Cheltenham Borough Council has been exploring with partners how best to improve neighbourhood working in Cheltenham.  The findings from the neighbourhood management pilot were used, as well as the results from the community development conference in April 2009, to inform the development of a proposal for structures and boundaries which could be the basis for improving neighbourhood working across the borough.

The conference recognised that partners work within a multitude of boundaries, for example ward boundaries, parish boundaries, police neighbourhood co-ordination group areas, regeneration areas and children and young people’s locality hub areas.  Having considered the options, the proposal that emerged was to base neighbourhood working in Cheltenham on the neighbourhood co-ordination group boundaries established by the Police, but to group some of those areas so that there are 8 neighbourhood management areas.  

For more details on the proposals, please see the report to Cheltenham Borough Council's Cabinet on 27th October 2009 and the map of the proposed neighbourhood management areas.

There has been a mixed response to the proposal that was developed.  Please see the summary of the proposed areas for some of the initial responses. 

Alongside this work in Cheltenham, the Gloucestershire Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership is assessing and scoping the benefits and implications of adopting neighbourhood management across the county. 

Consultation

In light of these developments, Cheltenham Borough Council is now consulting with partners, elected members and the proposed host organisations to find a workable solution as to how we can improve our approach to neighbourhood working.