Your Call annual report 2012 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough ...

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Introduction by Councillor Hollern Introduction to the Your Call annual report by Councillor Kate Hollern, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council Your Call began on a very windy day in November 2011. That day, I met with dozens of volunteers on Roe Lee Park who had put themselves forward to make their area a better place. I was amazed, despite the weather, how many people came out to support their community. Since then, hundreds have heard the call, come forward and fought for their borough as you’ll see over the next few pages of this annual report. The last few years have been extremely tough for local authorities and the residents they serve. The economic troubles have also meant families here are feeling the pinch. The tough times are set to continue and the Council is having to make further painful cuts over the next two years. It’s not all doom and gloom though. The cuts mean that Council services have changed forever. But we have always been clear that what matters to you matters to us. And one of the things you have told us is that you want to play your part. That’s why we started Your Call. Our pledge is to support you in what you want to do to improve your area, whether it is loaning out free equipment for litter picks or hedge trimmers to cut overgrown grass to helping you to tackle dog fouling in your neighbourhood. Your Call is also a plea for everyone to do their part to make Blackburn with Darwen the best it can be. Everyone can help, even in small ways. Thinking twice about dropping litter which costs money to clear up or making a commitment to support our businesses in our towns by shopping local all helps. Knocking on an elderly neighbour’s door to make sure they are warm enough over winter or getting a spade out and clearing the snow are other examples. The work residents have been doing has been recognised on a national stage. The campaign was named Community Initiative of the Year at the UK Public Sector Awards – a fantastic accolade for everyone who has been involved. I am sure Your Call will continue to keep building and more and more will flock to the cause. I really believe that if everyone in the borough works and fights together, we can still make the borough a great place despite the tough times.
Overview of the campaign L-R Jayne, Jack and Chris get ready to start work in the rain at the Your Call clean up at St James Cemetery, Stopes Brow, Lower Darwen. Your Call was launched in November 2011. It was set-up as a response to the unprecedented budget cuts the Council had to make because of funding reductions. The severe cuts meant the Council could no longer try to solve every problem the borough faced on its own. It needed the help of residents to make neighbourhoods cleaner, greener, safer and more prosperous. Residents told the Council clearly that they wanted to get more involved in making their communities a better place. Indeed, many residents were already doing so. Many said they were happy to get out there and do their bit but sometimes lacked the resources to get projects off the ground. One of the clearest examples of how Your Call works is the success of the environmental part of the campaign. Your Call provides tools, equipment, health and safety advice and guidance and waste removal. Since 2011, 3545 volunteers have taken part in 118 environmental improvement activities. Activities have included back street clean-ups, litter picks, grass cutting and hedge trimming. Other Your Call successes include the increase in the number of winter squads, which has doubled since they started in November 2011. In total, nearly 5000 volunteers have taken part in Your Call. One important aspect of the Your Call campaign is for the Council to continue to listen to residents about their priorities and their ideas to make their neighbourhoods better places. In August 2012, the leader of the Council took part in a special consultation event which saw a black cab complete with a video diary room parked in Blackburn and Darwen. On the day 46 residents filled in the feedback cards whilst a further 24 gave their comments to the ‘cabcam’. The videodiary style comments have been made into a YouTube video and uploaded to the Council website. More than 30 feedback cards were also taken away by residents to fill-in and return at a later date. The main topics for discussion with residents were about litter, highways issues, dog fouling and suggestions for youth activities. Another example of this continued listening is the Your Call, Your Agenda meetings which has seen young people and children meet up with the Council leader to set the agenda and talk about issues important to them. Last November, the campaign was named Community Initiative of the Year at the UK Public Sector Awards – national recognition of residents who have been taking action to make a real difference in their communities. Your Call in numbers 118 33 5000 10% Clean ups since 2011 other events such as dog solutions workshops volunteers taken part in your call activities increase in the number of residents who said they have volunteered. Increase in the last 12 months (Figures taken from the 2011 & 2012 resident’s survey).
Page 1 and 2: ANNUAL REPORT
Page 3: William Cowell, nine, gets ready to
Page 7 and 8: Clean and green Members of the Hill
Page 9 and 10: Pulling together through Winter Abd
Page 11 and 12: Whalley Range Jubilee Celebration G
Page 13 and 14: Young people and Your Call Youth MP
Page 15 and 16: Jason Walker (Deputy Chair of the F

Your Call annual report 2012 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough ...

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