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Following an initial period of engagement earlier this autumn with local people and groups, North Somerset Council has now developed a draft plan which sets out how, together with the community, the area can become a thriving and sustainable place where people have equal opportunity to live well throughout their lives.
Earlier in the autumn hundreds of people and local groups offered their views to help develop North Somerset Council’s draft over-arching strategic plan and budget at in-person events and through an online questionnaire.
Both the draft plan and the budget have since been reshaped to reflect the views that people shared. The proposed plan focuses on four ambitions:
- Children and young people are cared for, safe, supported, and are given equality of opportunity to thrive
- Communities are caring, healthy and safe, where people help each other to live well
- Towns and villages are thriving and sustainable places to live, work and visit
- The council delivers consistently good services and value for money to support the community.
Cllr Mike Bell, Leader of the Council, said: “Together with my colleagues on the Executive, we’ve really valued the time we’ve spent with people across North Somerset in recent weeks, taking the time to listen to what’s important to them and their hopes for the future.
“We’ve discussed local issues with people from all four towns and our rural communities. People told us that tackling crime and community safety, protecting services for the vulnerable, improving the condition of our roads and pavements, supporting our town and village centres and strengthening the availability of public transport were all important.
“I hope that everyone who took the time to share their views will see them reflected in our plan for the future.”
North Somerset Council is a low spending, low taxing council, delivering a wide range of services and continues to face ever-increasing financial pressures.
Cllr Bell added: “Despite more than a decade of austerity, we remain committed to delivering good services and are focussing our budget plan on making more efficient use of land and buildings, modernising working practices and making use of technology to support delivery of services.
“We are ambitious, and I hope that local people will work with us over the next four years, as together we can achieve great things for our communities.”
A six-week second round of formal consultation on the draft corporate plan has launched today giving people the chance to have their say on the council’s proposals.
People can get involved online at https://n-somerset.gov.uk/planandbudget2024 or at one of the face to face sessions taking place throughout North Somerset over the coming weeks:
- Yatton Hangstones Pavilion, Monday 27 November - 6.30-7.30pm
- Nailsea Tithe Barn, Friday 1 December - 6.30-7.30pm
- Clevedon Castlewood, Monday 4 December - 6.30-7.30pm
- Weston-super-Mare Town Hall, Wednesday 6 December - 6.30-7.30pm
- Portishead Folk Hall, Wednesday 13 December - 6.30-7.30pm.
There’s no need for bookings in advance for any of these sessions, and people can just call in if they’re unable to stay for the whole hour.
The online consultation is open until 5pm on Wednesday 10 January 2024. Final proposed drafts of the plan and budget will be considered by councillors in the new year.
UPDATED: unfortunately the sessions due to be held with the mobile library in Wrington, Long Ashton, Backwell and Banwell have been cancelled as the mobile library is being repaired.