Our Plan

The Programme

Big Local is an exciting opportunity for residents to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their communities. Big Local brings together all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make their area an even better place to live.

Big Local is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and managed by Local Trust. There are 150 Big Local areas in England which have been allocated £1million each. East Coseley was selected as a Big Local area by the Big Lottery Fund in 2011.

A small group of local residents and volunteers spent 2 years spreading the word and getting hundreds of local people involved in shaping a vision for East Coseley. In 2013 they formed a Big Local Partnership, called the Core Group in East Coseley. They created the first Big Local Plan, which was delivered between February 2014 and March 2017. This is the second Big Local Plan for East Coseley.

Big Local isn’t about short-term thinking, or institutions telling residents what to do. Big Local areas have 10 years or more to plan and deliver the best options for their area, led by a Big Local Partnership. The majority of people on the Partnership must be residents of the Big Local area. Local Trust supports a community and resident led approach to creating lasting change. They believe that this approach develops the people’s skills and confidence and enables them to work with others to the benefit of their community. It builds on the opportunities and assets available in each community to create lasting, long term solutions. Underlying this approach is a belief that residents have a capacity and desire to drive change, and can achieve lasting and positive results when supported by those they trust and respect; building skills, confidence, networks, relationships and expertise in their communities.

Find out more about Local Trust and the Big Local programme at www.localtrust.org.uk

The Vision

In 2012 and 2013 over 300 people of all ages who live, work or volunteer in East Coseley took part in conversations about Big Local. From Big Lunch events to storytelling sessions in the library, community fun days to surveys on the high street, the East Coseley Big Local team found all kinds of ways to meet and talk to people. A  vision was developed as a result of all these conversations:

East Coseley is a vibrant, welcoming community, proud of its heritage and taking responsibility for its economic and environmental future.

Since 2013 hundreds more conversations about Big Local have taken place with and between local people of all ages and backgrounds.

• A Big Local Forum is organised regularly to bring together residents and people from local clubs, groups and organisations. People are updated on Big Local projects, they share their ideas and make connections with each other.

Big Local drop-ins are held a few times a month, offering a chance for one-to-one conversations with a Big Local officer.

Big Local Project Investment sessions bring together people with project ideas seeking support from Big Local. They are asked what they would like in the area.

An annual Big Event is organised each summer by the residents leading Big Local. This is a great opportunity to ask people what they would like to see in the area.

Areas of focus

There are four key areas in the Big Local Plan to focus our work:

SHARING OUR PASSIONS, SKILLS AND SPACES

SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL GROUPS & CLUBS

SUSTAINING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY

SHAPING OUR LOCAL SERVICES

Data about the area, feedback from the above conversations, and over 100 responses to a Big Local Survey carried out in November 2016 have all been used to ensure this new Big Local Plan reflects what local residents think is great about Coseley, what they would like to see more of, and who they think should benefit from Big Local.

East Coseley Big Local survey 2016: www.tinyurl.com/ecblsurvey16

Read a copy of the East Coseley Big Local Plan

 

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