Community forums are changing!
A new way for people to raise their concerns with the Police, Council and other providers of services to Herefordshire is to be piloted this month.
The format of Community Forums, which the Council has held in different parts of the county since it came into being in 1998, is changing.
The all-new series of Community Forums – Partners and Communities Together – to be held during November, will be interactive and give people the chance to get their issues on the agendas of some of the main agencies which run services in Herefordshire.
Once the November series of Community Forums has taken place, each forum will be analysed carefully before a format for future forums is decided on.
Before any changes are formally adopted, they will have to be considered and approved by Herefordshire Council as they represent a fundamental change to the way the authority consults with the public through the forum meetings.
November’s round of meetings will feature representatives from key service providers, such as Herefordshire Council and West Mercia Police who will be there to hear direct the concerns of local communities.
There will be no presentations and very little in the way of a formal agenda. Those who turn up to the meetings will be invited to discuss concerns and suggest issues which they feel need addressing in their local area. After the meeting, the representatives from the Police, Council and other agencies will consider these issues and make sure they are dealt with.
The round of Community Forums to be held in February next year will include an update on the progress made with each issue.
“November’s Community Forums bring together the partner agencies at the same time and in one location to make it much easier for people to raise their concerns and have them addressed,” explained Chief Superintendent Mark Turner, the Divisional Commander for policing in Herefordshire.
“Members of the Local Policing Teams for each area will be present at the meetings, along with representatives from the key partners. They will be tasked with dealing with the issues that are raised and, importantly, giving a progress report at the next meeting so that the local community can hear what has been done.
“Key to the success of the Community Forums is ensuring people come along and have their say, so we look forward to welcoming the public throughout November.”
Cllr Roger Phillips, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “No organisation can provide quality services to the residents of Herefordshire single handedly.
“The pilot series of new-format Community Forums running during November demonstrates a significant move towards a closer working relationship between the Council and its partners.
“We want to get it right so we shall keenly evaluate the November series of meetings before finalising a format which we feel gives people the best opportunity to get their issues on our agendas.”
The first of the pilot Community Forum takes place for the South Wye area of Hereford at Hinton Community Centre on Tuesday, November 7, starting at 7.30pm.
Communities north of the river in Hereford city can have their say on Wednesday, November 8 in Committee Room 1 at the Shirehall at 7pm.
The full programme of meetings is listed below:
| Area | Date | Location (7.30pm start except North Wye) |
|---|---|---|
| Wye | Tuesday 7 November | Hinton Community Hall |
| North Wye | Wednesday 8 November | Committee Room 1, The Shirehall (7pm start) |
| Hereford Rural | Tuesday 14 November | Credenhill Village Hall |
| Ledbury | Wednesday 15 November | St Katherine's Hall, Ledbury |
| Bromyard | Thursday 16 November | The Bromyard Centre, Bromyard |
| Leominster | Tuesday 21 November | Green Lane Methodist Church, Leominster |
| Kington | Wednesday 22 November | Lady Hawkins Leisure Centre, Kington |
| Ross-on-Wye | Monday 27 November | The Ryefield Centre, Ross-on-Wye |
| Golden Valley | Wednesday 29 November | Golden Valley Community Centre, Peterchurch |
