Spondon Neighbourhood Forum and Board

Summer SALE

The Neighbourhood Board has set up a number of sub-groups, one of which has an objective of improving communications in Spondon. As well as this village-wide edition of SCAN and funding a wider distribution of C&C, the group felt that one shortfall in communication is letting people know just how much is going on!

So it is organising an event on Saturday 5^th July that is intended to showcase as many of these as possible. There is an emphasis on active participation and on youth-oriented groups but there should be something for everyone! For a starter, we have invited every Spondon-based organisation that we are know about and every group that uses the Village Hall. To that we have added numerous Council departments and other organisations that operate within the area.

But it will not just be a “passive” exhibition. There will be displays from dance and martial art groups, as well as short walks during the day. And there is too much to fit in one venue! So there will be things going on in Edmund Hall, the Village Hall and the Methodist Chapel. We are looking to run a shuttle bus linking the venues as well as Cycle Derby leading a bike ride between them.

In fact, it will be a weekend festival with events in the Village Hall on the Friday evening (intended for families) and a fashion show organised by the Youth Club on the Saturday evening. The same weekend is St Werburgh’s Church Flower festival running from the Friday through to the Sunday. On top of all that, the Methodists will be celebrating their anniversary, and on the Sunday will be holding an open-air concert on St Werburgh’s school field from 3pm to 5pm, featuring their Praise Band.

We have contacted many organisations and groups but if you think we’ve missed you out, contact us by or download the form, and get it back to us.

A more detailed programme will be available at each venue on the day, and will also be published in the June edition of C&C.

Introduction to the Forum and Board

This started in the summer of 2007, replacing the previous Area Panel structure.

To quote the City Council website:

"Your neighbourhood forum is an open public meeting. Anyone can attend and it’s held at a local venue every two or three months. The forum is your opportunity to find out what’s happening in your neighbourhood - the problems and the successes - and to discuss the big issues and priorities. You’ll have the chance to talk to your councillors, local police, housing, community safety and other providers of services and have a say about what your priorities are for your neighbourhood....

...Your neighbourhood board is a leadership group for the neighbourhood. We realise that not everyone wants to get involved - many people just want to know what’s happening and where to go with a problem. However, some people want to get really involved in their neighbourhood as community leaders, working alongside their councillors and local services. Your neighbourhood board leads on behalf of the neighbourhood as a whole, agrees the priorities, decides where community grants are to be spent, monitors performance and decides on the vision for your neighbourhood."

The date of the next Neighbourhood Forum is on the events page.

The neighbourhood Board for Spondon is coming to the end of its first year and a new Board will be constituted in May 2008. The new Board will include the three ward councillors (one of whom will be Chair) and representatives of agencies such as Derby Homes, the police and Fire Service.

However, an important element of the membership is a number of people who are representatives of the residents. For the new Board, these can be nominated in two distinct ways. Firstly, local organisations can nominate one of their members to represent them. In this case, the organisation should inform (our Neighbourhood Manager) of their chosen representative. Secondly, any individual resident can put their name forward. Again, as a first step, contact Richard Smail, who will provide a nomination from. As well as some personal background information, the form will need to be endorsed by ten other Spondon residents. Nominations from both routes need to be with Richard by Friday 9^th May. 

For both types of nomination, the form can be downloaded by clicking here.

The ward councillors and Richard will then select a number of those nominated that they feel will be representative of the views of the local community. There is no fixed number, and Boards from different areas are experimenting to find the best balance between a wide representation and a manageable group! If you think you might want to be a member of the Board but are unsure what is involved, contact Richard or any of the three ward councillors , or .