Post in Six months of the Bemmy Forum

2007 Sep 22 07:24 UTC

Hi,

It's about six months since we launched this forum as part of the Greater
Bedminster Community Partnership (GBCP).   Time to take stock on this
experiment?

For me the forum was to serve two main purposes:

1.   Promote greater co-operation between agencies (police, council, health
etc) and voluntary, community and business groups by providing a place to swap
information and ideas, mainly related to local issues, that is neighbourhoods
such as Southville, Bedminster, Ashton and Ashton Vale.   I guess that's worked
fairly well with issues relating to traffic, parks and rivers and local
shopping popping amongst others over the months.   We know that some of the
agencies are keeping in touch because we've heard, for example, from local
councillors and the police.   We don't know if other agencies are lurking out
there, listening, but not responding.   Hallo?

2.   Give opportunities to local people to influence events and policies at a
local level.   I think there may have been some influencing, for example, a
Bristol City Council commission is looking at the '106 issue' this Thursday.
They probably would not have done that if the allocation of this money had not
been debated on the forum and local councillors had not picked it up.   Can
anyone give other examples?   On the other hand, forum debates and membership
are still restricted to a very small number of people, compared to the
population of the area.

Of course, other forum members might see the forum very differently.   How do
you feel the first six months have gone?   What would you hope for from the
next six months?

Cheers,   Ben.