Black and Ethnic Minority Community Forum
There are many people from different ethnic groups and nationalities studying, working and living in Winchester. Some people have formed groups to help their members for education, social and cultural reasons as well as for promoting their culture and faith to the wider community.
Evidence suggests that by creating a formal group, people are given a stronger voice with which to communicate their needs and aspirations as well as helping integration with the wider community. More can be achieved as a group than alone. A community forum could:
- make it easier to have black and minority ethnic voices heard and acted on
- influence design and delivery of services for black and minority ethnic people
- make the case for more support for community based activities and engagement
- stronger relationships and better collaboration with other groups and individuals.
On Saturday 21 June 2008 an open meeting was held at the Winchester Discovery Centre to discuss the benefits of having a Community Forum, what it could do and how it could work.
More information on how this event went and the outcomes will follow in due course. In the meantime, for more information about black and minority ethnic engagement work, please visit www.waca.org.uk or contact Abdul Kayum on abdul.kayum@hants.gov.uk
“Live Your Dream” – 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games 
With Euro 2008 and the Beijing Olympics, everyone is talking sport this summer. Among the athletes from Hampshire who are off to the Olympics is Winchester-born swimmer Julia Beckett. We would like to wish them all well as they set out to represent England in the biggest sporting event in the world - and maybe to achieve their dreams of winning a medal. But as they head for China, they are also providing inspiration for the next generation who are already looking towards London 2012.
At Winchester City Council, we are also preparing for 2012 Games. We are keen to ensure that over the coming four years, our residents have every chance to enjoy the opportunities they bring. The Olympics and Paralympics are about being the best you can, and making a lasting difference. In the Winchester District, we would like to encourage people to Live their Dream for 2012. And we would like to help make that happen.
We are looking for you to tell us what you would like to see happen in this District to capture the spirit of the Games – and how the district can help local people to make the most of the opportunities presented by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. We are also seeking volunteers to help deliver the Olympics Action Plan drafted as a result of last year’s initial public consultation meeting.
For more information, please contact Eloise Appleby, Head of Cultural Services at Winchester City Council, by email eappleby@winchester.gov.uk or visit www.winchester.gov.uk/liveyourdream.
Community Safety Partnership
The new Winchester Community Safety Partnership website is now up and running. Lots of information can be found at: www.wdsp.co.uk/communitysafety.
Currently available:
• Final Assessment Report for the Action Plans covering 2005 - 2008
• Project Plans – linked to the annual Partnership Plan
• Summary of the executive group meetings (these will be available mid August, mid October and mid December)
• Executive group Agendas (10th July, 4th September and 6th November)
Coming up over the next few months:
• 2008/09 First quarter performance update
• An Anti-social Behaviour on-line reporting form (as a link from the Partnership web site to the City Council web site)
• Performance updates (in relation to the Project Plans)
• Review of the Alcohol Exclusion Zone (one year on from the extension)
• Update on the Safer Neighbourhood Panels
• Six monthly review of the Strategic Assessment (which informed the Partnership Plan)
• Meet the Community Safety Team (an introduction to the services we cover from within the team)
The Partnership has invited input from the wider community to help the development of the website, and hope to provide links to other support services across the district.
For more details contact the Community Safety Manager, Sandra Tuddenham on 01962 848 132 or studdenham@winchester.gov.uk
Youth of Winchester
(Winchester District Youth Council)
At the most recent meeting of Youth of Winchester, the youth council dicussed the Local Development Framework, who would sit on the Olympic Steering Group and how they could link with the Children and Young people’s partnership.
The vision of the youth council is: “To enable all young people across the Winchester District to have a say and be heard”
Representation:
So far Youth of Winchester (YOW) encompasses representatives from
• Kings school
• The Westgate School
• Perrins School
• Swanmore School
• Henry Beaufort School
• Osborne School
Youth of Winchester are fully aware that the youth council needs to be more representative and are actively seeking ways to improve this.
Priorities
After consultation with young people at the ‘Who Runs This Place’ event in September, the youth council have decided on their priorities:
• Promoting positive images of young people
• Transport
• Bullying
• More leisure activities for young people
Youth of Winchester was formed in October 2007 following on from a ‘Who Runs This Place’ event held at St Mary’s Stadium.
For more information on the Youth Council go to www.winchester.gov.uk/youthcouncil or contact Nicola Lawrence, Projects & Business Support Officer, on nlawrence@winchester.gov.uk or 01962 848 497.
Team working at Winnall
Winchester District Strategic Partnership’s economic group is taking action to support Winnall based businesses. The Economic Prosperity Strategic Outcome Group (SOG) has brought partners together to look at the traffic issues faced by businesses near junction 9 of the M3.
Following a ‘love it/hate it’ survey of Winnall businesses by Winnall Community Plan Steering Group in January 2008, it was clear the main benefit of Winnall as a business location was the proximity to the A34 and M3. However the main disadvantage to operating a business there was the traffic congestion leading up to that junction.
It is recognised that finding solutions to these difficult issues wont be easy. Working in partnership will lead to better understanding of the issues by everyone involved.
Cllr George Beckett, Leader of Winchester City Council and chair of the Local Strategic Partnership, recognises the need for resolutions to this traffic congestion:
Employees of Winnall based businesses can spend far too long queuing to exit Winnall at peak hours. This also affects the desirability of Winnall as a place to establish new businesses.
The Economic Prosperity SOG is looking at both short and long term answers to this problem, and will be keeping the businesses up to date on progress.
Following the initial questionnaire and discussions with Hampshire County Council, the SOG will be holding a meeting with Winnall businesses with North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Details of this event will be made available shortly. This will be a chance to find a way forward with local businesses, and explain the group’s findings to date.
John Harrocks, Chief Executive of North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and chair of the economic prosperity SOG, is pleased to see the group taking action: Dealing with real issues affecting businesses is precisely what the SOG is there to do. It is not just a talking shop. This shows real action, to help improve the local environment for the Winchester business community.
The Economic Prosperity SOG is made up of local business representatives including Winchester City Centre Partnership and the Discover Winchester partnership. The group has dealt with strategic issues such as responding to the Local Development Framework consultations, and will be reviewing the Winchester Economic Action Plan later this year.
For more information, please contact Andy Hickman, Head of Access and Infrastructure at Winchester City Council, on 01962 848 105 or ahickman@winchester.gov.uk
Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC)
In collaboration with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Sustainable Business Partnership, a successful Business Reception was held at Priors Hall on 12 June. A number of Winchester businesses – large and small – were represented. Supported by architecture plb and Winchester Cathedral, the aim of the Reception was to allow local businesses to explore the benefits of adopting a more 'sustainable' approach with a view to reducing Winchester's carbon footprint.
New WinACC Action Groups on Local Food and on the Built Environment have been set up, and the next WinACC open meeting will be held on Saturday 2 August from 1030–12 noon at the Friends Meeting House, 16 Colebrook Street, Winchester.
The WinACC Training Group is currently preparing to hold its first training for low carbon champions on Saturday 20 September, from 0930-1600. A low carbon champion is an individual who facilitates group discussions on climate change and the benefits of low carbon living in their local community with a view to motivating others to reduce their carbon footprint. If you'd like to pioneer low carbon living by becoming a low carbon champion, sign up now as places are limited.
For further information on all WinACC’s activities contact Catrina Pickering, catrina.pickering@winacc.org.uk, 01962 827083 or visit the WinACC website www.winacc.org.uk
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Minority Matters – Black and Minority Ethnic Community Information Event The free community information event held in February was a big success with 26 different stand holders, from voluntary and statutory sector organisations, there on hand to make their services more accessible for local black and minority ethnic people. The event was organised by Winchester Area Community Action (WACA), jointly funded by WDSP partner agencies supporting the BME Engagement steering Group in Winchester: WACA has secured a small grant to do some follow up work - developing links with minority communities who attended, offering and providing support, continuing engagement made through the BME E-Forum and establishing a BME Community Forum. For more details contact Elizabeth McKerracher on emckerracher@waca.org.uk or 01962 848 010 or read the Community News newsletter online. |
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Rural Transport Grants The Rural Transport Grant is an initiative from Winchester City Council designed to provide grants to local groups and organisations setting up rural transport schemes. During 2007/08, £25,000 was allocated towards local groups throughout the district which will help Winchester Area Community Action to develop a Southern Parishes minibus scheme and provide for a wheelchair adapted vehicle in Denmead. It will also assist the New Alresford Town trust to provide a new minibus for Alresford. The grant is now available for 2008/09, for groups who want to set up new rural (community) transport schemes or for new or replacement vehicles. Please contact Sara Kendall on skendall@winchester.gov.uk for further details. |
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Winchester’s new Housing Strategy Winchester’s new Housing Strategy will be considered by its Cabinet on 9 July. The Strategy has been prepared by the Winchester Housing Board (the group that provides the housing input to the LSP) and so is closely linked to the Sustainable Community Strategy It has the ambitious vision of making communities sustainable and inclusive, with its top priorities being to improve the supply of affordable housing (including more rural housing on rural exception sites), promoting high housing standards and promoting independent living and providing support for vulnerable and disadvantaged household. It complements the emerging Local Development Framework that will, amongst other things, set out the overall housing numbers to be provided in the District. For more information, please contact Simon Maggs on 01962 848 203 or smaggs@winchester.gov.uk |
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Have you got an issue you want discussed? Do you or your partnership have something which you would like the WDSP to discuss? Do you have a project to help the deliver the Community Strategy which needs the support of other organisations? The five strategic outcome group of the WDSP can help you. Use our online form to tell us what help you need, and the WDSP will have it on their agenda at the next available opportunity. |
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Looking for funding? If you are looking to bring in extra funds into your organisation, don’t forget to search on Open4Community, the grants website for the Winchester District. Registration is free and it gives you information on a whole range of local and national grants available to you. |
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Find out what’s going on in the WDSP You can read the notes and agendas of all WDSP meetings by following the links on our homepage. |
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LSP Manager: Antonia Perkins |
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