The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “I” which reports that the Council was working with partner agencies, to develop a new approach to Locality Working. A key part of that approach are the development of Locality Plans. The report presents a draft format for the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25 and a set of priorities for the Area Committee’s approval.

Recommended-

(1)  That the Committee approves the draft format for the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25 and the 18 locality-wide priorities, as set out in Appendix B to Document “I”.

(2)  That the Committee requests that the Keighley Area Co-ordinator completes the remaining sections of the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25, including the Ward Plans, and presents them to the Keighley Area Committee for consideration at its first meeting of the new municipal year.

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “I” which reported that the Council was working with partner agencies, to develop a new approach to Locality Working. A key part of that approach was for the development of Locality Plans. The report presented a draft format for the Keighley Locality Plan 2022- 25 and a set of priorities for the Area Committee’s approval.

At the request of the Chair, the Keighley Area Coordinator (KAC) gave a narration of the report to the committee.

The KAC explained that in July 2021 a ‘Priority Setting Workshop’ was held online to consider the insights gained from the data profile for the Keighley Area (Appendix A) and that work had begun to develop a set of emerging priorities that could form the basis of the Keighley Locality Plan 2022- 25. Succeeding workshop, a report entitled “Strengthening Locality Working” was presented and considered by this area committee at its meeting held on 23 December 2021. The latter referred report had set out this approach in greater detail. However, since the workshop in July, at three further meetings of the Keighley Area Community Partnership, and in discussions at ‘Place’ meetings and at a briefing for all Keighley Area District Councillors, work had been done to further develop the priorities in the draft Locality Plan, to gain inter agency support and ownership of the themes that were emerging, and action that could be taken to address them.

A question and answer session ensued:

·         Where in the process was the KAC’s office on recruitment?

o   The project would see the recruitment of several Assistant Ward Officers and a good number of Stronger Communities Engagement Officers with the intention of broadening of the role and influence of the Area Co-ordinator as convenors of place. Recruitment was still ongoing.

·         Would Keighley’s Locality Plans resemble the district wide policies?

o   The service had just begun with the setting of the themes by referring to the available data whilst taking into consideration the people's knowledge and understanding of the Keighley area;

·         Would the infrastructure of the locality plan be deliver or too ambitious in terms of reality?

o   This was a positive structure for reasons that the Council would collaborate with all public service providers on a digital platform for genuinely joined-up service delivery. There would be the development of a more creative and innovative solutions for digital service redesign to deliver better outcomes for our residents and businesses, improve Council productivity;

·         It was paramount that there would be a sufficient number of new affordable housing and therefore what were the priority outcomes for Decent Homes?

o   The priority would set on what could be achieved; key actions that partners would be committed to delivering and what people and businesses could do to make a difference. The Decent Homes priority was for the purpose of affordable housing and living; and,

·         Would it be possible in addressing the issues of poverty and inequalities and would better outcomes be achievable?

o   It was explained that the purpose of this Keighley Locality Plan would include the addressing such issues for the building of safe, strong and active communities where local voices could be heard and citizens were empowered to work alongside public agencies and partners to address the needs and issues of the locality. The service would concentrate on the Council’s strengths and assets to enhance community capacity and tackle inequalities within the Keighley area.

o   The Council now had access to a sophisticated data tool platform called Power BI. Access to this information gave a better detailed understanding of the levels of lifestyles and living standards within wards across the Keighley area. This would assist the service in a more focused approach to seeking the desired outcome for priorities.

The KAC explained that the development of the Ward Plans would be underpinned by further community engagement work and discussions with Members and partners at a ward level. The ‘Actions, Outcomes and Indicators’ sections of the Plan were still in development and would be presented to this Area Committee for approval at its first meeting of the new municipal year 2022-23.

Resolved –

(1)       That the draft format for the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25 and the 18 locality-wide priorities, as set out in Appendix B to Document “I” be approved.

(2)       That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator engages with Ward Councillors in the Keighley area with a view to discussing the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25 within their respective wards prior to the completion of the remaining sections of the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25, including the Ward Plans, and presents them to the Keighley Area Committee for consideration at its first meeting of the new municipal year.

(3)       That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator in consultation with the Assistant Director, Finance and Procurement discusses ways of finding extra resources for the Keighley Locality Plan 2022-25.

Action: Strategic Director, Place