Enhanced Neighbourhood Engagement
The Neighbourhood Engagement project has now been successfully completed. The project involved delivering an integrated model across Surrey for neighbourhood engagement and consultation, through close working with key Local Strategic Partnership organisations. The project made progress against the following Surrey priorities, under the headline of safer and stronger communities:
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NI 4: Percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality.
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NI 5: Overall/general satisfaction with the local area.
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NI 21: Local concerns about anti-social behaviour/crime by local councils and police.
Activity took place to build capability across partners to engage with communities and to deliver services responsive to local needs, in addition to improving data sharing across partners. The project first established a baseline for engagement by commissioning IPSOS Mori to undertake research in Surrey, looking at current perceptions of neighbourhoods and local public services. An analysis of key drivers followed and identifed areas for the neighbourhood engagement project to focus on. The following worksteams were completed:
- A joint Surrey Community Engagement Framework and Toolkit was produced and signed up to by all Surrey local authorities. This was followed by the purchase of an interactive consultation tool known as the Mipod. This resource can be employed by any public or voluntary sector organisation on request. Further information can be found in the Mipod report, the Mipod guide, the Mipod conditions of use, the Mipod booking form and the Mipod checklist.
- A joint data and information sharing repository was developed, along with related protocols. This workstream saw the formation of SURREYi, a partnership project that aims to provide a new level of insight by maintaining a single portal and data observatory for Surrey, which will provide better quality and more accessible data. Improving data sharing across the county will enable public services to deliver joined up, cost effective solutions to shared problems, improving partnership delivery in the county and services for residents. SURREYi will also be available for the public to access various sets of data.
- Joint commissioning of services in conjunction with local communities. The following community engagement projects were completed in priority areas across Surrey:
- Runnymede Community Engagement Survey
- Sheerwater Open Spaces Art Project
- Stanwell: Effective Communicators
The Neighbourhood Engagement project was publicised widely and presentations were held on a regional basis, for example at the LARIA (Local Authorities Research and Intelligence Association) and SEREP (South East Regional Empowerment Partnership) conferences.