Frustration bubbles over at BCAF Quarterly Meeting

by Ian Clifford

Around a hundred people attended a lively discussion at the Quarterly meeting of Burngreave Community Action Forum on February 23rd. 
Chair, Steve Cooke’s report, detailing the good work of the Forum over the past few months was repeatedly interrupted from the floor by residents angry about the decision by Burngreave New Deal to end the contracts of local employees. New Deal employee and local resident Shamsa Hersi took the floor to denounce New Deal and BCAT and insist that proper training had not been given to employees.

Later, Clare Burnell and Ann Allen spoke of developing a Community Action Plan to secure European Objective One money and plans to use New Deal money to get Objective One Money for Fir Vale. Again residents asked why these funding initiatives were so difficult for local community groups to access. Owen Wright, from ‘Listen to Us’ asked why New Deal wasn’t more community friendly and a health activist complained that health had gone to the bottom the New Deal agenda with projects dropped, altered or delayed. Ann Allen said she would take these comments back to New Deal and encouraged residents to approach New Deal directly.

Warm applause followed Laura Moynihan from Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe Community Alliance. She spoke of her community’s struggle to gain control of its own regeneration and set up as an accountable body. Laura backed the plan to use existing funding to match fund Objective One for neighbouring communities.

In the group discussion many questioned whether we had the structures to do the job in hand. How do we take control like Netherthorpe/Upperthorpe have done? Several complained that the Burngreave Community Action Trust wasn’t really accountable to the Forum and the community. How would any new delivery agency developed from the Trust be any more accountable? Some pointed out that the community already seemed to have lost control over the Trust’s employment function. Many called for those leading the community to get their act together and build accountable structures which can unite everyone and do the job.

Concern also greeted allegations from a Fox Street resident, that material, including possibly asbestos, were being dumped in the disused railway tunnel near Rock street.