community engagement

Along with various other councillors I attended a meeting with the audit commission to discuss its best value review of the city council which they described as an 'overwhelmingly positive report', particularly commending educational attainment and the new corporate governance arrangements for health & social care. It was an interesting all-party discussion - lots of reflection on improvements in waste refuse collection, the planning system and the challenges of neighbourhood partnerships. I don't mind sharing my own reservations about the new community planning arrangements which move forward on a trial and error, suck it and see kind of basis. I thought the SNP chap there made a good point: currently everybody is prioritising a promised review around geography, not on structures, accountability and outcomes: much time and faith has been invested in community councils as the natural well from which to draw community engagement: but my experience suggests community councils are seldom representative of the whole community and, expectations which are being raised dangerously high, can't or won't be met while officers (and politicians) are floundering to provide both perspective and direction. It will be interesting to watch its progress. I hope it doesn't all land flat on its face.