Community Partnership

Yesterday I attended the monthly meeting of the North Road Community Partnership. As a meeting point for professionals from various agencies, such as community workers, the police, youth workers, councillors and others, to discuss various issues pertinent to the ward, it is useful.
But local residents are in a minority. As presently constituted and operated, on the evidence of this meeting, Community Partnerships are not organisations which offer a democratic input into the Council. At the end of the meeting, I suggested some ways in which local people might be encouraged to participate in this organisation, so that it is less dominated by the professionals.
A well-publicised meeting with Council officers about Leyburn Road traffic problems last year produced a big turnout of local residents. We need to have more issue-based meetings like these, which local residents will find relevant and attractive.