Index

Contact

Archives

Home

The contents of this page are prepared by the New Deal executive team.

Home at last

Half the New Deal team is back in Burngreave - in newly refurbished premises at 12-14 Burngreave Road, above the BCAT offices. The Programmes team - which includes the Theme Group Co-ordinators and the Regeneration Apprentices - moved into the offices on October 14th.

Executive Director John Clark will be dividing his time between the two bases - Burngreave Road and Albion House - and says that he is confident the move will help make local people feel that New Deal is more accessible.

“Obviously, it has not been ideal to be out of the Burngreave area, but there was no suitable office space available before now. In the medium-term we hope to have the whole staff team based in the area, but at least those whose primary role is to work closely with the community are now closer to hand.”

The Programmes team can be contacted on
0114 292 2906; email enquiries@bndfc.co.uk

Burngreave needs you!

It¹s almost two years since the first Burngreave New Deal for Communities elections attracted a 52% turnout - the highest of any New Deal in the country and considerably higher than the local elections. It will soon all be happening again - and work is already underway to make sure that the next election is even more successful.

Over the last few months, a review team has been taking a close look at how things went last time - what worked well, and which areas needed improvement.

Some of the main recommendations include:

* 10 community representatives - twice last time’s number;

* Realistic and feasible timescales;

* Ongoing voter registration - meaning that residents can join the voter list at any time;

* Appointment of an independent lead person, to lead, manage and oversee the election process.

*All publicity materials translated by independent translators into appropriate community languages;

* Information and advice for potential candidates on what it means to be a community representative.

The 2003 campaign will be officially launched with a Burngreave Messenger ‘election special’ publication delivered to all households in the New Deal area - and Executive Director John Clark is keen to encourage local people to get involved:

“Everyone was very pleased with the turnout last time round - but we’d really like it to be even higher in 2003. We¹re also looking for double the number of community representatives, so the more people who are willing to put themselves forward the better.

“By having a long lead-in time, with widespread publicity and information, we hope to run a really effective election, resulting in a team of ten community representatives who will have a major impact on the future shape of New Deal, ensuring that it truly reflects what local people want.”

Look out for the Burngreave New Deal election special which will be delivered to your door in mid November!

A Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme for Burngreave?

Residents and officers braved torrential rain to come to the recent Community Safety Group meeting - for an important discussion on whether Burngreave should have a Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme.

Those at the meeting were given some inside information about how schemes are working elsewhere in the city from Graham Wright, Manager of  the Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme at Batemoor, Jordanthorpe and Lowedges and Debbie Matthews from Manor and Castle Development Trust, who manages the Street Wardens Scheme for neighbourhoods in a wide area of South Sheffield.

Wardens are paid and have an informal uniform. Their roles include building community spirit, helping local people get answers to their problems, checking on vulnerable people in their homes, security marking property, patrolling neighbourhoods being the “eyes and ears” of the community, helping elderly people get to bingo or pick up pensions, reporting abandoned vehicles, fly tipping and syringes.

Those at the meeting were enthusiastic about having a scheme for Burngreave, and at the next Community Safety Group on 19 November 02 at Pitsmoor Methodist Church, we will be making a decision about whether to begin working on getting a Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme for Burngreave in 2003-4.

I will be writing to Tenants and Residents Associations about this idea and other members of the Community Safety Group will be raising the idea in their churches and mosques. If you have a view, please come along or you can write, pop in to the office at 12-14 Burngreave Road, ring me on (0114 292 0394/07734 072 989)or e-mail magdaboo@bndfc.co.uk

Magda Boo, Health & Crime Theme Manager (BNDfC )