NEC Community Forum Terms of Reference

Aim:

For South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council to provide residents with regular updates regarding strategic sites and provide a vehicle for sharing residents interests/ concerns with relevant Council Officers, Developers and other Stakeholders

Scope & purpose.

• To provide regular, accurate and timely information and advice to residents about progress on the major growth site of North East Cambridge.
• To offer an opportunity for residents to raise issues of interest or concern for existing and new communities with the view to enhancing the quality of community life and the environment in the North East Cambridge area.
• For Council Officers to share issues raised by residents with relevant parties and reporting back responses to concerns raised.
• To provide information and signposting on planning and growth matters.
• To provide an opportunity for developer, residents, community groups and Council Officers to engage with each other.
• To provide an opportunity to bring together new and existing residents.
• From time to time, to provide opportunities for residents to be consulted and involved in the planning, co-design and management of associated facilities and services

Not within the scope of the forum

• The forum will not consider non growth-related issues as there are other democratic processes in each district council area for non-growth-related issues to be raised
• It does not have decision making powers and cannot be held accountable for growth issues.

Structure and management

• To provide a maximum of 4 ‘open to all’ formal meetings a year, where appropriate, and other forms of engagement, if necessary. The venues, where appropriate, to be spread around the different catchment areas for the new development(s) to ensure all residents have an opportunity to attend. Frequency and format of meetings to be determined by officers and Chair based on individual progress of specific developments. Virtual meeting will also be enabled when needed.
• Where forums take place across district lines: to share the facilitation and organising of the events between South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council.
• The facilitator to be supported by officers from each of the district Councils
• Communication – notifications prior to the meeting via existing data base, web page, existing publications and social media. Notes, presentations or recordings from the meetings published on Local Authority web pages. List of frequently asked questions to be kept and updated and uploaded to websites.
• Circulation list to be developed based on registered forum attendees and any others wishing to be kept informed
• Surveys and feedback mechanisms will be employed from time to time to ensure forums are meeting residents’ needs