Residents given chance to raise concerns about their community

Liverpool Community Network (LCN) has announced the dates for the next round of ‘Your Community Matters’ events.

These friendly and informal events begin on Monday 2nd March and enable local residents to meet with key decision-makers, including representatives from Liverpool Council and Merseyside Police, to discuss what can be done to improve their neighbourhood.

They are designed to give people an opportunity to have their say on issues that concern their particular area. Problems such as fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour have been identified and greatly improved as a result of these events. The meetings are held three times a year, across Liverpool’s 30 wards, with the aim of strengthening the city’s communities.

Around 1500 people took part in the last round of meetings in November 2008. The meetings are organised around the themes of ‘Economic Development and Enterprise’, ‘Health and Older People’, ‘Crime and Community Safety’, ‘Children and Young People’ and ‘The Environment’. During these events, local residents can decide with the agencies involved what should be designated as priorities.

These priorities are then taken up by the local council, community officials and the police, with a remit to deal with them before the next round of events. These events are making a real difference in peoples lives. The feedback we received confirms that residents see them as a valuable means of giving them a greater say in the future of their neighbourhood.

It is important for people to understand that these meetings are more than just talking shops, they are one of the most effective methods of community engagement in the city. We know that 97% of priorities identified so far have been achieved or have had steps taken to deal with them. LCN is part of Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) and aims to foster a community spirit that will help to improve the lives of residents across the city.

For dates and venues for the March round of events, please contact Stuart Smith on 0151 227 5177 or stuart.smith@lcvs.org.uk