How Police Forces Can Help Set Up And Support Neighbourhood Charters & Agreements
If you only attend one event in the next few months, this should be it. That’s because Neighbourhood Charters & Agreements deliver practical results in some critical areas for police forces..
Charters and agreements of this type can be used to set out service standards and priorities for action which local people expect from all service providers. They also can contain obligations that the community has taken on itself. All of these are essential for safer neighbourhoods and for tackling anti social behaviour.
Neighbourhood Charters are an effective way of involving residents to shape policies, services and places according to their needs.
In areas such as Bolton, York and Barnsley, agreements of this type between service providers and local people have led to an improved environment, better community safety and greater satisfaction with the area as a place to live.
Consider four objectives, all of which I know are important to you:
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Cost effective, resident-friendly services
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Effective tackling of service and community issues
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Easy monitoring by staff and residents
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A controlled approach to community safety
How do you deliver good neighbourhood services that satisfy your residents? You involve them as much as you can in setting service standards and tackling community issues, then you monitor the results. This calls for a co-ordinated approach.
That is what Neighbourhood Charters and Agreements are. Since estate agreements were introduced by London Borough of Camden in 1991, agreements of this type have proved to be extremely helpful. Many police forces and local authorities testify to this.
What delegates thought
You will enjoy the day as the subject areas covered are so highly topical. A previous delegate on other courses of this topic said:
“After attending the course I had a clearer idea of how to start, and what
level of consultation should happen to enable it to be drafted. The result
was the Great Lever Neighbourhood Management Safe and Clean Charter.
This was signed by the Superintendent Greater Manchester Police, the.
Chief Executive of Bolton Council and accepted by 2 key community activists at a public meeting. This was highlighted by OPDM as best practice."
Julie Lawrence, Environmental Programme Manager, New East Manchester Limited
Led by Joe Micheli (a leading expert on multi agency and neighbourhood agreements), the workshop shows you how and why they developed, the key stages involved, the skills required and the most common pitfalls to avoid.
He starts by recounting some of the history of estate and multi agency agreements and what several years of experience reveals about their results. He covers:
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How multi agency agreements developed in York and what
they achieved -
Why estate agreements must sit within a strategic framework
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The links between estate/neighbourhood agreements and charters and neighbourhood management and what is being attempted on the Kendray estate in Barnsley
Throughout the day, reference will be made to a fascinating case history, from the Foxwood Estate, York which has developed its own neighbourhood agreement. The Foxwood Project was set up to do something practical about rising levels of crime, a drug abuse and the declining reputation of the area.
Residents and key service providers, including the Police, City of York Council and several housing associations, all worked together, with impressive results. Foxwood includes service level agreements on housing, street cleaning, refuse collection, jobs and training, community policing, welfare benefits and services for young people.
“The Foxwood neighbourhood agreement has saved hundreds of hours of residents and staff time and resulted in improved services."
Cindy Benson, Community Development Worker, Foxwood, York
Joe Michelie tells you exactly how to develop multi agency agreements, and how you go about setting them up. He’ll take you through:
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What are neighbourhood agreements?
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Where do you start and how do you introduce them?
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What are the pitfalls to avoid?
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What skills and experience will they require?
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Who should you be forming partnerships with?
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How do you agree a common agenda?
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How to get top management involved and committed
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Forming a resident partner
Many examples of Charters are available on the day from across the country.
Neighbourhood Charters and Agreements are essentially about improving the quality of life in defined areas. A key influence on quality of life is anti social behaviour and related issues. These issues are far harder to tackle than day to day service delivery issues, which often arise purely from poor co-ordination between landlords and other service providers.
Your trainer
Joe Micheli (a leading expert on multi agency and neighbourhood agreements), leads the workshop and shows you how and why they developed, the key stages involved, the skills required and the most common pitfalls to avoid.