By Ray George
Once upon a time, when the City Council was Labour controlled, we had Community Action Forums, ours was the Swaythling and District Community Action Forum.
The Liberal Democrats abolished these and replaced them by five Neighbourhoods Partnerships. But the Bassett and Highfield Community Action Forum refused to die and continued as a private enterprise. The Conservatives, in turn, abolished the Neighbourhoods Partnerships. The Bassett and Highfield Community Action Forum has seen this as an opportunity to metamorphose into the North Neighbourhoods Community Forum and we have been invited to participate. The HCERA Committee was not entirely convinced of the need for this organisation but has agreed to be a member.
The Forum has obtained a £5,000 “Grass Roots Grant” from the Government Office of the Third Sector. Some of this was used to produce a letter which was recently delivered with the News Extra. The letter concerned consultation on Houses in Multiple Occupation. The closing date for the consultation is 7 August 2009.