additional support across the District. They have assisted 10 community groups so far to receive funding from the Nottinghamshire County Council’s Social Recovery Fund and Food Fund.
The Chairman also informed the Members that a very successful Day of Action in Clipstone took place in December, working with partners and the local school delivering a Graffiti Art Project on the local cycle network, collected over 10 tonnes of waste which included 9 tyres, 2 gas bottles and a rocking horse to name just a few and issued 5 speed warnings to motorists and reinstated 30 dog fouling notices.
Plans are in place for the arrival of the third Afghan family and also recently arranged a tour of Sherwood Forest for the resettled families as part of their ongoing integration into the Newark and Sherwood community.
The Yorke Drive Regeneration project is now moving forward with resident consultation on an element of redesign programmed at the end of January. This redesign takes into account the challenges identified around noise and the introduction of the new Parking Supplementary Planning Document including the installation of Electric Vehicle Charge Points. Following the resident consultation, the proposals will be finalised with a detailed planning application for Phase 1 to be submitted in Spring 2022.
And finally the Chairman reminded the Members that the Ollerton Advice Office is open for business to help with any and all Council related issues, queries and advice. The opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am – 4.30.pm closing for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30.