Main roles and responsibilities of the portfolio
- To govern the delivery of the Progress with Unity missions and council plan.=
- To drive forward the Community Wealth Building approach including increasing the community use and control of council owned land and assets, particularly those which are under-utilised
- To support the delivery of our Climate Change Strategy, including building on community pride and working together with communities to create a cleaner, greener borough
- To provide political support and challenge in relation to Communities, Public Relations, Corporate Land, Community Assets and Culture
- To drive the ambitions in our Cultural Manifesto and make arts and culture accessible to all
- To develop and improve leisure and wellbeing services for the benefit of residents
- To launch the new Community Recovery Fund to enable our communities to grow and flourish
- To provide guidance and support for the library offer within Wigan Borough.
- To engage with local communities and explore new ways to involve them in the delivery of local services
- To oversee the Community Asset Transfer and Corporate land management programmes
- To help shape, support and endorse the Council’s Public Relations strategy, which covers media, marketing, and events
- To oversee all aspects of leisure, gyms and parks
- To represent the directorate at events and other promotional opportunities.
Priorities for 2024/2025
Implementation of the council’s delivery of our ‘Progress with Unity’ borough missions. As residents, businesses, public services and community organisations of this borough we have come together to deliver two key missions:
Mission 1: Create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses
“Together, we will break down the barriers that create financial, health, education and environmental inequalities in our borough.”
Mission 2: Make all our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them
“Together, in genuine partnership with our residents and businesses, who know our community best, we will help each town and neighbourhood in the borough celebrate and maintain their identity whilst understanding and helping to achieve what is needed to thrive.”
- Support regular resident engagement to listen, understand how priorities have changed and ensure plans match their aspirations and priorities
- Encourage regular and open communication of our plans and decisions to keep as many people informed and updated as possible
- Deliver strong and positive messages across the borough to raise the profile of the Council, Elected members, businesses and the VCSE sector
- Build supportive relationships with our cultural sector anchor organisations
- Champion arts and culture, making them accessible to everyone through our Cultural Manifesto and encourage independent creative practitioners
- Support grassroot organisations and the development of local assets in the heart of our communities
- Encourage smaller community projects requested by our residents that nurture community spirit, engage volunteers and identify crowdfunding opportunities
- Blend, shape and implement the future vision of leisure and wellbeing services for the benefit of its users
- Incorporate engaged Leisure and Wellbeing activities into the lives of the people of the Wigan Borough through Be Well, our movement for physical activity well being
- Deliver a sports and physical activity local delivery pilot to improve physical health and wellbeing in our communities
- Ensure our parks strategy delivers and outstanding experience for residents and visitors as part of our Be Well movement
- Support the development of neighbourhood working and place based multi-agency working.
Functions covered by the portfolio
- Chair, Councillor Services Group
- Public relations and external communications
- Community Engagement Policy
- Building Self Reliance
- Community Recovery Fund
- Community Asset Transfers
- Community Rights
- Libraries, Museums and Archives
- Cultural Manifesto
- Neighbourhood Planning
- Member support
- Leisure Centres, Destination Parks and Outdoor Activities
- Parks and Green Spaces
- Wigan In Bloom.
Outside bodies on which the Portfolio Holder represents the Council
- GM Pensions Fund Management Panel
- Douglas Valley Community Limited
- Northwest Employers Association
- Northwest Strategic Scrutiny Network and Member Development Network.