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· Broomwood Community Planning
Plans for the Broomwood estate created by residents in partnership with Trafford MBC and other agencies
Community Planning facilitated by Community Technical Aid Centre,
3 Stevenson Square,
Manchester
M1 1DN
Tel: 0161 236 5195
Email info@ctac.co.uk
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Community Planning
3. Community Technical Aid Centre
4. The Broomwood Project
5. Community Planning Group
6. Training Day
7. Publicity
8. Community Planning Events
9. Priorities
10. Action Planning
11. Recommendations
12 Action Plans
..... Community facilities
..... Crime & Community Safety
..... Health & Childcare
..... Housing
..... Environment
..... Traffic
......Broomwood Community Planning Project
1. Introduction
The Broomwood area of Timperley is an estate of social housing in which the two main landlords are Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council and Irwell Valley Housing Association. It has been identified by Trafford MBC as an area in need of regeneration and may be the subject of a bid for Single Regeneration Budget (SRB7) status. While Broomwood is an area with problems of disadvantage, it is largely surrounded by the more well-to-do areas of Timperley village and Altrinham.
The local authority set up a Broomwood Planning Group, consisting of local authority officers, local councillors and residents to identify the needs of the area and some solutions.
It was thought that a participative approach to consultation was required and the local Health Action Zone was willing to fund consultation.
The contract was awarded to Community Technical Aid Centre, Manchester, who designed a Community Planning process with local residents and workers
2. Community Planning
Community development has indicated, over the years, that the most successful projects involve the community in designing, carrying out and following up project work. Community Planning is a technique, when done well, which is based on community involvement and can generate a feeling of local ownership of the outcomes. It is based on "Planning for Real", developed by the Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation, and involved the use of a model of the area and suggestion cards.
By holding events in local venues at locally agreed times and using a visually eye catching model of the area the process 'easy' to take part in. The 3-D model represents the area and local landmarks are readily identifiable. During the consultation events the model was placed in the centre of the large room at Altrincham Youth Centre and surrounded by suggestion cards. These cards have written and pictorial images on them and in themes:
Housing issues
Traffic issues
Work and training
Health issues
Environmental issues
Leisure Issues
Crime & community safety issues
Community issues
There are also blank cards for people to write/draw their own suggestions, so participants are not restricted to a list of someone else's ideas.
Participants place suggestion cards on to the model at the appropriate position; if a bus stop is wanted on Mainwood Road facing Broomwood Gardens, then that is where the 'new bus stop' card is placed on to the model.
All cards are recorded: what the issue is, what the suggestion is and where on the model it was placed.
Participants have the further opportunity to agree or disagree with others' suggestions by attaching a red (for no) or green (for yes) sticker onto the cards on the model. Cards cannot, however, be moved or removed - unless it is to record the suggestion.
In this case priority suggestions were identified numerically by recording numbers of suggestions in themes and locations.
Action planning days are then held to identify what can be done with priority ideas, who can carry out those actions and where resources may be available to make them happen.
3. Community Technical Aid Centre (CTAC)
Community Technical Aid Centre (CTAC) is based at 3 Stevenson Square, Manchester M1 1DN and is a voluntary sector agency, registered charity and 'not for profit' company limited by guarantee.
It assists community and voluntary organisations to develop projects to improve their local environment or community facilities. CTAC also assists local authorities and other statutory agencies with assessing local needs, community consultation and the planning of community facilities. CTAC provides independent technical advice and support in architecture, landscape design and community planning.
It also supports groups with fundraising, developing projects, local surveys, feasibility studies and community participation.
From 1978 to April 1992, CTAC operated as an arm of the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA).
CTAC believes in supporting community groups to participate effectively in the decision-making processes which shape their community's needs. It assists groups to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to develop and carry out new projects.
CTAC has worked effectively with a wide variety of voluntary organisations as well statutory agencies including local authorities, schools, the police, regeneration agencies and English Partnerships.
CTAC is currently technical advisor to Manchester City Council's Access Officer providing assistance to ten community groups and voluntary organisations who wish to undertake disabled access improvement works.
The technical staff are chartered members of their professional institutes. They have implemented projects from initial development to completion and handing over of community-based architecture and landscape design schemes.
CTAC is recognised as a consultant by all Greater Manchester local authorities. CTAC also receives grant aid from Manchester City Council, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) and the National Lotteries Charities Board to provide free community development and technical advice.
Project Development, Feasibility and Funding
CTAC's Community Project staff work with organisations to develop projects, look at their feasibility, access funding, undertake local surveys and ensure community participation throughout schemes.
They also undertake feasibility studies, audits, consultation and community planning exercises. Recent development projects include consultation with local organisations and the community on the design of community centres and open spaces, feasibility studies looking at joint voluntary sector resource buildings in Blackburn and Bolton, extending churches to provide community facilities and the relocation of an advice agency.
This team also undertakes Planning For Real and Community Planning projects to involve local people and their ideas in the creation of development and regeneration plans for their areas. Probably the most significant recently was at Seedley and Langworthy Road, Salford, where a Pplanning for Real exercise formed a significant part of a successful bid for SRB status, leading to £27m of government investment in the area. This team is also involved in many small-scale community planning events with community based organisations.
Community Architecture Schemes
CTAC's Architectural section has been implementing community building projects since 1988. They have included new build and refurbishment of existing premises, including listed buildings. CTAC's architectural team specialize in involving client groups in the design process and provide training and support for groups throughout the tendering, contract and building processes.
See below for an outline of recent projects.
Community Landscape Schemes
CTAC's Landscape section has been involved with the implementation of landscape schemes for the community since the mid-eighties. Like the architects the Landscape team ensure client involvement and education throughout the project and provide a ecological, sustainable approach to landscape design.
As well as landscape design projects this section has supported the creation of urban orchards and community security schemes such as the gating of alleyways in the Gorton area. This team works closely with the architectural team on several projects providing complementary designs for external space adjacent to and around community buildings
4. The Broomwood Project
CTAC was taken on by Trafford MBC with funding from the Health Action Zone to carry out community planning in the spring and summer of 2000.
CTAC's proposal was for a Community Planning project which is very similar to Planning for Real.
It involves the local community working in partnership with council officers and other relevant agencies to oversee the process.
This is because it implicitly recognizes the importance of local knowledge and networking to any project and also sees the local community as the people who have that local knowledge and experience.
It is a 'hands on' process, involving a model and suggestion cards which virtually anyone can use with only little guidance. Community Planning also recognises the nature of partnership working being one in which all participants in the planning group are equals, regardless of job title, income or status held elsewhere.
It also involves setting up a Community Planning Group to oversee the process, organising training and involving more local people.
The philosophy is to start relatively small and increase the size of the planning group throughout the project as more people are either invited to join because their role as professionals is thought to be of benefit, or opt to come along because, as residents, they have been persuaded that this process might just work!
5. Community Planning Group
The initial Broomwood Community Planning Group meeting was held at Altrincham Youth Centre, Mainwood Road on 9 Feb 2000.
Its aims are:
To link CTAC & community
To ensure local knowledge & desires are central to the process
To organise Community Planning & consensus building events
To advise & guide CTAC and Trafford MBC on local issues throughout the project
To disseminate information
To ensure results are recorded in easily understandable form
Of the 17 people present there were six or seven local residents, housing officers, youth workers, a local Catholic priest, a local ward councillor, community police officers, Irwell Valley Housing Association and South Trafford College.
One aim of the planning group is to increase its own size throughout the community planning process.
This meeting identified several local issues which needed to be taken into account in the consultation process.
These included the lease on the scout building running out in September, identification of active individuals and community groups in the area and the nature of life for young people in Broomwood.
The meeting also identified others who should be brought into the process
6. Training Day
The Training day was held at Altrincham Youth centre, Mainwood Road on 2 March for 22 people including most of those who had been at the planning meeting and the head of the local primary school and extra residents.
CTAC provided a basic outline of how Community Planning works and decisions were made about the timing of events, publicising events and a rota of volunteers to attend each event.
It was decided that the main public events would be held at Altrincham Youth centre during the week beginning Monday 10 April and that the model would be left in the youth centre to be used by users groups and youth groups as and when appropriate.
7. Publicity
The Young Women's group with the help of Dave Boardman (CTAC), Anne Bailey & Sue Green, of Altrincham Youth Centre produced a leaflet, which South Trafford College had printed.
Distribution was be co-ordinated by Dave Boardman and carried out by housing associations, Trafford Housing and local resident volunteers. Some leaflets were printed in poster form and displayed in local shops, pub school etc
A Press releases was organised by South Trafford College staff and went out to The Sale Messenger, Metro news and Manchester Evening News
8. Community Planning Events
These were primarily held at Altrincham Youth Centre, with major events held on:
Tue 11 April 2000
Thur 13 April 2000
Sun 16 April 2000
An advantage of keeping the model at Altrincham Youth Centre throughout the period was that staff at the youth centre arranged several small events for young people while they were visiting the centre.
Approximately 1500 suggestions were made at the events reflecting a wide range of ideas local people have on how to improve the area.
9. Summary of priorities
The main priorities identified by local people at the events were:
Community facilities
........Football/sports area
........Play area:
........Youth/ Community café
........Social Club for Adults
........Summer Playscheme
........Community Newsletter
Crime & community safety
........More police foot patrols
........Problem: Graffiti
........Drug dealing/ taking
........Don't feel safe here
........Security cameras
........Night noise & rowdiness
Environment
........Clean up Brooks Drive
........Poop Scoop Bins
........Clean up Woods
........Clean up & Improve shops
........Improve with planting
........Do up Broomwood Gardens
Health
........Health centre
........Child care facility
........Full range of NHS services
........NHS dentist
........Mental Health Support
........Alternative medicine
Housing
........Double glazing
........Garden tool bank
........Security doors
........Clean up
........Modernise kitchens
........Security lights
Traffic
........New bus route
........Speeding/Slow Traffic Down
........School, Mainwood Road
........Create car parking
........Cycle lanes
10. Action Planning Events
Action planning days were held on 12 June and 20 July to turn people's priorities into actual plans for action. The Planning group met to decide who to invite and the meetings were well attended with much frank, thought provoking discussion.
The first was attended by over 50 people including 18 local residents as well as ward councillors, local clergy, representatives of Trafford MBC's housing, regeneration, planning, environmental services, youth service, social services and community initiatives departments, South Trafford College,
Trafford NHS Trust and Irwell Valley Housing Association.
The purpose of the majority of those attending was to advise others while collectively the meeting created realistically achievable action plans.
After two meetings the action plans had taken shape and the Planning Group decided that it would be important to carry on the process by turning itself into a partnership for the area.
The constitutional details of this partnership are under discussion, but it should be in place in the early Autumn 2000
11. Recommendations
1..... The Community Planning Group is in the process of becoming a constituted partnership involving local people, Trafford MBC, Irwell Valley Housing Association, Trafford NHS Trust and others to take forward and implement the priorities identified in the Community Planning Process.
a..... This partnership needs to be recognised by Trafford MBC and other statutory and voluntary agencies as the main body to be consulted on developments in the area.
b..... It should work closely with Trafford's resource procurement staff to draw in external funds to the area to make further progress on the action plans, which came out of this process.
c..... The partnership should further prioritise the action plans and further develop them.
2. Community based organisations should be formed to support this process eg
a..... A tenants and residents association (or several associations)
b..... An environmental group to take forward ideas concerning Broom Wood
c..... A group to become involved in potential developments at the former scout hut
3. Trafford MBC sets aside worker time and resources to implement the action plans.
Trafford MBC may be able to do this by re-prioritising existing workloads, focussing employee time on the priorities identified by local people or by employing extra staff.
The likelihood of external funding should make this a worthwhile investment of Trafford's resources.
Examples of how this may be done include:
a..... Trafford MBC could allocate worker time to co-ordinate the partnership and implement the action plans. The income generation potential of this project is on a par with the external funds made available to regeneration programmes in Old Trafford and Partington and Trafford's organisational response could be comparable
b..... Environmental Services to identify role in maintenance of Broom Wood and lead on environment action plan
c..... Trafford Housing Officer and Irwell Valley Housing Association staff to jointly lead the implementation of the housing action plan
d..... Trafford MBC and Irwell Valley Housing Association accept maintenance responsibilities for sports and play area, Brooks Drive, Broom Wood and other projects
4. The partnership is the body to apply for external funding to implement the action plans, as it can be independent of the local authority and, with a recognised constitution, will be able to attract funding.
5. A review process is established in which progress is monitored in relation to Community Planning Action Plans on a six monthly basis
6. Implementation starts soon eg
a..... Trafford MBC and Irwell Valley Housing Association can decide to spend the available regeneration money for the area. The refurbishment of sports and play facilities near the youth centre is a high priority and could be a 'quick win' -to that this process is important and the people of Broomwood are being listened to.
b..... Friends of Brooks Drive's ongoing project for the refurbishment of Brooks Drive should be implemented within the next few months
c..... A community clean up of the area can be organised by environmental & housing staff with the local community
d..... Local people can be brought into the statutory processes in the area:
......the group of staff looking at developing use of the former scout building can include local people.
......many local people are interested in working with crime prevention processes
12. Possible timescale
2000-2001
1. Implement early projects:
.....Sports and play areas at youth centre
.....Brooks Drive refurbishment
.....Create tenants associations and other community groups
.....Broomwood Clean up implemented
.....Prioritise action plans
2. Develop embryonic parts of action plans
.....Develop involvement and ideas regarding use of former scout building as childcare/family centre
.....Develop ideas regarding health centre near the shops
.....Create health profile
3. Prepare funding bids for implementation of action plans:
.....Childcare/family centre
.....Environmental project in Woods
.....Mental health/youth support projects
.....Gardening projects
2001-2002
1. Implement projects if funding bids are successful
.....Environmental project around Broom Wood
.....Childcare/Family Centre
.....Health Centre
.....Gardening projects
2. Progress on housing action plan made between Trafford Housing, Irwell Valley and tenants associations
3. Negotiations with public transport company to improve services to the area
4. Review, evaluate and update action plans
2002-2003
1. Implement projects which have had to attract extra funding:
.....Traffic calming, car parking schemes
.....Housing schemes
2. Develop/implement projects arising from review and evaluation
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