Do you want a chance to influence your future?

Swale council wants to know if people would support area committees in different parts of the borough.

The council is currently looking at ways to spread power among councillors and improve public engagement in decision-making.

As part of a constitutional review, the council is the currently looking into whether it should set up three or more area committees across Swale.
    
Area committees can give residents an opportunity to see and take part in the council’s decision-making.

The council want to know what residents think about this idea and, if they were set up, what form they should take and what powers they should have.



Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader of the council who is leading on the constitutional review, said:

“We want people to be more involved in the decisions we make that affect their lives.

“Area committees could be a good way to do this, but we want to ask if it’s something people would support, and what they would like them to do.

“Is three the right number, or would more be better? What decisions could they take? How could non-councillors get involved?

“We genuinely want to know what people think so it can help shape what we do going forward to help reconnect people with their council.”

Area committees can take many forms and can be made up of different people such as borough councillors, members of the public and representatives from other public bodies such as parish and town councils.

Their role could be to:
• make strategic action plans for the relevant areas
• advise and respond to consultations on behalf of the local community
• make decisions that allocate resources to projects

To take part in the survey, visit www.swale.gov.uk/area-committees-consultation or pick up a paper copy from Swale House reception or Sheerness Gateway and respond by Friday, 1 November.

To have committees sounds like a good idea, if only to get the views of members of the area across to those with the understanding of what can be done, needs to be done and will be done.

i do wonder that if these committees are set up that they will become sub councils (more layers to get through before anything is done), so why not have drop boxes for messages (both on-line versions and tangible versions, for those who would rather leave paper messages). Post up on notice boards - near the boxes - and on-line, what the current subjects are being 'trended'. If something is so serious then it must have the clout to go straight to the Council and be actioned, and where issues are already underway (not the 'it is in the post' variety), then 'that message' should be visible to those on-line and by the actual boxes - safe from tamper and theft.

Make, what is being passed through the Council, visible - for comment and also safe repetition. Where issues need to be discussed further, I would hope there are already committees that find solutions and get back to the Council to action concerns, problems, issues? 

Anything is better than nothing, if the something is going to be worthwhile.

 

 

 

 

Why 3 it feels as though if you had 4 it would cover the area properly. The idea of taking part of anything that allows us to be a party to decision of our town is great . I have been a resident in Sittingbourne for 40 years.