The Cabinet Member for Families and Communities has been invited to the meeting to give a presentation on the role of Newmarket Vision and Discover Newmarket, and to answer questions from the Committee.
Minutes:
The Director (Liz Watts) and the Cabinet Member for Families and Communities, Councillor Robin Millar had been invited to the meeting to give a presentation on the role of Newmarket Vision and Discover Newmarket, and to answer questions from the Committee. The Director provided a broad overview on the role of Newmarket Vision, which included its:
- History
- A specific action list
- Structure (community planning; education; transport; town centre; steering group)
- How it worked
- Relationship with local authorities
- Representation
- Achievements to date (Newmarket music festival; under starters orders; launch of Discover Newmarket)
- Future projects (cinema project; parking strategy; community rail partnership)
- Funding (Forest Heath officer time: 100 hours per month; no other allocated funding)
- Consultation
- Measures of success (delivery of action plan; progress towards the 20 year vision).
Newmarket Vision’s 20 year vision had 10 bold statements, which included 45 specific actions, split across four specific broad areas:
- Community Planning
- Education
- Transport / Traffic
- Town Centre
Councillor Robin Millar, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities explained the role of the Steering Group which was established to keep the whole project on track by supporting the four delivery groups in delivering the agreed actions as quickly as possible. The Steering Group was represented by:
- Councillor Sarah Stamp (SCC – Communities Portfolio Holder)
- Councillor Robin Millar (District Council – Families and Communities Portfolio Holder)
- Councillor John Berry, substituted by Councillor Warwick Hirst (Newmarket Town Council Representative)
The Steering Group was currently looking at the role of the steering group and delivery groups, its achievements and its own structure going forward with a focus on being more of an enabler rather than an authorising body.
Members discussed the presentation in detail and asked a number of questions of the Cabinet Member and the Director who provided comprehensive responses. In particular responses were provided to questions as follows:
(1) Newmarket Neighbourhood Plan – Ownership of this plan belonged to the Town Council and not the Newmarket Vision Group.
(2) Benefits from Newmarket Vision – along with officer time, money from the locality budget was going through wards and ward members to help with issues the community cared about.
(3) Engagement was important and was at the heart of the locality working. Newmarket Vision gave a great opportunity for district councillors to be more proactive in their ward areas.
(4) Councillor Appleby suggested the Council should review the position of the Newmarket Vision Group and consider establishing Working Groups of the district councillors of the different areas of the district to consider local matters, in consultation with the parish and town councils and such bodies and persons in affirming the roles of elected councillors and councils to represent residents.
The Cabinet Member responded by acknowledging that there had been some criticisms of the Newmarket Vision and that he was very keen to address these. However, there were 111 people actively involved in Newmarket Vison, largely people from Newmarket who wanted to play an active role in shaping their community. Councillor Cole suggested that these participants ought to be vetted in some way (such as by election) and Councillor Millar refuted that suggestion as completely undermining the role of the community to play an active part in things that mattered to them. Councillor Millar then reiterated that the Steering Group was currently looking at changes to its structure going forward, and would be happy to update the Committee in six months time on progress.
There being no decision required, the Committee noted the presentation on Newmarket Vision subject to an update being provided in six months.