YOU DECIDE

Lead officer Carolyn Curr gave a presentation to the forum on You Decide. She explained to the attendees that this was the 3^rd year of You Decide and that this time around the process has been changed. Previously You Decide was a questionnaire for residents to fill in, now it is a small selection card for residents to tick which options they would like to see in their area. It is hoped that this new approach will make the process more pro-active and quicker.

Each area forum has £20,000 to spend on additional services in their area, and the top 5 choices out of all the responses would be funded. The public should think of locations of some of the services listed and write them on the slip where possible.

Carolyn advised the forum that some of the options need long term community involvement and to think of the feasibility of this before selecting this as a choice.

The following questions were raised by the forum:

Member of the public: how will CCTV law affect the selection of CCTV in the You Decide process?

Carolyn Curr: The CCTV and Alley gate options are subject to public consultation and therefore any area which applies for it would have to be in agreement before it could go ahead.

Member of the public: How are the options in You Decide additional services, this is what the council should provide as part of its day to day services.

Carolyn Curr: The options given are additional services which are above and beyond what the council already provides. This is for local areas to choose what they have in their area as some people may have different opinions on what they would like to see in their area.

Member of the public: Why doesn’t the council just take the money and decide what to spend it on?

Chair: There are many people who want to see the council’s elected members spend the money but there are just as many people who want to have a say on what additional services are provided in their area. This process is a middle ground between the two options. 

Member of the public: Will people who have not attended the forum be able to have a say in the You Decide process for example Moreton Umbrella group – youth meeting is tonight so they are unable to attend. 

Carolyn Curr: Yes, there are plenty of You Decide selection cards which can be taken away and given to people who want to participate for them to fill in and send back to the Area Forum team.

Member of the public: How will this get the youths off the streets?

Carolyn Curr: There are several You Decide options which if chosen would enable young people to become involved in other activities. Such as the Youth Sports night and the work of the Sports Development Officer.

Member of the public: Looking at the logistics of placing bins in parks etc should not be done by the public this should be done by the council when designing the park from the start. The placement of bins outside fast food restaurants should also be part of the planning application process.

Carolyn Curr: Litter bins are a requirement of planning applications and fast food restaurants must put this in to be approved?!

Member of the public: The planting of new trees should be taken in caution as spreading roots can cause problems later on.

Chair: Thanked the member of the public for this comment and said this would be taken on board for future reference.