A new Morpeth District Community Forum is being set up with the promise that it will not just be a ‘talking shop’ but will make a real contribution to community life in Morpeth and the parishes of Hebron, Hepscott, Longhirst, Mitford, Pegswood and Stannington.
The Forum’s initial annual meeting will be held next month when its first chair person will be chosen along with an independent ‘host’ organisation needed to take on its administrative role. ‘Expressions of interest’ in both roles are now being sought.
The Morpeth Forum is one of more than 20 being set up around Northumberland as part of a process to engage local people and organisations at a grass-roots level in shaping the future of the communities where they live and work.
The Forum will be able to feed the views of local residents, groups and organisations on issues affecting the neighbouring communities into a democratic decision-making process that higher up the chain involves Northumberland County Council, its area partnerships, parishes and Morpeth Town Council.
Forum meetings will be open to any local groups, organisations and individuals to attend on a regular or perhaps more informal basis if specific issues that concern them are being considered.
Gillian Turner the Town Clerk of Morpeth who is co-ordinating the Forum annual general meeting, says: “The Forum will offer a way of engaging people from all walks of life by giving them the chance to work together to present their views, ideas and solutions on issues concerning everyone in our locality.
“It will not just be a ‘talking shop’ but will be a way of genuinely giving local people, groups and organisations the chance to influence decisions affecting their futures, at a very grass-roots level.
“If you like, the Forum will be the method for people to get their foot on the first rung of the ladder of the decision-making processes in a more informal way than going through the democratically elected system.”
Each parish and the town council as well as Northumberland County Council will be represented on the Forum so that they are as well informed as possible about local views on specific issues when they debate their own decisions.
Gillian Turner says ideally the person who chairs the Forum will have a sound working knowledge of Morpeth and its surrounding parishes as well as acting as its spokesperson and being able to encourage everyone to have an input into its debates and decisions.
Expressions of interest for both the chair and the ‘host’ organisation of Morpeth District Community Forum should be sent to Gillian Turner at Morpeth Town Council by the end of the working day on Friday 16th of October.
She can be contacted for applications forms at Morpeth Town Council telephone (01670) 514314.
The Annual General Meeting of Morpeth District Community Forum will be held in the Ballroom at Morpeth Town Hall on Saturday October 24th starting at 10.30am. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend. Please see the agenda below:
Agenda for the Morpeth District Community Forum AGM
Saturday 24th October, 2009 at 10.30 am
Morpeth Town Hall
First Section of the Meeting to be chaired by P. Angus.
1. Apologies for absence
2. Scene Setting - (Introduction, What is a Community Forum and what is it intending to do. (John Cooper – Localities Officer).
3. Questions and Answer Session
4. Business that needs to be carried out to formalise arrangements
5. Adoption of the Partnership Agreement for the year 2009/10
6. Election of Chairperson of the MDCF 2009/10
Second Session of the Meeting Newly Elected Chair to take over
7. Election of Vice-Chair for the year 2009/10
8. Appointment of Hosting Organisation for 2009/10
9. Discussion about Issues and Opportunities affecting MDCF Area
10. Guest Speaker and Closure
11. Next meeting Tuesday 10th November 3.00 pm St James Community Centre, Morpeth
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