Summary

The Torbay Virtual Community conference, held on 30 September 2020, was designed to build on the work established at the initial 2019 Community Conference. Torbay Council continues to be committed to developing a more engaged relationship with individuals and communities across the Bay. The report from the initial Conference included recommendations for cultural and organisational changes which have contributed to the current Council Redesign programme.

119 participants from across the Bay took part in the online interactive 'Zoom' conference. The event featured a range of speakers from across the community and interactive tools to allow participants to engage and share their views.

Six key messages emerged from conference discussions:

  1. There are real positives and achievements to be celebrated across Torbay and we should
    maintain a focus on these and build from them.
  2. Similar themes from last year's conference were identified especially about trust, working with
    communities and improved communication from the Council. Progress has been made in terms
    of collaborative approaches and partnership working but it is still early days and we need to
    continue to build and work on this.
  3. There is no 'one size fits all' to how people want and are able to engage with us - we need to
    continue using a broad range of activities and approaches to engagement and working with the
    community.
  4. We still need to think more creatively about reaching people we don't normally get to engage
    with us.
  5. Partnership and collaboration is working – with many examples from the local pandemic
    response and successful community projects. Community groups are well placed to provide
    the support that the community needs - especially when supported and trusted by the Council.
  6. We should continue to utilise online forums and technology to engage with people especially
    whilst social distancing is required. However, we must ensure more face to face opportunities
    are included as restrictions reduce.

The feedback from the Conference and this report needs to be reviewed, integrated and inform the
ongoing transformation work within the Council.

Back to top

Background and context

The Council's initial Community Conference was held in September 2019. The aim of the conference was to develop a new and more engaged relationship with individuals and communities across the Bay. The key messages to emerge from that event were:

  • There needs to be a change of culture in the Council and in communities.
  • Trusted relationships with communities need to be built.
  • Communication with communities and individuals needs to improve.
  • Celebration of the Bay's assets and civic pride needs to be encouraged.

These key messages have formed central points of focus for ongoing transformational work packages across the Council including the Whole Council Redesign Programme. They have heavily informed the drafting of the Council's Community Engagement and Empowerment Strategy (a recommended action from the initial conference) which clearly outlines to staff, partners and the whole community how it commits to working differently with people. At the time of the conference, the draft Strategy was ready to be shared for a full final public consultation (October to December 2020) before its final ratification in the New Year.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has brought numerous challenges to communities all across the globe. Within Torbay, in the context of building stronger trusted relationships and communication with both individuals and communities, it has hampered some of the initial plans laid out to build and embed the work established after the first conference. However, it has also provided the environment in which there has been a critical requirement to accelerate the building of trusted relationships and to collectively consider new ways of working with our communities across both the statutory, community and voluntary partnerships. The pandemic, whilst devastating, has provided opportunities for us to come together across Torbay to protect, support and enable our residents with a focus on what really matters to people.

The Council see the Conference as one of a number of important events and opportunities held to continue the ongoing building and strengthening of relationships and engagement with the community. We are committed to holding these events annually (along with a range of other engagement approaches and opportunities throughout the year). However, the ongoing social distancing requirements from the COVID-19 pandemic, meant that it was not possible to hold a physical conference this year. An alternative online 'virtual' Community Conference for 2020 was held instead.

Back to top

The Event

This year's event had three central objectives:

  • Provide an opportunity to celebrate Torbay - with a focus on the response to Covid-19.
  • Share information about what work has been undertaken by the Council since the last
    conference.
  • Explore opportunities for the future.

The event was designed in collaboration with Torbay Community Development Trust (CDT). Due to the specialist nature of hosting an online community event, the services of Judy Rees from Rees McCann were brought in to support both the technical and hosting aspects of the event. There was a strong focus on this being a community event.

The event was publicised through a variety of means including social media, direct invitations and partners such as CDT inviting people to attend. The tagline 'Join the conversation' was utilised to indicate that this event was a continuation of the 'Together We Can…..Start a conversation' strapline used for the original conference.

Bookings were facilitated using Event Brite and 163 people pre-booked. At the event on 30 September 2020, 119 people from across the Bay participated on Zoom. There was representation from across the three towns in the Bay as well as further afield, including London, Plymouth, Luton, South Hams and the Scilly Isles.

The event was designed to balance speakers and presentations with participation opportunities by using both the online Mentimeter tool and small breakout rooms for group discussions. Technical difficulties with Zoom meant that the intended breakout discussion rooms did not operate as expected. Whilst this had some negative impact it did not affect participation (drop out for the whole event was exceptionally low) with people using the central forum for wider discussions and making increased use of chat function to share thoughts and respond to discussions.

The speakers for the event included:

  • Simon Sherbersky (CDT) - outlining and celebrating the efforts and achievements of the community during the pandemic outbreak.
  • Councillor Darren Cowell (Deputy Leader of Torbay Council) - Updating participants on the progress of work undertaken by the Council since the last conference.
  • Tracey Cabache and David Clayton (Community Helpline) - talking about the achievements and impact of the Community Helpline and its plans for the future beyond COVID-19.
  • Councillor Steve Darling (Leader of Torbay Council) - outlining future plans and programmes of work being undertaken by the Council.
  • Ian Williams (Torbay Food Alliance) - talking about how a range of community groups have come together to address food poverty within the Bay.
  • Kathleen Kelly (Local Motion) - talking about the Local Motion programme interest in Torbay and what opportunities there may be that work alongside local ambitions to have strong, aligned partnerships across the statutory, voluntary and community.

Indications from the chat function in Zoom and the conference feedback was that all speakers were well received. There was appreciation of hearing about the good work in Torbay and focus on the positives. Throughout the course of the event, there was a growing positive atmosphere acknowledging the strengths we already have as a community and how these can be used to move us forward collectively.

Back to top

Participant feedback from the event

What was worth celebrating in Torbay during Covid-19?

Using the Mentimeter tool during the event, participants were asked to feedback on what they had felt was worth celebrating in Torbay over recent months where Covid-19 and lockdowns had a significant impact across the community. A full list of responses is available in Appendix 1 (Torbay 2020). The responses could be grouped into six main themes:

  • Behaviours
    Participants wanted to celebrate the kindness, friendliness and generosity of others. Strong relationships had been built and sustained, based on honesty and openness. There were 'smiles from strangers'.
  • Community Spirit
    There was community support with people, neighbours and communities helping each other and working together. Mutual aid had proved to be so powerful with new collaboration and volunteering opportunities.
  • Partnership working
    Different organisations had worked well together, with creativity and innovation without boundaries and bureaucracy. The Council had demonstrated its “human side” and, as a community, there was a pulling together of so many different groups.
  • New opportunities
    New and creative ways had been found to socially connect. There was community empowerment, new opportunities (including for volunteering) and new connections made.
  • Specific organisations and projects
    A range of new organisations and projects had emerged and developed including:
    • The Community Helpline
    • Community Larders
    • Torbay Help Hub
    • Digital Library Services
    • Brixham Stronger Together Partnership
    • Food Alliance
    • Punk Against Poverty
    • HOPE Programme
    • Celebrate Chelston Project
    • Sunflower Project
    Local businesses were also recognised for going the extra mile as well as the support from TDA, the Council’s Finance Team and the Shield Team (including the Healthy Lifestyles Team).
  • Nature and environment
    Participants also wanted to celebrate Torbay’s nature and environment – the coast and the coastline, the sea and beautiful beaches, the birdsong and the wildflower beds.
  • Funding
    The funding and grants which had been available to help small businesses was highlighted, as was the significant funding for schools. Working towards a Town Deal and Future High Streets Funding was also cause for celebration.

Overwhelmingly there was a positive response to the way in which voluntary and community groups, the Council, statutory partners, and individuals had come together and worked for the good of Torbay as a whole - particularly in respect of ensuring that the most vulnerable people in our community were supported.

Of importance was the wide range of positives recognised - including behaviours, working approaches and the environment - from which we can continue to build on as a community.

Back to top

What kind of engagement would you like with the Council?

The responses to this question were collected on Mentimeter and the main words being used were:

  • Open
  • Honest
  • Communication
  • Responsive
  • Collaborative
  • Helpful
  • Trusting

Other words used were:

  • Democratic
  • Supportive
  • Friendly
  • Respectful
  • Personal
  • Social Media
  • Transparent

The responses largely mirror themes from the initial Community Conference. This is reassuring in terms of consistency and the information informing the transformation work packages being undertaken by the Council.

Back to top

Given what you have learned today, what one thing would make the most positive difference to the people of Torbay?

Again there was a wide response and participation in this question (a full list of responses is available in Appendix 1 (Torbay 2020)). Grouped into themes the responses covered:

  • Collaboration and partnership
    There was a strong response about working together, having real collaboration and coproduction opportunities and continuing to build and maintain good relationships and regular conversations. A need for a clear vision for Torbay set by community partners was included as was a united strategy to tackle poverty and deprivation.
  • Behaviour
    The need for trust was a strong response from participants. Alongside this was the need for hope, open and positive relationships, listening and imagination.
  • Action
    We need to ensure that the discussions and suggestions identified move forward into action.
  • Economy and investment
    There were a range of responses indicating that both cash, investment and jobs would make a positive difference. Alongside this was feedback regarding the need to address deprivation issues and ensure there was more mental health support, support for families and facilities to help addicts into recovery.
  • Community empowerment
    There was a strong theme about ensuring more power and control was passed to communities. Within this was a need for the Council to improve its communication, support local organisations and groups and to speak to a wider range of people ('not just the usual suspects').

Other responses that couldn’t be 'themed' included:

  • More community builders
  • Imagine This can give you a hotline to what young people in Torbay are thinking and feeling.
  • Greater devolution of funding and solutions from central Government to local partners.
  • Celebrate more together.

Back to top

What could you offer to help make that change?

There was a wide range of offers of skills, expertise, connections and willingness to engage in moving forward Torbay. A full list of these can be found in Appendix 1. Members and officers will utilise these offers (where named) as part of the ongoing transformation programmes within the Council.

Back to top

Six key messages

Six key messages emerged from conference discussions:

  1. There are real positives and achievements to be celebrated across Torbay and we should maintain a focus on these and build from them.
  2. Similar themes from last year's conference were identified especially about trust, working with the community and improved communication from the Council. Progress has been made in terms of collaborative approaches and partnership working BUT it is still early days and we need to continue to build and work on this.
  3. No one size fits all too how people want and are able to engage with us - we need to continue using a broad range of activities and approaches to engagement and working with the community.
  4. We still need to think more creatively about reaching people we don't normally get to engage with us.
  5. Partnership and collaboration is working – with many examples from the local pandemic response and successful community projects. Community groups are well placed to provide the support the community needs – especially when supported and trusted by the Council.
  6. We should continue to utilise online forums and technology to engage with people especially whilst social distancing is required. However, we must ensure more face to face opportunities are included as restrictions reduce.

Back to top

Action plan

Celebrate our achievements.

How we will do it: 

Working in partnership, we will share our successes across Torbay through a range of channels, including local newspapers, local radio stations and social media. We will promote our achievements locally, regionally and nationally so that others can learn from us and we can learn from others.

Build on our achievements.

How we will do it: 

We will make sure that our COVID-19 recovery plans reflect our achievements and that we use our experiences as building blocks for the future.

The feedback from the Community Conference and the offers of help) will be included within the Our Communities COVID-19 Impact, Risk and Opportunities Assessment.

Continue with the Action Plan from the first Community Conference.

How we will do it: 

The actions are included in the Council’s Our Communities Project. The Project Board includes a representative from Torbay Community Development Trust.

We will provide information about the Project on our website and encourage feedback from the community.

Build trust

How we will do it: 

We will listen to the community. We will be open about the challenges facing the Council and what we can and cannot do.

We will make sure that we have conversations with our communities, showing you that we have taken on board your views.

We will encourage all councillors to hold surgeries in their wards.

Work with the community

How we will do it: 

We will fully engage with the LocalMotion initiative – working as a part of the collective for the good of Torbay.

Improve communication

How we will do it: 

We will be open, honest and timely in our communication.

We will use a range of communication methods and channels to provide information about Council activities, including through established community networks.

We will work to promote question time sessions ahead of meetings of the Council.

Use a broad range of activities and ways of engagement

How we will do it: 

We will make the best use of online and virtual spaces but we will have face-to-face engagement as soon as we are able to.

We will continue to hold Ask Us… Facebook Live events, the Leader of the Council will undertake regular Town Visits and we will attend Community Partnerships.

We will hold our Community Conference each year and we will hold quarterly Cabinet Conversations.

Think creatively about reaching those who don’t normally engage

How we will do it: 

As part of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network, we will learn from best practice across the Country to reach all sectors of our community. We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

Keep our focus on the original drivers and check that we are still working on the right things

How we will do it: 

Our draft Community Engagement and Empowerment Strategy is based on the findings from the first Community Conference. As part of the consultation on the draft Strategy, we will check with our community that we are focussed on the right things.

We will include all of these actions within the final version of the Community Engagement and Enablement Strategy and delivery will be driven through the Our Communities project.

Back to top

Conference evaluation

30 of the 119 attendees responded to the evaluation questionnaire sent out the morning after the conference - 25% response rate. This is lower than the response rate for the 2020 conference which was 58% - this reduction may be attributable to the nature of the online event and questionnaires being sent electronically the day after the event.

Back to top

The Event

In terms of the event organisation, the content and mode of delivery, respondents had the following feedback:

  • 73 % of respondents felt that information given prior to the event and joining instructions were either good or excellent.
  • 63% of respondents felt that the purpose of the event was clearly explained (good or excellent). One respondent felt this was unsatisfactory (3%).
  • 47% of respondents felt the pace and interaction of the event was good or excellent. 37% felt it was satisfactory and 13% felt it was unsatisfactory.
  • 67% of respondents felt the quality of speakers at the event was good or excellent. No respondents felt the speakers were unsatisfactory or poor.
  • 83% of respondents felt that the breakout sessions were unsatisfactory or poor. No respondents felt they were good or excellent.
  • 90% of respondents felt the length of event was either satisfactory, good or excellent.
  • 90% of respondents felt that zoom as a platform for these types of events was either satisfactory, good or excellent.

Overall responses were positive across the board with the exception of the breakout rooms. At the event there had been numerous difficulties with breakout rooms with many participants finding themselves on their own in a breakout space. It significantly impacted on the planned smaller discussions on the event content. Investigations the day following the event discovered that a recent upgrade to the Zoom platform software had caused the technical difficulties experienced.

Back to top

How would you prefer to engage with us?

This questions indicated a fairly even spread across responses which was different to the responses at the 2019 conference (although the lower response rate may have a bearing of this):

How would you prefer to engage with us?
Type of engagement 2020 2019
Annual Community Conference 50% 65%
Regular Social Media Updates 50% 39%
Quarterly Cabinet Conversations 40% 43%
Question Time sessions ahead of Council meetings 50% 42%
Facebook Live discussions 33% 23%
Surgeries with ward Councillors 43% 33%
Town or area visits 43% N/A

What is clear is that there is not a 'one size fits all' approach to how people want to engage with the Council and a range of options should continue to be utilised in the future to ensure the growth and strengthening of relationships with the community.

Back to top

Engagement and Empowerment Strategy

Respondents were asked - Do you think the Community Engagement and Empowerment Strategy clearly outlines the commitments on how the Council intends to work differently to strengthen and deepen the relationships it has with the whole community?

  • 50% of respondents felt they had not yet had enough information on the Engagement and Empowerment strategy to respond.
  • 17% felt the strategy was clear in outlining its commitments
  • 23% felt the strategy was somewhat clear.
  • 10% felt the strategy was not clear.

The response indicates that more work needs to be done to share and gain feedback on the strategy as to whether it reflects the Council's ambitions strongly enough to residents. The consultation for this strategy is scheduled to close on 20 December 2020.

Back to top

Representation

Of the attendees who responding to the feedback survey:

Area Number Percentage
Brixham 3 10%
Torquay 16 53%
Other 4 13%
No response 0 0%
Total 30 -

Other responses included:

  • Torbay as a whole
  • Great Torrington Torridge but my job role has a strategic focus on Torbay and Devon
  • Devon Community Foundation

Back to top

Group chat

The chat function in Zoom at the end of the event indicated a positive response to the event as it closed. Messages included:

Well done all, excellent event.
Wonderful to be part of this and I look forward to working with you all for the good of Torbay.
Thanks all, great to connect, celebrate what's been achieved and know that we have many things we can still focus on.

Back to top

Appendix one

Whereabouts are you joining this community conference from?

  • Torquay
  • Paignton
  • Torbay
  • Brixham
  • Totnes
  • Preston
  • Shiphay
  • London
  • South Hams
  • Broadsands
  • Westerland Valley
  • Kingskerswell
  • St. Marychurch
  • York
  • Somerset
  • Scilly Isles
  • Elberry
  • Newport
  • Wigan
  • Exeter
  • Wellswood
  • Ashburton
  • Winkleigh
  • Chelston
  • Ashburton
  • Great Torrington
  • Truro
  • Plymouth
  • Maidencombe

Back to top

What was worth celebrating in Torbay during covid- 19? (Include your name)

  • Partnership
  • Neighbourliness
  • Jenny Fish - funding great social action
  • The great community spirit
  • Strong relationships that meant you could ask each other for help
  • Working together in a fantastic community
  • Communities working together to give support to those needing it
  • Peoples generosity
  • So much kindness - Becky
  • The TCDT Community Helpline and Brixham's multiple organisation help group
  • The Shield Team,18,000 calls made over 600 food parcels issued - Dee Allbrook
  • Support of the community
  • The huge kindness we have in our community, Lisa
  • Support for young people from the voluntary sector Cllr Steve Leech
  • Working together
  • Just getting on with it and working together with great results
  • Community Larders, Torbay Help Hub - Dave Janes
  • Being united and supporting each other - Mandie Giles
  • New connections and opportunities - Tara
  • The response of the quiet people who helped those at home. Maggi
  • The amount of human kindness, people helping each other. Simon Sherbersky
  • Working well together - Kate
  • People helping each other. Christine Carter
  • Amazing level of community and partnership working. Getting what matters done - Together! Matt FK
  • Nature
  • Digital library services
  • The way everyone in Brixham come together to help each other. Sally Lord
  • Keeping in contact in spite of barriers
  • Pulling together – great community spirit
  • Different organisations working together very well- Susan Bottomley
  • Poems from the Palace. Successful community project - see videos on FB
  • Coast
  • The growth in local people starting up Social Enterprises, Chris Gunson
  • Shelley; the community helpline
  • Coastline
  • Neighbours looking after each other
  • The brilliant way that the community organizations and the Council and the NHS and schools and businesses all came together to enable us to weather the storms far better than we might have - Catherine Fritz
  • Small authority worked in our favour - Kate
  • Engagement projects at Westerland Valley
  • Great Partnership working
  • Helpline and amazing community builders - Becky
  • The pulling together of so many different groups. Community support DE
  • Town Deal, Future High Streets funding, significant schools funding et al - Steve Parrock TDA CEO
  • Community support - Maggie
  • Friendliness
  • The beautiful wildflower beds around the bay.
  • Creation at the Brixham Stranger Together partnership
  • Nev - the way we all connected to people we hadn't spoken to before.
  • Nina Cooper - People supporting each other
  • Cultural Organisations coming together as part of the What Next movement - Julie Artizan Gallery and Artizan Collective CIC
  • Sandra Harper - The helpline, the neighbourhood coming together, the rapid response team, foodbanks
  • Nature
  • Local businesses going extra mile
  • Communities working together - Cllr Jermaine Atiya-Alla
  • Facebook Live 'Torbay Healthy Lifestyles' - helping isolated people to exercise within their home
  • How everyone pulled together - the ideas, the recognition that others were in need & that there were things they could do to help not just waiting around for others to do things or starting something they could join.
  • Torbay Food Alliance!
  • I have enjoyed working together - delivering ploy pocks
  • Partnership at it’s best
  • HOPE programme - Becky
  • Community cohesion
  • The Help Hub, Community Builders, Food Alliance, Punk Against Poverty, and volunteers overall. esp. (?) meeting socio-economic needs
  • Community coming together plus being able to volunteer in so many NEW different areas - Dave
  • Sea
  • Create to Recover
  • Tara Acton: a lady not leaving the house knitting baby items for prem babies. Then a link through CDT and me linking her up with a nurse who happened to have a friend who worked in the prem ward meaning they could get delivered.
  • Huge community spirit that has changed the way we do things together forever
  • Getting on and doing things - less red tape. Andy Simpson
  • Digital library - Judith
  • Shielding Hub
  • So much the way the Community and voluntary sector came together to support vulnerable people. The amount of residents who came forward to Volunteer and help fellow residents. Partnerships across Statutory, Voluntary and NHS
  • I was still able to support peoples mental health by running courses via zoom and teams and weekly phone calls to people in crisis. We also have a messenger group averaging 200 messages a day
  • Bay Deliveries setting up.
  • How amazing we are!
  • Mutual Aid proving to be so powerful
  • Increased trust and partnership between organisations serving our communities
  • Funders being flexible and responsive
  • The way we’ve kept across the Bay business as usual as possible while coming together to do everything else to support the community
  • Shelly - amazing response to the care home crisis shielding hub food banks everyone's sense of community
  • lots of smiles from strangers
  • Openness is everything
  • People finding new and creative ways to socially connect whilst physically distancing
  • All the volunteers shopping, getting prescriptions and befriending people on the helpline. Community Builders! Good neighbours! Celebrate Chelston project Sunflower project.
  • People in my road came together in a WhatsApp group chat and that contact developed into the Higher Polsham Community Group. We would not have started talking to
    each other if the pandemic handed have happened.
  • Street Parties (socially distanced on our doorsteps!)
  • Coastline
  • seeing the lovely wild flowers in Torre Abbey Meadow
  • Neighbours supporting each other The funding and grants which the Chamber helped small businesses -Susie Colley
  • Community Empowerment
  • cream tea with neighbours
  • Friendliness
  • Kevin Dixons Facebook posts on history
  • Artists and communities collaborating
  • Creativity and innovation without boundaries and bureaucracy
  • People helping each other
  • Local producers and independent businesses benefitting from and serving the community
  • Congratulations to all
  • Local Support
  • Cake in the garden
  • Powerful Community spirit - Nicole Amil
  • Brilliant community builders!
  • The Spark Creative Studio managing a socially distance Summer School for children and young people- fantastic effort - Sue McCormick
  • Great to be apart of this wonderful bay
  • Future High Streets funding. Town Deal funding, schools capital funding - Steve Parrock TDA
  • Birdsong - Nina Cooper
  • Helpline
  • Community helpline - June Pierce
  • Support from the TDA when I tried to help all the small businesses who come to the Chamber for help. Including Sean from the finance dept.
  • The Council being so supportive and outward looking
  • The Council demonstrating its 'human side'
  • All the food bonks - Nina
  • Friendship - Lynn Sykes
  • The beautiful beaches
  • Seeing so many people taking their daily constitutional
  • Brilliant community builders! Margaret F_H
  • How much the community has helped one another. more so now than ever.
  • Trusting
  • Zoom sessions like this with breakout  sessions
  • Listening
  • Honest and open
  • respectful
  • Frugal
  • Enjoyed this zoom meeting format. Pat
  • Value based

Back to top

What kind of engagement would you like with the council?

Note: words are in order of how often they were used.

  • Open
  • Honest
  • Responsive
  • Collaborative
  • Communication
  • Helpful
  • Social Media
  • Supportive
  • Democratic
  • Trusting
  • Openness
  • Respectful
  • Friendly
  • Personal
  • Transparent
  • Support
  • Collaboration
  • Cooperative
  • In the pub
  • Understanding
  • Get rid of TCCT
  • Email answers
  • Regularly at street level
  • Direct community contact
  • Meaningful and coproduced
  • Delegatory
  • Talk
  • Heartfelt
  • Proactive
  • No interference
  • 2way
  • Conversations
  • Councillor street stalls
  • Fully engaged
  • Helpful and positive
  • Risk taking and brave
  • Honesty Support for our community
  • Clear
  • Easy
  • Supporting local business
  • Community Conference
  • Meaningful
  • More visible
  • Transparent
  • Dedicated phone lines
  • Updates by flyer
  • Straightforward
  • Live chat on social media
  • Inventive
  • Proper listening
  • Constructive
  • Communicate
  • Equal
  • Co-production
  • Response with a reason
  • Interactive
  • Reliable
  • Information sharing
  • More phone access
  • Equal partners
  • Accessibility
  • Consideration
  • Valuing
  • Sharing information
  • Direct
  • Zoom consultations
  • Real consultation
  • Inclusive
  • Dialogue
  • Support
  • Genuine
  • Listening
  • Visionary
  • Digital
  • Consistent
  • Prompt
  • Informative
  • Connections
  • Positive
  • Participate
  • Proactive

Back to top

Given what you have learned today, what one thing would make the most positive difference to the people of Torbay?

  • Collaboration is clearly the way forward
  • Being listened to
  • Carry on with be open and positive about the bay
  • I will share as Always any press releases
  • Trust
  • Listening
  • Jobs
  • Action
  • Council learning to listen and being able to reimagine
  • Trusting each other
  • low skilled, well paid jobs in many different sectors
  • Investment
  • Action taken on what they want - listen and do, please :)
  • Closer engagement of Officers and Councillors with the local communities
  • Hope
  • Great conversations
  • Giving power to the communities no more top down approach
  • Mental Health Support - Sharon Nott
  • Good relationships between partners and the community
  • us all working together and really listening to each other about what matters to us
  • less deprivation, more recognition and support to community groups from the council
  • Trust and a level platform
  • To find a way to truly cement the working between all voluntary organisations and the statutory partners
  • Imagine This can give you a hotline to what young people in Torbay are thinking and feeling
  • Being part of the decision making process
  • Flexibility
  • The Council to continue to reach out to the community, listen to what organisations at grass roots are saying and wanting
  • Statutory organisations letting go of power and control - trust and empower the local community to create, innovate and find a solution.
  • Coproduction not lip service.
  • (More and more diverse and less precarious) JOBS
  • Conversation with all
  • Improvement of Communication and Information for All residents, how to engage, how to access support, how to find information.
  • The opportunity to harness people's imaginations
  • Continued growth of community collaboration. It's going in the right direction at the moment and needs further development, particularly at this difficult time.
  • To be properly listened to and have their dreams and desires for the bay supported. Oldway Mansion and Garden is a great example.
  • Sustainability of improvements
  • Deliver what we ask - not what YOU decide
  • Telling us where Wally is
  • A clear vision for Torbay set by the community partners and local businesses.
  • No hidden agendas
  • Collaboration from services.
  • Stop thinking about ME and what I need but what can I do for OTHERS
  • knowing their neighbours
  • Enabling not providing
  • More community builders
  • Easy access to help and support when needed. Understand what matter to them
  • Making Torbay Council services as accessible to all sectors of the community.
  • Us all being brave to try new ways!
  • More real action and less talk. I really hope that can do' and 'hardwiring' work. Closer engagement with Brixham Town Council would help
  • truly listening
  • Speak to more people -not just the usual suspects
  • collaboration
  • Investment in jobs, facilities to help addicts into recovery, places for community to go, trust
  • collaboration, investment, less need to be reactive, space for action
  • fund ng community builders
  • Meeting the people who Are furthest from/ don't normally come to the table
  • Be good to have Kathleen take part in a Brixham Town Council meeting at some point.
  • Trust and Partnerships - Co production - everyone has something to offer
  • Deal with social problems at the start of life
  • Working together
  • Cash?
  • Action not just words. Work together. Trust each other. Rid red tape - June Pierce
  • a vibrant, inclusive economy
  • Connection
  • Investment in capabilities not just delivery
  • A united strategy to tackle poverty and deprivation
  • Working in partnership with struggling families much earlier so that children do not go into care
  • Bags of Cash ;-) JennyFish
  • celebrate more together - Simon Sherbersky
  • Willing to continue with support to local organisations. Helpline. Ageing well. We can achieve great things again - June Pierce

Back to top

What could you offer to help make that change?

  • Creative approaches
  • Positivity, local connection.
  • Pat Harris - Engage with local communities across a wide range
  • Creative collaboration - Tom Littlewood
  • David Ward - give us a full range an what we can get involved in
  • Jude - Enthusiastic and honest relationships
  • Connecting people and groups through
  • Community Building ta see those dreams through ta their conclusion.
  • Meaningful conversations with young people living in Torbay
  • Wally is going to be at Torre Abbey!
  • Tracey Cabache - joining the dots
  • Support and advice far communities and individuals wanting to set up a local and socially useful business - Chris Gunsan
  • Currently working on the helpline and look forward to working with others who have been here today to build on the progress so far - David Giles
  • Encourage culture change across the Council - Kate Spencer
  • Continue to work as a community builder! Marianne
  • Mental health support groups and courses, created whit people who lived experience
  • Help facilitate partnership working between VCSE and social care/statutory partners
  • Disseminating information, and linking up people here about what appropriate agencies - provided we have them!
  • Imagination and lots of energy - Nev
  • We won't know until we know what the community actually want to happen
  • Greater use of Social Media/technology/Self Service within the Planning Service - DE
  • Wallys in number 10
  • I will continue to develop the Helpline to meet the needs of our residents working with all partners in Torbay, working with the community to support one another - Jess Slade
  • Passion, listening, motivation and a desire to make life a better place. Community building Sandra
  • Never revealing my location - Wally
  • A platform on local radio. Riviera FM 107.9fm - david.thomaS@riviera.fm
  • Establish a Business &Intellectual Property hub in the libraries - Alex Kittow (Libraries Unlimited)
  • Deirdre
  • unwavering enthusiasm for helping people to create ways of staying socially connected in a physically distanced time - Tara Acton
  • Deep connections and trusted relationships with local groups/ communities of place need, interest
  • Champion VCSE and community in statutory sector - should be valued and treated as on equal partner
  • Collaborative approach to maintaining our invaluable community bus links - David Giles
  • Still unsure as to which specific social engagement but I have lots of experience and intelligence! - Heather Clemons
  • Building stronger links with like minded communities to champion this approach with Westminster - Steve Darling
  • The Spark Creative Studio space in Brixham where we would be hoppy to host socially distanced meetings - Sue McCormick
  • Green Space – Social Prescribing - Liz Groundwork South
  • Links to local businesses - Steve
  • Creative business solutions for reaching grass roots -true collaboration and fairness for all (Sharon Ne son) :0)
  • Communicate and include the community in discussions - Tara Harris
  • Deirdre - meet venue at Palace. Mentoring support startup.
  • Try to influence culture change in statutory orgs from the inside
  • lets engage together not separately
  • Community building, creative listening - Nina
  • Build on the amazing joint working during Covid continue to work closely with the Council to build on the work with fam lies who really struggle, those with SEND and others! Tanny

Back to top