Goscote Consultation
Goscote Estate
A key part of developing a community led Strategic Regeneration Framework for the Goscote Lane Corridor with our key partner Walsall Housing Group (whg) has been ensuring that all sections of the community have an opportunity to have their say. A priority area for engagement was the Goscote Estate.
Socio-Economic data
The SRF Project Reference Group (comprising community reps. Councillors and key stakeholders) worked with officers to identify the key sections of the community who would ordinarily find it difficult to access our consultation events. Census data and detailed knowledge of tenant and resident households was invaluable and highlighted:
| Goscote Estate | Walsall | England and Wales | |
| Lone Parents | 12% | 7% | 7% |
| Resident age: 5-15 | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| Resident age: 16-29 | 19% | 17% | 18% |
To maximise the input of these key groups in addition to all other residents in the consultation and information events our strategy incorporated two key elements:
- Encouragement of young people including young adults to participate
- Provision of support services for all parents (particularly benefiting lone parents) at consultation events to enable them to have detailed discussions with officers
Young people and young adults
An innovative project was developed under the ‘banner’ Goscote Big Brother’ in summer of 2006 this incorporated both a Big Brother Chair and diary room (part funded by whg and ERDF). This approach enabled over 100 residents, principally young people and young adults to have their say about the estate and the wider Goscote Lane Corridor. The article shown below highlights some of the publicity that was generated as a result of this initiative.
Support for all parents
At all consultation and information events key principles were put into practice to maximise attendance by families (and particularly to aid lone parents attending events):
- Major publicity – leaflets, posters at key locations
- Visits to tenants by officers at their own homes to increase awareness of events
- Accessible and appropriate venues.
- Broad ranging ‘opening times’ and variety of days
Key was the provision of child and young person orientated activities to enable parents to discuss in detail issues with officers for example to talk about possibility of comprehensive estate clearance and redevelopment scheme and tenancy issues etc. Activities included:
- Use of council play bus
- Football coach
- Face painter
- Art and craft workshops
Overview
The first Goscote Estate information event in February 2006 was attended by over 95% of the estate's households.Further events were held in other parts of the Goscote Lane Corridor including the Blakenall Village Centre.
Following the major information days ‘surgeries’ at which residents could attend at a local Resource centre were continued for up to 5 months to enable residents to continue to discuss their requirements following the agreement of the major redevelopment scheme.
Useful Documents
View excerpt from Walsall Pride Issue 9 March 2007 (BMP 222KB)
Contact us
Regeneration Development Team
2nd Floor, Civic Centre
Darwall St
Walsall
WS1 1TP
Telephone 01922 653692
Fax 01922 652535
Email glovercaroline@walsall.gov.uk