Agenda item

The report informed the Committee of the new Citizen Power Programme in Peterborough and specifically the following two strands:

·         Civic Commons

·         Building Recovery Capital

Graeme Clark, Project Manager presented the report accompanied by Julie Rivett, lead officer for Civic Commons and Karen Kibblewhite, lead officer for Building Recovery Capital.  Also in attendance was Emma Norris who was the Royal Society of Arts lead for Civic Commons.  A short presentation was given on each of the strands explaining what the purpose of each was and the aims and outcomes behind them.

Civic Commons was about:

•          passionate citizens, leading local figures, well known thinkers and politicians for discussion, debate and action on topical local and national issues (e.g. immigration)

•          capacity building – advocacy skills, confidence, knowledge about a range of issues

•          seeding ground for ideas and local innovation

The Civic Commons would:

•          provide space for dialogue and deliberation

•          provide spaces for citizens to engage in bigger-picture political and social issues

•          help citizens gear up for a new, more involved role in civic life

•          build national reputation of Peterborough

•          address some social problems

The Recovery Capital Project was about:

•          How communities could support people with problems associated with drug & alcohol use

•          Understanding the capacity of specific communities to deliver

•          Peterborough as a leading example of Recovery Community

•          User defined recovery services

Its aims and outcomes were:

•          Ability to define & measure Recovery Capital

•          Foundations of a Recovery Community

•          Peer led Recovery Community Networks

•          Shared understanding of recovery & Recovery Capital

•          Reduction in the stigma surrounding substance misuse

•          Increased collaborative working in the city

•          Work alongside existing services

Observations and questions were raised around the following areas:

·         Members wanted to know why Citizens Power was being developed as there were already lots of opportunities for residents to get involved in decision making.  They also  felt that there was a danger that Civic Commons could attract the same people who usually got involved.  Emma Norris advised Members that this was a way of trying to engage differently with people and about getting local people to set the agenda.  It was about engaging with local people who were quietly doing good work in the community but who did not necessarily get involved in committees and meetings.  Civic Commons was not another committee and it was about bringing the right people together and harnessing the good work that they did.

·         When was Citizen’s Power launched?  It was launched on 19 July 2010.

·         What action plans, objectives and measures had been put in place?  Members were advised that work plans were currently being developed and would include outputs and targets.  Members of the public would set the agenda and outcomes for each strand. 

·         Would there be any additional funding apart from what had already been committed.  No additional funding was available.

·         How would you measure the impact and success of the project?  Members were advised that there would be targets set in the actions plans that would be measured and would also be given an independent evaluation.

·         Would the Neighbourhood Councils be linked to Civic Commons?  Members were advised that there would be a link.

·         Members suggested that when meetings were held that they should not be in the usual council buildings.

·         How would you identify the right people to engage with?  Members were advised that people would be identified through the Neighbourhood Management Team and Community Development Workers.

·         Members were advised that the Recovery Capital Project was about developing networks for drug and alcohol users and using expertise of recovering drug and alcohol users.  It would also help to remove the stigma around substance misuse.  There was an active service user group who had become more vocal about what support there was for people after their recovery.  Having the support of local communities was important.

·         Members were advised that the Citizens Power Programme was on the Green Shoots Agenda and the Recovery Capital Strand would help inform and develop services for the Top 100 users’ families.

The Committee supported the work being developed around the Civic Commons and Recovery Capital Project strands of the Citizen’s Power Programme.

ACTION AGREED

That a progress report on the Civic Commons and Recovery Capital Project be brought back to the Committee in six months time.