1.         Introduction 

Shirehampton Community Action Forum (SCAF) was initiated by Shirehampton Public Hall Community Association, at a meeting held on 22 October 2001. The Forum was set up to address the issues raised in a Community Profile of Shirehampton, commissioned by the Hall Association, with funding from Bristol City Council, which was published in January 2001. The Forum would address these issues by strengthening ties and building partnership working between statutory agencies, private enterprise, and voluntary and community groups in Shirehampton. 

Since its inception, the Forum has operated as an offshoot of the Public Hall Association, which has provided administrative and management support. However, from the outset, it was hoped that in due course the Forum would become an independent organisation, with its own management and finances. This hope has now been realised. This report summarises the Forum’s activities from its inception until it became an independent body in April 2003. 

2.         Achievements in 2002 

At the inaugural meeting, the Forum agreed aims and objectives. The current objectives,  set out below, are very similar. The Forum also set up 3 Action Groups, covering Youth Support, Community Safety, and Housing. These have continued throughout the year. They have subsequently been joined by Shirehampton Greens, covering environmental issues, and by a Development Group, which has been planning the future structure of the organisation. 

A growing number of partner organisations have contributed to the work of each of the Groups, and to the Forum as a whole. 18 organisations have been represented at at least one Forum meeting, and 37 organisations have participated in one or more of the Groups. The Groups have met regularly during 2002. Their activities have been reported to the Forum itself, which met 11 times. The Forum has provided very valuable links between the Groups, to ensure that their work is mutually complementary. 

The Forum and the Action Groups have covered a wide range of activities in the period. These include: 

            Small scale opinion survey on community safety concerns completed
            On-going support for Youth Café proposal
            Large scale Questionnaire of young people's concerns and needs completed
            Liaison between police and local groups on crime patterns set up
            Publicity on truancy and liaison between local businesses and Portway Community School on truancy policy set up
            Increased local awareness of use of Crimestoppers for low level crime and anti-social behaviour
            Drop-in sessions for local residents to meet representatives from BCC Area Housing Office, Housing Associations (Guinness Trust, Knightstone & United), Police and local councillors set up on a regular basis
            Youth Shelter options explored
            Publicity given to assist recruitment of special constables
            'Daisy Field' identified as site for possible Community Park
            Improved liaison between City Council and Housing Associations on anti-social behaviour policies
            Improved links and communication between Police, BCC Area Housing Office & The Housing Associations to deal with tenant issues and problems (particularly on The Ridge)
            Feasibility of CCTV and Radio Net security systems for High Street area ongoing investigation - linked with Broadmead  Manager & Security Teams
            Made links with Barton Hill Community At Heart Project - re tenant participation
            Consultation on Road Safety improvements in High Street
            Consultation on Bristol Health Services Plan
            Contributed to the Commission on Local Governance
            Consultation on the future of  Portway Community School
            Disseminate information on a number of key local services and organisations e.g Avon University Settlement (Advice & Info services), Carers Networks, SHAWL (Local Lifelong Learning Courses & Venues), Severn Four Credit Union
            Used as a contact point for information about local organisations and services
            Established Database listing all local contacts and organisations (currently 128 entries)
            Contributed to the wider North Bristol Network of organisations working within the field of Community Regeneration &  Neighbourhood Renewal (BCC, VOSCUR etc)
            Significantly raised the profile of Shirehampton within Bristol City  Council, Funders etc
            Kept the community informed and involved with SCAF's work through monthly articles in "Shire" (Local newspaper)            Identified funding (£1K) for transport costs for Penpole Tenants Association luncheon Club
            Organised with Shire Traders Association a "Shop Locally" poster campaign over Christmas
            The Forum welcomed the increased police resource in  Shirehampton and the reduction in crime figures which followed   this
            Organised the Great Shire Youth Litterthon --- Portway School student volunteers --- Litterpick and fun day (in response to the pupils’ concern over litter expressed in the Student Questionnaire)
            Participated in consultation with City on plans for Lamplighters Marsh
            Liaised with the local Health Centre - who identified the need for parenting courses  - obtained support and funding from members of SCAF to run 4 full courses
            Established basic structure and rules of new independent organisation, to provide a basis for the development of the Forum
            Recruited a body of Trustees for the new organisation from a broad cross-section of local interests 

The Hall Association has received grants on behalf of the Forum, from Bristol City Council, the Greater Bristol Foundation, and Churngold. This has enabled us to employ Ash Bearman as a part-time Community Development Officer, to support the work of the Forum and of the Action Groups. The success of the Forum is in no small measure due to Ash's skills and enthusiasm. In addition, the Churngold and Bristol CC Sustainable Neighbourhood grants have enabled us to appoint Richard Fletcher as a part-time Project Development Worker, from December 2002, to support Shirehampton Greens. 

The Development Group has concentrated on planning for the formation of SCAF as an independent body. 

3.         Objects of SCAF 

The Objects of SCAF are: To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the parish of Shirehampton and adjoining areas without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race, age, or of political, religious or other opinions, by associating local authorities and other statutory bodies, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in partnerships to advance social welfare, community safety, housing, health, education, the environment, expand positive awareness of the area, and leisure-time occupations, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants. 

4.         Proposed Structure 

During March a Company Limited by Guarantee, named Shirehampton Community Action Forum, was registered at Companies House, with number 4686738. The Directors are Trustees and are drawn from a broad cross-section of local individuals and groups. However each Trustee holds office in a personal capacity, and not as a formal representative or nominee of any group. The initial Trustees are: 

Chair:               Dr David Thomas          Shirehampton Public Hall Community Association
Vice Chair:       Rev Tim Baynes Clarke Shirehampton Baptist Church
Secretary:        Mr John Hardy              Kings Weston House
Treasurer:        Mrs Thelma Tillett         Shire Traders' Association
                        Insp Iwan Jones           Avon & Somerset Constabulary
                        Mr John Parsons          Shirehampton Community Group
                        Mr Neil Sykes               Portway Community School
                        Ms Nicky Rodaway       Shire Traders' Association
                        Mr Richard Devereux    Shire Traders' Association

 The new company assumed responsibility for the activities of the Forum from the Public Hall Association on 1 April 2003.

The Trustees will be the managing body of SCAF, and will be responsible for finance and assets, and employing any staff. The Board of Trustees will be supported by a Steering Committee, corresponding to the Forum meetings held in the past year, and by a variable number of Action Groups, which will be formed or dissolved as the need for them arises. 

The Memorandum and Articles of Association will be supported by Rules. These set out the membership structure, and the relationship between the Trustees, the Steering Committee or Forum, and the Action Groups. 

The draft memorandum and Articles of Association, the Rules, and the list of proposed Trustees, were approved at a meeting of the Forum on 28 November 2002. The Trustees were authorised to make any minor amendments necessary in the light of legal advice. 

5.         Aims and Objectives of SCAF 

The Aims of the Forum were established at the initial meeting, and are:

            To discuss the issues in the Community Profile, and come to a consensus of opinion as to the priorities.
            To develop a strategic and multi agency approach to address the priority issues.
            To establish links and support the work of other local initiatives.  
            To establish a working structure with regular meetings.
           Establish good communication between Forum members. 
            To establish sub groups or working groups to address specific issues e.g. housing, lack of youth activities etc.
            To be inclusive and fully representative of all sections of the Shirehampton Community.
            To be open to, and consult the residents of Shirehampton.

6.         The Year Ahead 

The Youth Support, Community Safety and Shirehampton Greens Groups will continue in the forthcoming year. The Housing Group will continue to arrange regular drop-in sessions which bring together representatives of BCC Area Housing Office, housing associations, the police, and local councillors. 

The detailed aims and objectives of each Group, and their plans for next year, have been set out in a Business Plan. The Steering Committee, or Forum, will continue to meet to coordinate the work of the Groups, and to give a communication channel between them. 

7.         Finance and Resources 

The unaudited Pro Forma accounts below have been extracted from the Shirehampton Public Hall Community Association Accounts. They represent estimates of those items of income and expenditure, and assets, attributable to SCAF. 

Pro Forma Income and Expenditure Account

1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003                                                           

                Income                                                         £

                Greater Bristol Foundation                  5000.00
                Bristol City                                               5000.00
                Bristol City 4333                                    5000.00
                Bristol City                                               1803.00
                Astley Trust                                             1000.00

                Total Income                                        17803.00

          Expenditure        

                Wages & NI                                          13188.97
                Office expenses                                     1381.05

                Total Expenditure                               14570.02               

                Surplus/Deficit for year                       3232.98