Young people top the agenda at Our Lockleaze Community forum

This year most people wanted to talk about young people, as we were talking lots of young people were hanging around the square so the forum went out to chat with young people about what they would like to see happen in Lockleaze - talking to them, rather than about them. In the end. more young people were talking and inputting than adults had turned up to the community forum - a pretty clear demonstration of some unmet needs from young people and a need to prioritise them in future CIL spending and in setting priorities for the area.

Twice a year we host a community forum where residents come together to discuss what is important and crucially what we want are going to do about it. We ask the community in advance what they want to talk about and if appropriate invite others to attend to answer questions (eg. developers, local organisations, police etc). When people arrive we set the agenda based on what they’re here to discuss.

Young people identified what they would like to see happen - everything from more sessions for them at the Vench, music studios, day trips and heated swimming pools, and as a group we discussed how we could make it happen (well some of it at least - although Lockleaze Lido on Lockleaze Open Space/Purdown modelled on Henleaze Lake might be an answer to an unheated swimming pool).

This brought us to the discussion of Community Infrastructure Levy , or CIL - money from developers for capital spend in the area to mitigate the impacts of developments. Councillor Wilcox outlined the process and the group discussed different priorities for spend and how to complete the dreaded form to access the funds.

Local residents agreed a plan of action and will work with local organisations and the Councillors to prioritise young people and their needs. If you have your own priorities for CIL spending contact the Councillors or get a form in by 4 April to get your idea on the list.