Elswick Ward Committee

Non-Executive Functions   None   Executive Functions   1.  To promote effective community participation in the Council’s decision making processes and to ensure that the Council’s policies, strategies and services are communicated effectively to, and influenced by, residents in the Ward.   2.  To assist the effective formulation and implementation of Council policies, strategies and services by having regard to local views, needs and aspirations and offering appropriate advice and recommendations under delegation 11 below whenever considered necessary.   3.  To promote and develop joint and co-ordinated working with Ward residents, key partners and other stakeholders within the Ward, including service providers and users and in particular to work with such persons and bodies in relation to any new or emerging local or national initiatives relevant to the Ward e.g. the initiative currently known as Neighbourhood Policing.   4.  To facilitate and encourage effective and inclusive engagement between residents, partners and stakeholders within the Ward.  This will aim to provide the most effective joint analysis of, and solutions to, local issues.  This process will recognise the importance of taking into account, and reflecting, diverse and minority interests and views.  To assist this process, each Ward Committee will have a standing item on its agenda for information about any planning applications or appeals or other proposed developments considered likely by the Ward Co-ordinator or the Chair to have a potentially significant impact on the ward.   5.  To prepare and maintain (within the parameters of its other delegated powers) a specific Ward Plan to reflect the needs and priorities of the ward and how it is proposed these be addressed, having regard to the Council’s Corporate Plan.  (The Ward Plan will initially concentrate on how local needs and priorities will be addressed through the provision of Council services but recognising a longer term aspiration to extend it to include the activity of other agencies as circumstances permit).   6.  To regularly identify and assess the needs and priorities of the Ward and seek to ensure these are adequately reflected in the Ward Plan, and if possible in the Corporate Plan.   7.  To seek to ensure that the objectives of the Council’s Corporate Plan are delivered within the Ward.   8.  To regularly monitor performance, assess local needs and accordingly influence service standards and priorities for service delivery in the Ward in respect of each of the following Council functions (and such other functions as may be delegated to it from time to time):   ·  Local street cleansing and grounds maintenance ·  Rapid response services ·  Street Wardening ·  Road and pavement work ·  Local open space and equipped play provision ·  Neighbourhood Parks & Open Spaces ·  Sports / Arts / Health Development schemes ·  Community Buildings ·  Consultation rights on educational developments (Primary School specific) ·  Recycling initiatives ·  Road safety ·  Play and Youth services   9.  To determine service standards and service delivery priorities in respect of the functions set out in bold type in delegation 8 above, subject to operational and resource constraints and requirements, and subject also to compliance with overall Council policies and strategic objectives (which where necessary shall be adjudicated upon by the Neighbourhood Committee.  This delegated power will, subject to the prior formal agreement of the Neighbourhood Committee, be extended to the other functions listed in delegation 8 above on an incremental basis following assessment of their appropriateness and operational readiness.   10.  To deal with any matters remitted to it by, and to refer appropriate issues to:   ·  the Neighbourhood Committee (in relation to ·  executive functions); ·  the Council’s Constitutional Committee (in relation to any non?executive function); ·  a relevant scrutiny committee (in relation to any scrutiny issue); ·  any other ward committee (in relation to any inter-ward issue); ·  any relevant outside body, including the Local Strategic Partnership   11.  To work jointly with other Ward Committees where this is considered appropriate and in the interests of Ward residents.   12.  To decide on the appropriate allocation of its Ward Budget to support local projects, initiatives and research.   13.  To administer and make appropriate decisions as to the use of any specific additional budgets allocated to it by the Executive or Council.