Torch relay will be used for a quick survey
Wednesday, 4th July 2012.
Residents attending the Olympic torch relay celebrations in Haverhill on Saturday will be asked for their views on how money should be spent in the town and which services are important to them.
Representatives from ONE Haverhill will be in the town centre to give people an opportunity to give their views in a quick five-minute survey.
In December 2011, the Government announced that Haverhill had been chosen as one of just 12 areas in the UK to pilot a new way of giving local communities more say in the way budgets are spent.
All organisations will still hold their funding and their responsibilities, but the board will work on bringing organisations round the table to ensure the money is spent locally to provide the services local people value the most.
ONE Haverhill is leading the project. It is an independent board that is bringing organisations and resources together to make them more effective and efficient in the town.
Members of the board include all three tiers of local government, the business sector, education, police, health, the voluntary sector, Havebury Housing, Abbeycroft Leisure and the faith community as one voice with the aim of improving the quality of life for people in Haverhill.
Anne Gower, chair of ONE Haverhill, said: “We hope people in the town will give their views on the services which are important to them.
"For the first time ever we as a town have the chance to have a real say in what money is spent on and have a single conversation.
"For example, it is known that three organisations in the town employ grass cutting services in Haverhill.
"If we got these three organisations around the table and agreed that one supplier did all three areas of the town and we employ a local supplier then we could make sure the money was spent more efficiently and keep the work in the town.”
ONE Haverhill has identified two key areas of public funding to look at, first, monies spent on improving the physical environment and opportunities for young people.
Local people will decide which of the areas under these headings are most important through a series of consultations involving surveys and interviews at public events like the torch relay during the next few months.
ONE Haverhill will submit its proposal to the Department for Communities and Local Government and will present their findings to Whitehall in October.
Representatives from ONE Haverhill will be in the town centre to give people an opportunity to give their views in a quick five-minute survey.
In December 2011, the Government announced that Haverhill had been chosen as one of just 12 areas in the UK to pilot a new way of giving local communities more say in the way budgets are spent.
All organisations will still hold their funding and their responsibilities, but the board will work on bringing organisations round the table to ensure the money is spent locally to provide the services local people value the most.
ONE Haverhill is leading the project. It is an independent board that is bringing organisations and resources together to make them more effective and efficient in the town.
Members of the board include all three tiers of local government, the business sector, education, police, health, the voluntary sector, Havebury Housing, Abbeycroft Leisure and the faith community as one voice with the aim of improving the quality of life for people in Haverhill.
Anne Gower, chair of ONE Haverhill, said: “We hope people in the town will give their views on the services which are important to them.
"For the first time ever we as a town have the chance to have a real say in what money is spent on and have a single conversation.
"For example, it is known that three organisations in the town employ grass cutting services in Haverhill.
"If we got these three organisations around the table and agreed that one supplier did all three areas of the town and we employ a local supplier then we could make sure the money was spent more efficiently and keep the work in the town.”
ONE Haverhill has identified two key areas of public funding to look at, first, monies spent on improving the physical environment and opportunities for young people.
Local people will decide which of the areas under these headings are most important through a series of consultations involving surveys and interviews at public events like the torch relay during the next few months.
ONE Haverhill will submit its proposal to the Department for Communities and Local Government and will present their findings to Whitehall in October.
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