Decision details

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth, presented the report which proposed that through Covid Contain funding, a Council delivery structure for Community Hubs be formalised initially on a fixed term basis across each of the five neighbourhood footprints. The Hub network was presently comprised of deployed staff from Bury Council and community volunteers, but the teams had grown in strength over time and made a significant contribution to the emerging Let’s do it! vision of neighbourhood delivery and community empowerment. Members discussed the report, noting the importance for Ward Members to act as ‘community connectors’ given their unique role in supporting community groups.

Decision:

That the proposed staffing structure be agreed for immediate implementation.

Reasons for the decision:

Over the last two years, Bury has been developing its approach to neighbourhood working. The national requirement to establish of a network of Community Hubs to provide humanitarian aid during the present pandemic has provided an early opportunity to begin to mobilise this vision.

Other options considered and rejected:

The alternative arrangement is to seek to maintain the community response through staff deployment and volunteer cover. Experience shows that this is unreliable from a resource perspective however and further, does not harness the opportunity to progress the Let’s do it! Strategy through a team of dedicated and skilled individuals.