Building a Neighbourhood Plan for Bermondsey

1. Building a Neighbourhood Plan for Bermondsey • John B. Corey, Jr ISG Acting Chair • Bermondsey Neighbourhood Forum BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

2. The Neighbourhood Plan:– triggers for action • Concern following Southwark Council’s consultation on an SPD for the area • Recognition of development pressures in the area • Established concerns wishing to preserve historic nature of Bermondsey Street Area BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

3. A community push for action • A variety of groups and individuals from Bermondsey came together at a public meeting • Common concern to preserve the ‘special and different’ nature of the area • historic buildings and areas • the social and economic mix • Agreed a group would take Neighbourhood Plans forward BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

4. Our area • Bounded by Borough High Street, Tower Bridge Road+, New Kent Road and the river • Includes the London Bridge ‘opportunity area’ and extended to keep neighbouring residential communities together • Includes: • major employers (e.g. Guys Hospital, Southwark Council) • riverside office and tourist areas • significant private residential redeveloped areas • large social housing estates • schools and other community facilities BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

5. How we are building the plan • ‘Crowd Sourcing’ of ideas and concepts – including through traditional public meetings • Structured engagement of individual community groups using consultants • Gap analysis of communities/demographic sections contributing • Specific reengagement of ‘missing groups’ • Filtering and balancing – producing final plan BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

6. Transparency and accountability • Significant use of digital media channels • Facebook page and Twitter news feed • Using pictures and video to save time writing up • Recognition of the limitation of a digital-led approach • Recognition of the value of face-to-face engagement • going to groups in their own settings • Acknowledging weakness of mass-meetings & write-in consultation BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

7. Issues for the Forum • The unrepresentative nature of motivated group leaders • overwhelmingly professional middle class • a group with an inherent focus on process • a predisposition to the top-down formal consultation model – as used by the council • The challenges of pre-existing local campaign groups • limited issues motivate people to be involved • these groups can dominate public meetings and written input • those not motivated can be alienated and broader ‘softer’ interests can be sidelined or feel excluded BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

8. Solving the representation issue • Specific skills or domain knowledge is needed • The specialists who get things done • Local ties are less important than specific skills • Leadership needs to come from a broad representative group • Senior elders, community leaders, special interest groups in the area • Local ties are critical plus breath or reach into the community BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

9. Jigsaw puzzle • The Representatives Group (RG) sets the tone, owns the decisions • The Steering Group (SG) does the work, implements the decisions and offers expertise • The Community is the ultimate source of the wants and needs of the community BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

10. Localism does not ignore strategy • We live and work in a context • The national, greater London and Southwark Borough strategy plans plus regulations take precedent • A neighbourhood plan fits under or within the strategic plans • We are talking about planning • We can aspire & set a tone slightly wider BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

11. Where are we today? • DCLG Front Runner Status • Constitution in place; DCLG funds available • Partnered with Southwark Council • Actively engaging with community groups • Reaching outside the community to similar ‘localism groups’ in other areas • Facebook page, website, multiple documents capturing progress so far BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

12. Active work on-going • The project plan shows the main streams of work • Communication • Identifying one or more of the DCLG funded consulting firms to assist • Recruiting volunteers and activists to complement the professionals • Liaising through Simon Bevan to stay on track BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

13. Project Plan • refer to project plan • copies to be emailed to those who request one BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

14. Taking a first step as representatives • Do you want to engage as the representative for your group? • Yes • No • If yes, there are a couple more things to do BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

15. If Yes • The SG has been an interim group with the sole purpose of jumpstarting the process. • The SG needs a mandate to continue for 30-60 days • As the project evolves, the SG should evolve to reflect the skills needed. This is a RG decision. • Once one or more recommended professional organisations are identified, a decision needs to be taken to sign an engagement contract BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM

16. ISG Membership • refer to profile PDF • copies to be emailed to those who request one BERMONDSEYNEIGHBOURHOODFORUM