Community Forums
There are 25 Community Forums, covering the whole of Leicestershire. These forums will play an important role in ensuring that services provided in your area match the needs of your local community.
A Community Forum meeting gives you the opportunity to discuss local services with your County, District and Parish Councillors and representatives from other agencies such as the Health Service and the Police. We would like you to come along to these meetings and have your say about how local services can be improved.
Community Forum Budgets 2011…Cash for your communities!
Leicestershire County Council is making £320,000 available through the network of 25 Community Forums for local communities to invest in projects of their choice. Residents and community groups can get directly involved and put their project ideas forward, comment on other proposals and vote on their favourites.
If you have an idea for a project that will benefit and improve your local area and your community, now is the time to submit a Project Proposal Form. At Community Forum Budget workshops later this Autumn, these ideas will be prioritised for a share of the funds. Before that, there will be a chance to view the project proposals and to make your comments and suggestions. To find out more about how you can get involved, please visit www.leicestershireforums.org/cfb.html or call 0116 30 57034.
Your Voice, Your Choice - How will the process work?
What are Community Forum Budgets?
Leicestershire County Council has made available £320,000 per year for local communities to invest in local improvements of their choice. The budget available to each Community Forum depends on its population size - see table below – and this year's budget will be for projects and activities taking place between January and June 2012.
| Population | Annual Budget | No of forums |
| Less than 15,000 | £ 10,000 | 5 |
| 15,000 to 30,000 | £ 12,500 | 13 |
| More than 30,000 | £ 15,000 | 7 |
If you are unsure of your Community Forum area please see the map below:
Map of Community Forum Area (PDF, 607 Kb)
Why Are We Doing this?
The Community Forum Budgets process will empower communities to play a role in decision making, in line with Big Society aspirations, by allowing communities to put forward project ideas for which they are seeking funding, comment on these project proposals, and have a key role in choosing which projects are supported. The application and approval process will minimise bureaucracy and provide support to applicants.
What can be funded?
Funding can be used for new or existing projects and activities which meet one or more of the objectives in the Leicestershire Sustainable Community Strategy, below.
SCS Priorities 2011-2013 (PDF, 36 Kb)
Who is eligible to apply for the funding?
Any not for profit community group (including Parish or Town Councils, Social Enterprises, Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and charities) will be eligible to apply by completing a Project Proposal Form. Businesses or political groups will not be eligible to apply.
The information on this page will give you an overview of the process. For full guidance about the process, please see the
Guidance for applicants about the Community Forum Budget process
Guidance for applicants about the Community Forum Budget process
Stage 1 – Project Proposal Stage
All project proposals will need to submit a Project Proposal Form, normally about three weeks before the Community Forum Budget Workshop date. Click here for a Project Proposal Form, or call 0116 305 7034 for other arrangements.
Please note that submission deadlines and workshop dates may be subject to change. An up to date schedule of forum workshop dates and submission deadlines can be accessed on this page.
Please note that submission deadlines and workshop dates may be subject to change. An up to date schedule of forum workshop dates and submission deadlines can be accessed on this page.
NB If you are interested in putting forward a project proposal, please ensure you have read the Guidance for applicants about the Community Forum Budget process. Please feel free to contact us if you require further advice about and/or support with submitting a Project Proposal.
Stage 2 – Inviting comments on Project Proposals
Once complete, all Project Proposals will be posted on each appropriate Community Forum web page, where you can comment on each proposal and offer suggestions for improvement. This stage allows those unable to attend the workshops the opportunity to be involved. The information collated at this stage will help inform discussions at the workshops.
Stage 3 – Community Forum Workshops to select priority projects
Local councillors, project proposers and other residents come together at a Community Forum Budget workshop to discuss all proposals and to vote for their favourite.
All will have the opportunity to engage in table discussions considering the appropriateness, feasibility and sustainability of project proposals.
For each project proposal, up to two representatives will need to attend the workshop to discuss the project with other participants and to present a 90 second 'pitch' on what their project is hoping to deliver.
There will then be the opportunity to prioritise projects using voting handsets, and funding will be allocated to projects on a provisional basis.
If you don't have any project proposals, but do want to take part in this workshop, you can book your space from 3 weeks prior to the date of the workshop.
Stage 4 – Final Project Development
After the workshop, depending on the amount of funding allocated to a project, there may be a requirement to submit competitive quotes or other financial and legal documentation such as bank details and the constitution of the group.
Applicants will also have to liaise with a member of the Communities & Places team to ensure that there are no outstanding issues that the project needs to resolve and to make sure there is a clear understanding as to what the project will deliver.
As soon as this is complete applicants will be issued with an offer letter and where necessary funding can be available as an advance.
Stage 5 – Project Delivery & monitoring of progress
Residents are encouraged to attend the next round of Community Forums, where there will be an update on the projects they have chosen to receive funding.
How can I get involved?
A vital part of the Community Forum Budget process is that everyone has an opportunity to contribute, whether submitting a project, making comments on proposals via your local Community Forum webpage, volunteering to assist in the development or delivery of a project or attending the next Community Forum.
You can get involved by:
- promoting the Community Forum Budget process to voluntary and comunity groups in your Community Forum area
- Clicking here to download a Project Proposal Form
- reading about all project ideas at your local Community Forum web page and making comments on these projects, which will provide advice to community groups regarding project ideas
- attending your local Community Forum Budget workshop and voting for the projects you see as priorities NB Attendance is Free, but you MUST register via the online booking form as places will be limited. Please note you can book your space from 2-3 weeks prior to the date of your local workshop.
For up-to-date details and dates, including workshop dates and project proposal submission deadlines for your local forum area, please see the schedule below:
Community Forum Budget Schedule (PDF, 28 Kb)
How do I apply for funding?
If you have an idea for a project that would bring improvement to your Community Forum area, and would like to apply for funding, you will need to complete and submit a Project Proposal Form which includes basic information on what the project is hoping to deliver, how much the project will cost, where additional funding is coming from and so on. You will also need to indicate two representatives from your project will be attending the workshop.
Project Proposal forms need to be submitted no later than three weeks prior to your local Community Forum Budget Workshop where your project idea will be discussed (please see schedule above for the specific deadlines for your community forum).
When Project Proposal forms are returned, a summary of your project will be put onto the Community Forum website. This will allow those who are unable to attend the workshops the opportunity to find out more about the project and make comments / suggestions for improvement.
Further information
If you would like to speak to someone about the process and/or your project, you could attend one of the Big Society roadshows being held across the county, dates are indicated in the schedule below, or you could contact us at:
• Tel: 0116 30 57034
• Email: LeicestershireForums@leics.gov.uk
• Email: LeicestershireForums@leics.gov.uk
What happens if my project is unsuccessful?
If your project is not successful or not ready to be delivered between January and June 2012 you will be able to re-submit for funding in the next financial year.
Advice will be available to develop the projects further and on alternative sources of funding. The workshops will also be a good opportunity to meet likeminded people and groups that may be able to assist in taking your project further.
General Information About Community Forums
| Who is involved? | How will it help and benefit me? | What about the bigger picture? | What won't it do? |
| How will it work? | Who else may be involved? | What do I need to do to get involved? |
Who is involved?
Leicestershire County Council, District Councils, Police and Health Service (Primary Care Trust, or PCT) want to work together to involve local people in the services delivered and help people influence the services they receive.
How will it help and benefit me?
By attending your local forum meeting:
- Representatives from the Police, the PCT and your local councils can tell you about services provided or planned in your area
- You will be able to obtain answers to queries about local services - such as policing levels, services available for young people, access to health care etc
- You can join your local County, District and Parish Councillors in a discussion about how services could be improved.
In this way, you can help influence and shape the services available for in your community.
What about the bigger picture?
You can also use the forum to find out what is being done to tackle the bigger issues affecting your local community, including speeding, crime & anti-social behaviour, congestion, housing and planning policies and the availability of community facilities and leisure activities.
What won’t it do?
A forum is not able to go into detail about individual cases or personal issues - such as planning applications, case work or care and services received.
How will it work?
The forums will meet between 2 and 4 times a year, depending on the forum area:
- Each forum meeting will have a ‘Question Time’ slot where you can raise queries and issues
- Some issues will be discussed in detail - topics you and other local representatives have indicated you want to discuss, as well as those which service providers want to bring to your attention and on which they want your views
- Through presentations and discussions on these issues, the forum will develop recommendations for further action
- The responsible council or agency will then follow up the recommendations and respond within three weeks of the meeting, setting-out what they intend to do. Where it is not possible to follow-up recommendations, clear explanations will be given
- You will be able to check the progress of actions on these recommendations on the website www.leicestershireforums.org. Alternatively, you can check on progress with the Community Engagement Manager for your area.
Who else may be involved?
You tell us... The County Council, District Councils, Police and PCT are committed to supporting the forums, but if an issue in your community requires the involvement of a different organisation, we will try to contact them in advance so that they can come along and help answer your queries.
What do I need to do to get involved?
Just turn up on the evening – with neighbours, friends and family if you want. If you have any requirements, please get in touch before the meeting, so that we can make suitable arrangements.
You don’t have to let us know in advance if you want to raise something at the forum meeting, but our chances of providing a satisfactory answer will increase if you do. Knowing the issues you want to raise will also help us decide which topics we should discuss in more detail.
To contact us, please use the form on our website (www.leicestershireforums.org or send an email to leicestershireforums@leics.gov.uk or contact your Community Engagement Manager directly:
Blaby
Victoria Bowers
Tel: 0116 305 8169
Victoria Bowers
Tel: 0116 305 8169
Charnwood*
Richard Downing
Tel: 0116 305 5823
Richard Downing
Tel: 0116 305 5823
Harborough District
Ray Hurst
Tel: 0116 305 5505
Ray Hurst
Tel: 0116 305 5505
Hinckley & Bosworth.
Nicola Lees
Tel: 0116 305 7986
Nicola Lees
Tel: 0116 305 7986
Melton
Sabrina Malik
Tel: 0116 305 5951
Sabrina Malik
Tel: 0116 305 5951
North West Leicestershire
Nik Green
0116 305 7309
Nik Green
0116 305 7309
Oadby & Wigston
Juan Pardo
0116 305 7565
Juan Pardo
0116 305 7565
*NB: In Charnwood Borough the forums are called ‘Area Forums’.
Visit our dedicated website to find out more about your Community Forum. You will find:
- Information about your area
- Dates of future meetings
- Advance notice of the key issues on the agenda for each meeting (published 4 weeks in advance), as well as agendas, minutes and papers
- You can update yourself on the actions taken on the forum’s recommendations using the Issues log. This log will be updated constantly to ensure you have the latest information on what is being done to address the issues affecting your community.
Page Last Updated: 20 September 2011
