URL: https://democratic.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=4056

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: To endorse the Communities Partnership's draft communities strategy for public consultation with residents and other stakeholders. The strategy aims to build strong, connected and cohesive communities over the next 10 years.

Content: RESOLVED that   i.       the extent of the co-production activity with partners and engagement conducted over the summer 2025 is noted. This resulted in a total of 2,388 responses received, which has informed the draft vision, aims and objectives of the Communities Strategy.   ii.     the draft Communities Partnership communities’ strategy vision, aims and objectives produced by the partnership be endorsed for a 6-week public consultation using the Council’s consultation platform.   iii.    following public consultation the amended fully developed final strategy will be brought to Cabinet for their consideration to refer to Council for endorsement and adoption. i.       A public consultation will allow the Communities Partnership to gather further feedback on the draft vision, aims and objectives of the strategy and engage residents and partners in contributing ideas for the action plan. It will also allow those who have already contributed ideas, as part of the extensive engagement activities conducted during the summer 2025, to see how these have been incorporated into the draft strategy and provide further input to shape the strategy. Feedback will be used to refine and develop the final strategy and a detailed action plan for the first 1- 3 years of strategy implementation. The final version of the strategy will be submitted to Council for endorsement. Similarly, the organisations which are part of the Communities Partnership and the Communities Strategy Delivery Group will consider the strategy for endorsement by their boards.   ii.     Engaged and healthy communities is a priority in the Council Plan 2023-2027 and an ambition within this is that community development and spaces encourage a cohesive and engaged community. This strategy will provide a strategic guide for this priority for the council, as well as for partner organisations and communities themselves.   iii.    In developing strategic service and financial planning from 2026-29 the council will be working with its partners to empower communities, collaborate and innovate and ensure its decisions are evidence based. The Communities Strategy is an important enabler of this strategic direction. i.       There is an alternative option to not take the draft strategy to public consultation, and to instead continue to develop the draft only with partners involved in the Communities Partnership and associated delivery group. There has been extensive public consultation already undertaken. However, the engagement so far has been focused on understanding the current perceptions of communities and ideas for how communities could be strengthened. The proposed consultation will allow everyone in the borough, including those involved already and those who have not been, to scrutinise the draft vision, aims and objectives for the strategy developed from this engagement work as well as outline some of the actions including quick wins. It will allow a deeper exploration of actions which can be taken by partners and communities to formulate a detailed action plan for the first year of strategy implementation.   ii.     There is also the alternative option to not take the strategy forward at all. As discussed above, engaged and healthy communities is a council priority. There is also significant buy-in from partner organisations and there has been extensive engagement. To not take the strategy forward would be a missed opportunity to work with communities to strengthen communities across the borough and to make the most effective use of existing resources through collaboration and coordination. None

Date of Decision: November 4, 2025