009 08/12/2007 - LibraryThis is a featured page

Friends of Levenshulme Minutes: 8 December, Levenshulme Library

Feedback on the MCC/Leese/Levenshulme Meeting 10 November


  • A significant number of people felt disappointed following the meeting: a feeling we had been ‘short changed’
  • It seemed obvious that Leese knew very little about Levenshulme: in an interview on Radio 5 Live the following week Leese showed that he knew nothing about the area
  • FOL is committed to further campaigning for improvements in our area
  • It was agreed that the campaign showed that people have to take action to move issues forward and there was a positive feeling about the numbers attending and engaging
  • Realistically it was felt that we could not expect a lot from the meeting although the meeting did raise a number of issues with the wider community
  • It was agreed that MCC have no vision and no sense of responsibility for our area: Levenshulme is not seen as a priority by anyone except residents
  • There was disappointment that MCC attended without a plan, ‘a sweetener’ for anything in our area
  • MCC appears unresponsive and the meeting showed this
  • On a positive note we know that MCC does not like public exposure in this was and there has never been a meeting like this in Levenshulme before
  • All agreed we need to keep the pressure on
  • An example of our MPs lack of action was given re a letter he asked a meeting attendee to write to him about SureStart: this was done over 4 weeks ago (@ 10 Nov), copied to the Director of Children’s Services and to date no response has been received. There is no right of reply.
  • There was disappointment that no research appears to have been by Leese’s office prior to the meeting and anger that MCC claim they are not privatising children’s services: this is seen as irresponsible and disingenuous


Inviting Leese back to Levenshulme



  • It was agreed that FOL should invite Leese back to Levenshulme, preferably at the end of February 2008 and to follow an agenda set by FOL.


Local Hustings?



  • In discussing a date for Leese to return the idea of arranging local hustings for everyone who will stand in the May election was raised: the majority were in favour of this


CN4M: Community Network for Manchester


  • Julie Goram from CN4M attended the meeting: she explained that this group interacts with all services together under the MCC agenda/heading ‘Sustainable Neighbourhoods’
  • The next MCC consultation on the Spatial Planning document and Local Development Framework will be in June 08.
  • The organisation North West Planning Aid is an organisation funded to help people engage with planning issues and Julie recommended we liaise with them in the future.
  • Julie will send ‘How does your City Grow?’ a MCC consultation questionnaire, to FOL. On this we can hi-light open and community spaces and facilities to be developed. This questionnaire can also be accessed from MCC’s website
  • FOL asked how CN4M linked with South Manchester Regeneration: Julie explained that she now covers the gap left when the ALL (Ardwick, Longsight and Levenshulme) network representative left the post earlier in the yr and was not replaced.
  • The role of the network is to be a bridge between MCC and community groups


‘How should your city grow?’ consultation 4 Dec



  • It was agreed that FOL experience of MCC consultation shows a lack of debate and the one thing that joins us all is frustration at the lack of consultation, accountability and action
  • The timing of the above meeting points to a disregard of residents and community groups, i.e. it was arranged at a difficult time for people to attend
  • MCC consultation practices appear to be less than the standard recommended
  • It was pointed out that MCC’s Planning and Regeneration teams need to work closer in order to be effective
  • We have recently been told that both Chorlton and Levenshulme are priorities for development although we have nothing more about this
  • There is confusion about MCC’s planning and planning systems and it was agreed that Levenshulme needs a District Centre Plan to take forward the issues we face as residents and to improve our area

Community facilities in Levenshulme



  • It was agreed that the current focus on religious organisations to provide community facilities makes this issue more divided in Levenshulme. Despite goodwill and outreach from churches to mosques and temples and vice versa, we still feel we need a secular space appropriate to all members of the community
  • It was pointed out that no major party now advocates covering all community facilities with public monies: all parties advocate some form of public-private-partnership agreement/funding
  • it appears that MCC has no intention of investing in secular community space and this is extremely disappointing
  • Levenshulme Community Association is putting together a group to look at what is needed in a community centre and has asked MCC for a member of staff to work with them on this
  • It was felt that our MP's suggestion of trying to secure lottery money for a community centre was insulting and let MCC ‘off the hook’


Driving Principles of FOL



  • It was felt by all that FOL needs an overarching guiding principle in order for us to continue campaigning for those issues important to us as individuals and as residents
  • We all want to see direct investment in Levenshulme so community groups and facilities are not left for religious organisations and voluntary groups to arrange
  • Writing an open letter to Leese, copied to the press was discussed: the letter would bullet point our concerns and ask for definition from MCC as to what they see as priorities, how they plan to spend and if they plan to move provision of community facilities into the private sector a la children’s services
  • It was agreed that FOL will campaign for Public Services and no privatisation: people in the area need to have some form of control and it was felt that this would not happen if we let MCC privatise facilities and services

PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SERVICES



  • All in attendance voted on whether to have the above strap line as the driving principle for FOL: the majority voted in favour and this will now be used as FOL’s guiding principle
  • We agreed that as a group FOL needs to pragmatic: we recognise that in real terms we would engage with MCC about options, should we be given the chance, although the guiding principle stands as a base line

Christmas Lights in Levenshulme



  • If you have any comments about the Christmas lights, that cost £19K, please send them to Cllr Keith Whitmore.


Ideas for activities in 2008



  • Open competition and exhibition to design a community centre/community space
  • Banquet for Levenshulme
  • Farmers Market a la Northenden
  • Planting day on the site for the proposed community garden: organisations such as LandLife and Red Rose Forest Trust can help us but MCC needs to give its permission for the use of the site before any funding can be applied for
  • Levenshulme ‘The Musical’
  • Table top sale
  • Linking with other South Manchester campaigning groups and arranging a public event/open day/workshops for such groups possibly using the strap line ‘Whose city is it?’


Christmas Get Together Sunday 23 Dec, The Bluebell, Barlow Road 8pm


Next Steps



  • Invite Leese back to Levenshulme tbc end Feb
  • Write an open letter hi-lighting our concerns and asking for definition of MCC’s policies and priorities
  • Find out timeframes for Local Development Plan/Framework
  • Ensure FOL is invited to any pre-consultation re the Chapel St development site: MCC Planning Officers confirmed we will be consulted although to date this has only been a verbal agreement



StuartCalton
StuartCalton 		Latest page update: made by StuartCalton , Feb 6 2008, 3:30 PM EST (about this update About This Update StuartCalton sections altered after email from Les Ireland to point out that 1) FoL have never had to pay for use of St Peter's and 2) all churches try their utmost to be as inclusive as possible... points taken. - StuartCalton

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