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Report to Area Panel re Local Action Plan 2006-2008
BROOMHILL, CENTRAL AND NETHER EDGE AREA PANEL
LOCAL ACTION PLAN (LAP)
2006 - 2008
VISION
To bring about a significant change in the effects of deprivation on the Area, improve the quality of life for local people and promote the Areas culture and diversity as part of the Areas contribution to the City.
THE AREA
The Area identified as eligible within the Area Action boundary is commonly described as the Abbeydale Corridor together with parts of the City Centre . Most of the Central Ward falls within the Area but it also includes parts of Nether Edge. The Area has a number of special features.
● A tremendously diverse population with the highest proportion of young people anywhere within the City.
● Large numbers of students
● Limited Council Housing, some social housing including hostels but a very high private rented market
● Falling rolls in schools and schools that draw their intake from a single group
● High incidence of ill health especially among some minority ethnic communities and in particular the high incidence of mental illness
● No affordable and accessible sport facilities within the Area of any note in spite of the Area being host to Sheffield Utd. Football Club.
● A lack of accessible green/open space. The density of the urbanisation can be illustrated by the fact that 30,000 people live within 1200mtrs of Mount Pleasant Park claiming their 0.6 hectare of green space per capita when Government guidelines say it should be ten times that figure
● Traffic corridors run through the Area dividing neighbourhoods
● There is a strong and vibrant retail sector and a range of small businesses
● Burglary and car crime remain issues
● Regeneration funding has been limited with the exception of Priority 5 of Objective 2 and recently Sure Start
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Broomhill, Central and Nether Edge Area Panel aims to create successful neighbourhoods and will support activity that works towards this achievement. In Closing the Gap a successful neighbourhood is defined as being:
· A place where people chose to live.
· Low crime
· Where children and young people are supported.
· Good access to schools.
· Streets are clean and well maintained.
· Green spaces and the natural environment are well maintained and well used.
· Housing is of a good standard with accessible services and affordable / modern homes which people choose.
· Communities are cohesive with active citizens and displaying community pride.
· There are lifelong learning and training opportunities which those who would benefit most would take advantage of.
· Where employment prospects and employability are good.
· Health and well being is good.
· Public services provided to a good standard, including educational achievement, the proportion of looked after children, and health services all above floor targets.
CONSULTATION
The Broomhill, Central and Nether Edge Area Panel has produced a three year strategic plan together with one year implementation plans. Consultation on these plans has involved a variety of processes including major consultation events such as Roadshows and issue specific conferences. The Plans have also built on existing evidence collated locally through Forum Neighbourhood Plans. On top of this there has been some very specific consultation on community safety and Health issues stemming from the Sharrow PPA and the Trailblazer for the LAA respectively There is general agreement on the major priorities for the Area and there is little divergence between the views of the Panel and other major stakeholders such as the Police, Health, Sharrow Community Forum and Broomhall Forum.
Area Panel Members have agreed, in principle, to allocate funding under the LAP to priorities set within the Area Plan. The Panel has also decided to commission projects rather than accepting bids and, where possible, has established an ‘active client, active contractor’ model whereby the development of the project is a partnership approach.
Further discussion and consultation has taken place during the past year with:
External Stakeholders
- Discussions with Sharrow Community Forum in relation with overall LAP allocation but in particular prioritising youth activities within the designated area.
- Meetings with Broomhall Forum in relation with overall LAP allocation particularly the Green Open Spaces.
- We have meetings with Inspector Craig Patchett regarding Sharrow PPA, prioritising the Environmental Issues, Crime Reduction and youth activities.
- Meetings with South West PCT with relation to LAA.
- Meetings with Sheffield Futures regarding Youth activities.
- We have discussions with different partners regarding Distinctive Sharrow.e.g. Chinese Community Association
- Issues were raised as part of Sharrow Project Partnership Board agenda
- We have discussions with Broomhall Cosmopolitan Shadow Board.
Internal Stakeholders
· We had two meetings with Link Officers to look into the potential LAP spending proposals.
02/08/2005
17/01/2006
· We had individual meetings with BCNE Link Officers e.g.
- Paul Pitts - (Street Force)
- Richard Fowler – (Activity Sheffield)
· We have engagement with Sharrow Project, Broomhall Cosmopolitan, Active Sharrow, LAA where we have had discussions regarding future funding spend.
We have had discussions with BCNE Councillors in briefing meeting regarding funding spend and finally we will have a Public meeting on 02/03/2006.
STRATEGIC FIT
There are a number of Area Panel priorities that may not need to appear within the LAP. Other themes within NRF should be having an impact on key priorities within the Area. Issues of community safety such as the high burglary rate and the development of the Safer Neighbourhood Area, should be confronted through the community safety strand. The delivery of the LAP is therefore determined in part by what will be planned within other themes.
The other major factor of linkage is the capacity of the LAP to lever in other funding and work with other strands of regeneration in the Area. The establishment of the Broomhall Forum development Officer was a jointly funded post with the Hanover Tenants Association. Similarly the Sharrow Project levered in considerable funding from a variety of sources.
The LAP therefore needs to consider a range of other factors and contexts in terms of how it should allocate its funding
· The South Sheffield Partnership
· The roll out of Childrens Centres
· Broomhall Cosmopolitan
· Distinctive Sharrow
· Active Sharrow
· ALMO
· The work of the Student Accommodation task Force.
· Local Area Agreement (LAA)
· Neighbourhood Element
Some of the above have strong structures and funding and are having a major impact within the Area others are at a basic level in terms of their development but all need to be considered as part of the deliberations on spend
FUNDING PROPOSALS
To ensure that young people of the Area have access to a range of opportunity and choice
In previous rounds of NRF Members have consistently supported initiatives that promote the needs of young people. The Porter Project has secured £350K from the Football Foundation, the CAMPA VAN is now touring the Area and (though not funded by the Panel) the Area was the first Area to host the pilot of ‘Voice and Influence’.
Over the past year the Panel has worked closely with the developing partnership which has been evolving a Youth Strategy for the Area. This work is viewed as ground breaking by the Councils Youth Work Client and a potential model for roll out across the City. To move the work forward and develop a sustainable model of delivery the partnership has put together a proposal (appendix 1)
Sharrow as a Successful Community
The main thrust of NRF funding relating to this has been through support for the Sharrow Project. The project has now gained Transformational status and is well on its way to meeting a number of its objectives. A Partnership Board is in place as is a Project Officer. There are, however a couple of developments that would indicate that the Panel should not continue to fund the project from the LAP.
First there are a number of emerging projects that build on the Sharrow Project initiative such as ‘Distinctive Sharrow’. There are clear arguments that say that such projects should be supported in their formative stages and it would be more appropriate to support these rather than the established Sharrow Project.
Overarching all of this, however, is the allocation of the ‘Neighbourhood Element’ of NRF which has been identified for Sharrow. It will be down to the local partnership (which will include the Area Panel) to determine how funding should be spent but it is likely that the above projects will receive support through this process.
Environmental Improvement
Streetscene
The Panel has invested considerably in recent years in relation to streetscene improvement. A ranger service followed by the employment of a Lengthsman has impacted effectively on key parts of the Area. This has been in tandem with Bring Out Your Rubbish days (BOYR) and the purchase of litter bins and dog bins. There is clear evidence of improvement in those areas covered which may indicate that the initiative should continue. It is, however, the case that under the Councils Cleaner, Greener, safer initiative this Panel Area is, as from October 2005, in receipt of extra funding which will take up the costs of the Lengthsman project. To maintain the Panels commitment to environmental improvement right across the area it is proposed to identify funding from within the Panels increased budget for extra BOYR days, litter bins and other such initiatives that enhance the mainstream activity.
Green and Open Space
A high priority for the Panel and in particular the improvement to small areas of green space. The Panel in partnership with Parks, Woodlands and Countryside (PWC) has over the last few years had considerable success in improving a number of areas e.g. Lynwood, Staveley Rd. etc. with the aid of S106 funding. Most of these improvements have been in close cooperation with local people. The successful allocation of capital and ensuing development has gone well but there remains the ongoing issue of maintenance and continuing’ ownership by local people which would bring about a sustainable improvement to the environment of an area.
Discussions with Broomhall Forum Development Officer (a post part funded by LAP) and the establishment of an environmental group in Broomhall has indicated that there is a willingness to explore the concept of a ‘Green Client’ for Broomhall that puts local people and groups in charge of their own environment. There is already an active network of volunteer activity within the area e.g. HERB, Friends of Lynwood Gardens etc. and any project would seek to build on this commitment and endeavour to develop a sustainable social enterprise for the management of green space within the area.
Broomhall Cosmopolitan
A longstanding project within the area which has been to Panel on a number of occasions and is now at the point of being put before Cabinet as a Transformational Project for the Neighbourhood of Broomhall. The Project needs a Project Manager in order for it to progress and such a post would be recognised as an appropriate use of funding.
Active Sharrow
The Project Aims to improve the opportunities to lead a healthy lifestyle and achieve the recommended levels of physical activity - At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity at least five times per week for adults, and at least one hour of moderate level activity every day for young people
The project will work towards the physical activity strategy for the area and will look at building and developing activities by working with various partners. The project will also work with the local community, providing opportunities to become active in the community through volunteering, support and training. This will help in building the capacity of local groups that have been established, and support them in becoming self sustainable.
Key targets within the implementation plan include setting up an area based G.P. referral scheme, providing Training opportunities for local people, provision of activities for the over 50’s, generating further funding and support existing groups in drawing up funding bids, linking with other providers, taking a lead role in providing school holiday provision, developing school to community links, develop club links for focus sports within the area, and increasing opportunity’s for local women and Girls.
Local Area Agreement (LAA)
Continuing support for the development of the LAA on health is deemed appropriate since it is beginning to fulfil the long term aspirations of the Area Panel. Funding will be available through other avenues of NRF but it is unlikely that some of the targets which have been identified locally will receive funding. In particular those relating to issues of mental health. It is therefore proposed to explore ways of continuing to support the full implementations of the recommendations of the LAA trailblazer report
Vulnerable Peoples Task Group (VPTG)
One of the main reasons for the increase in the Panels NRF budget is due to the level of deprivation within the City Centre. In acknowledgement of the needs of a particularly excluded group it is proposed to combat the issue of worklessness within the community of homeless and disengaged peoples within the City Centre. The VPTG proposals are attached. We would, however, be looking for a partnership arrangements to cover the full costs of the proposal.
LAP Discretionary Budget
There is an allocation under NRF which raises the discretionary budget for each Panel by £20K making a total discretionary budget of £30K. This funding falls under the same NRF rules but allows spending over the whole Panel Area.
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
All the proposed projects are based on a strong partnership approach and all projects have been ‘built’ through a co-operative approach stemming back at least one year and in some instances e.g. Broomhall Cosmopolitan, several years.
Some projects are the focus for a partnership approach e.g. Active Sharrow. Here the project has brought together Activity Sheffield, PCT, Sheffield Futures and Sharrow Community Forum to achieve a common goal.
Some partnerships are forced creations such as the LAA but mirror already existing partnership activity within the Area.
There are some projects that stem from priorities developed through partnership e.g. The VPTG, where a number of agencies have wanted to work together but have not had the funding to take matters forward.
There will be, because of the partnerships formed, a range of opportunity for matched funding. The Broomhall Green spaces project will work with the grain of planning gain money to develop a sustainable approach to green space management in the area. It is also a strong example of the role of local people as partners in much of this activity as is the Youth Forum
ACCOUNTABILITY
Regular reports on all the projects and initiatives will be submitted to the Area Panel as part of the monitoring and evaluation process. Many of the initiatives, and in particular the more complex ones, require careful business planning and any document produced as part of this process will act as the basis of the overall monitoring of the project.
There are various partnership arrangements for the initiatives, some of which are loosely constituted. In these circumstances lead organisations and accountable bodies are identified.
DELIVERY
Delivery of the LAP programme will be through properly constituted bodies some of which will be acting as accountable bodies on behalf of partnership steering groups. An example of this is the Broomhall Cosmopolitan Partnership Group where there is a partnership steering group comprising agencies, local organisations, groups and individuals. The group has terms of reference but is not constituted to enable it to hold funding. Accountability and probity is provided by the City Councils Planning Department.
A number of project leads have recognised that it will be more efficient to buy in expertise rather than developing delivery mechanisms from scratch. The Partnership between Broomhall Forum and Heeley Development Trust is a case in point
SUSTAINABILITY
All the NRF funding allocated within the LAP is designed to lever in sustainable revenue from Regional and National Government as well as other sources. All the major projects will be the subject of detailed business planning where the role of NRF can be clearly documented. At this moment in time it is possible to identify what level of funding will be drawn down for certain projects e.g. £50K for LAA on Health. All projects have an exit strategy whether they be time limited or are designed to carry on into mainstream.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Formal monitoring of the LAP and its outputs will be the responsibility of the Community Regeneration Unit within Sheffield City Council. Local evaluation of the LAP will be taken on by the Area Panel in close partnership with the Forums in the Area. The Area Panel will receive regular quarterly reports on progress as will the Community Forums. There will also be an annual Roadshow at which the LAP will have its own section so that local people might have a say on how this investment is having an effect on their lives.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Projects | 2006 - 07 Allocation (£) | Projects | 2007-08 Allocation (£) | ||
Youth Strategy Project and the establishment of a Youth Forum | 18,398 | Youth Strategy Project and the establishment of a Youth Forum | N/A | ||
Green and open spaces | 27,775 | Green and open spaces | 28,915 | ||
Active Sharrow | 25,000 | Active Sharrow | 35,000 | ||
Broomhall Cosmopolitan | 20,000 | Broomhall Cosmopolitan | 30,000 | ||
Vulnerable Peoples Task Group | 25,000 | Vulnerable Peoples Task Group | 25,000 | ||
LAA Health Trailblazer | 6,000 | LAA Health Trailblazer | 6,000 | ||
Environment Improvements | 10,000 | Environment Improvements | 9,085 | ||
Discretionary Budget | 20,000 | Discretionary Budget | 20,000 | ||
Total NRF allocation | £152,173 £154,000 | Total | £154,000 £154,000 |
This leaves a contingency amount in the first year of £1,827. This is well within the virement range agreed and this amount can be allocated to any project under Members discretion
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Members agree the priorities for funding as set out above.
D.Whitfield
Area Co-ordinator
17 February 2006
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