PRINCIPLES to guide a council’s new approach to delivering and supporting services drawn up by a panel of residents have been approved by senior councillors.
Torfaen Borough Council set out at the end of last year how it intends changing the way it supports communities under an approach it has termed The Deal, intended as a pact between the council and residents.
It intends involving them in decision making and running services and rebuilding trust in the authority.
As well as seeking the public’s views through meetings and a consultation, which saw 2,026 visits to dedicated pages on the council’s website and 299 questionnaires completed, the council organised a Citizens’ Assembly with residents selected from across the borough and of different backgrounds.
12,000 households
It sent letters to 12,000 households inviting them to put someone forward and from “hundreds” of applicants 40 were selected by an independent company with the assembly meeting on three Saturdays through January and November.
Participants agreed seven principles that should guide the new relationship and ways of working to deliver a shared vision for the borough.
The seven principles agreed by the assembly are: To work with communities, not for them; Use a wide range of communication; Build trust through accountability; Strengthen community ownership and collective responsibility, Empower communities through partnership, Minimise barriers to participation and pursue environmental sustainability.
Neighbouring Blaenau Gwent Borough Council, which has federated with Torfaen to share a chief executive and some other senior staff, has also produced its own Deal with its own seven principles.
Torfaen council’s Labour leader Anthony Hunt told its cabinet: “This is emphatically not about us withdrawing from our responsibilities. It’s about doing more with people and not just to them.”
He said the council wants to work on a preventative basis as part of its approach as a “Marmot council” committed to tackling the causes of health inequalities and with voluntary groups such as running clubs or the Bridge 46 to Five Locks canal volunteers for example.
The Panteg councillor said: “One of the most impactful things in my ward in the past decade is the Friends of Fishponds Park. Instead of complaining they approached the council to work with us to improve the park.”
He said that had benefited the local community with people getting to know each other and he said there has also been less vandalism.
The council will run a campaign throughout this year to show how people can get involved in The Deal and develop an A to Z of community services and it will showcase examples of it working with community groups.
A deal for businesses is also being developed by both councils.