Residents views sought on council’s plans to build ‘stronger communities’

South Northamptonshire residents are being asked to share their views on how the authority can ‘tackle inequality’ and create strong communities.
South Northamptonshire Council wants views from members of the public to help shape its new policy.South Northamptonshire Council wants views from members of the public to help shape its new policy.
South Northamptonshire Council wants views from members of the public to help shape its new policy.

The authority wants members of the public to take part in a consultation that will help it to shape its Building Stronger Communities Strategy over the next four years.

Councillor Karen Cooper, portfolio holder for wellbeing said: “We are a large, rural district, which despite being generally affluent, has hidden poverty and disadvantage and specific local challenges, such as isolation and connectivity. These have been highlighted more than ever this year with the pandemic, and we have addressed these inequalities in our plan.”

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The strategy focuses on four areas. The first of these focuses on ”people, and aims to improve community safety, reduce isolation and loneliness and improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents.

Empowering more residents to have a voice and expanding involvement in volunteering and mentoring forms part of the ‘engagement strategy’, while the ‘resilience’ section outlines how the council wants a ‘co-ordinated voluntary and community sector’ and to address inequality in access to food and other resources.

The final theme of ‘place’ looks at creating an ‘identity, culture and connection to localities’.

Councillor Cooper added: “We want to develop our proposed plans with members of the public, service users and community groups and welcome your suggestions to help shape how we deliver this strategy to meet local needs.

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“With your help we can make sure South Northants continues to be a great place in which to live and work for both existing and new residents.”

The consultation, which is open until November 27, can be viewed and filled in at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/StrongerCommunitiesConsultation2020Comments can also be emailed to healthy.communities@southnorthants.gov.uk.