Interview with Sarah Robson, Community Partnerships Manager.

Sarah Robson, Community Partnerships Manager, explained that the Community Development Strategy was out for consultation until the end of March.  The document had been set around three priorities and against each priority there were action based outcomes.  

Some Members were disappointed that as a Maidstone Borough Council the strategy said too little about what the Council would do, concentrating on Kent County Council and the Locality Board.

Members highlighted the information presented on Maidstone as a place.  It was felt it read too much like a tourist brochure and should include the priorities and challenges faced by community.

Other areas highlighted included Community Commissioning, it was felt that this term should be explained and the section expanded further. 

Where quantitative data was used it was noted that there was an inconsistency in the approach taken across the report. It was felt that the use of percentages could be misleading in terms of transparency and accessibility to the public. Members suggested that one uniform approach was taken.

With reference to worklessness, the Committee asked that youth unemployment be referenced within the document and addressed separately to include Anti Social Behaviour and how Maidstone hoped to address this with diversionary activities. Mrs Robson explained that the Community Development Team which included Community Partnerships and Community Safety would be less focused on sports and play activities in the future and would have the ability to develop a programme focused on this.

Members questioned whether homelessness should also be considered in the document.  Miss Kershaw informed the Committee that this was already addressed within the Housing Strategy.  Mrs Robson told Members that there was an opportunity to cross reference it within the document.

Members questioned how the consultation had been carried out.  The Officer explained that the first stage had been to circulate the document internally to Parishes, staff and Councillors.  The second stage had been to consult with the community and voluntary sector via Voluntary Action Maidstone. The document had been advertised to the public in the Kent Messenger and had also been taken to the Locality Board.

Some Members felt that with regards to consultation with parishes the consultation process had been too short as Parishes met on a monthly basis.

The Chairman invited Dr Speight, a member of the public in attendance, to speak.  Dr Speight questioned the consultation process and the way in which the public had been consulted. Mrs Robson informed Dr Speight that the public had been consulted via the Kent Messenger, the Council’s website and existing networks.

Dr Speight felt that the community had been excluded from the consultation process.  He felt that there had been a lack of consultation with the public and it was made difficult for people to become involved.

The Chairman referred to Dr Speight’s letter which had been used to lobby some Members.  It was felt that it did not relate specifically to the Community Development Strategy but should be noted.

It was resolved that:

a)  The section describing Maidstone should be rewritten;

b)  Community Commissioning should be expanded and explained more fully;

c)  Data should be presented in a consistent way throughout the report;

d)  Reducing worklessness should include a separate section on youth unemployment; and

e)  Homelessness should be referenced in the report and cross-referenced to the Housing Strategy.