Council Policies

Community Engagement

EAST KEAL PARISH COUNCIL

Community Engagement Policy

This policy document strives to ensure that the Parish Council continues to develop means of effectively communication and consulting with all residents of East Keal.

Objectives

East Keal Parish Council will endeavour to:

  1. Be representative of and actively involve all parts of the community of the Parish of East Keal.
  2. Take account of and encourage voluntary and community groups within the Parish and reflect the community's needs and wishes through effective communication.
  3. Work singularly and in partnership with other local authorities and agencies to promote and sustain East Keal as an attractive, safe and desirable place to live.

The aim, therefore of the Parish Council is to:

  1. Engage residents and community groups to encourage their participation in the work of the council therefore creating a more proactive, cohesive and informed community.
  2. Listen to residents and community groups in order to understand and be responsive to the needs and expectations of the whole community, including hard to reach groups, to endeavour to improve services, the village environment and quality of life.
  3. An increasing percentage of residents are above retirement age and this will be taken into account in assessing the needs of the community now and in the future.

Current methods on communication

  1. Annual Report – available free at the Annual Parish Meeting and via the website.
  2. Information on notice boards and the Parish Council Facebook page.
  3. Parish Council website.
  4. Agendas, minutes, financial statements, annual reports available via notice boards/website.
  5. Council standing orders allow for public participation at meetings.
  6. Council standing orders allow for extra-ordinary meetings when issues generate high levels of interest.
  7. Representatives of community groups have a regular slot at council meetings et PCC, WI etc.
  8. Inform residents, via email, website and Facebook as and when appropriate, of any urgent information that might be relevant.
  9. Face to face meetings with Councillors.
  10. Door to door leaflet drops.

Future developments

  1. Encourage more residents to sign up to East Keal residents email group.

Consultation

Current methods of consultation

  1. Annual Parish Meeting.
  2. Public participation at council meetings.
  3. Consultation by councillors with residents on specific matters as required.
  4. Council standing orders allow for extra-ordinary meeting where issues can be discussed.
  5. Sessions on specific matters eg. Impact of housing developments.

Future development in consultation could include:

  1. Have 'meet your Councillor' formal and informal sessions.
  2. Let the community know that Councillors are willing to visit homes to talk about specific issues.
  3. Councillors support village events.
  4. Council catalyst for village groups to come together to organise village events/days/festivities/training etc.
  5. Council put on training/information events eg housing development/wind turbines. These could be topics identified by residents.
  6. Have a variety of speakers to give views/solutions to issues identified by the community.
  7. Councillors have badges to identify them at the Annual Parish Council meeting and at Meet the Councillor events.

Gauging the needs and expectations of the community

  1. Through the above strategies for consultation and communication.
  2. Public participation at council meetings has remained low.

Review date

The policy should be reviewed every four years. The review should include examination of all our current methods of communication.