Spondon Councillor, Evonne Williams, writes about the end of the Spondon Neighbourhood Board in its current form and looks to how things can still be managed for the benefit of the local community in the future:
As Chairman of the Spondon Neighbourhood Board, it is with great sadness that this will be our last article about the Board and the work done by it.
You may or may not be aware that due to changes made by the Labour Administration on Derby City Council, the Neighbourhood Board devolved budgets, previously available for local improvements and funding to support community organisations in Spondon Ward, has been stopped.
Without this small financial support, we will no longer have the funding or administrative support from the council to continue with the Neighbourhood Board in its current format.
As local councillors we will continue to campaign against how funding is being allocated in Derby, as we believe in equal funding throughout each ward to involve residents within those wards to allocate funding and tackle issues where they feel fit.
In Spondon, however, we have something regarded as extremely unique within the city. Spondon has more successful, active local community groups/associations than any other area - run by local people who truly and deeply care about making our village a more vibrant and pleasant safe place to live.
The Board has worked very well over the years by funding community groups, schools, sports clubs, helping and supporting Spondon events such as Spondon Alight and Spondon Day. We have organised compactor days and community clean ups and we have worked with residents to identify and prioritise highways improvements in a bid to improve the appearance of our village.
As local councillors, we feel we are better placed than most areas to carry on the good work and that we need to look at this as a new opportunity. We have invited residents, local clubs, schools, associations and other groups to come to the final Neighbourhood Forum meeting in early March to discuss and decide the best way forward, in a bid to carry on the good work achieved by our community.
We will keep you all informed of what is proposed and what form Spondon Forums will take in the future. We will explore other means of fundraising to support our community and do everything possible to keep working together for the benefit of Spondon.
Please contact myself or any of the other Spondon Councillors if you wish to find out more and/or feel you can offer your help to support local projects going forward.
Evonne Williams, Spondon Councillor
