Torbay residents invited to help improve their community

A series of events are being held across Torbay this month to enable local people to have their say about their local community.

Feedback from the consultation will help the council develop a strategy to reduce child poverty and will help improve local services for children and young people.

Families from a variety of locations will be given the opportunity to tell the council what it is like living in their community, what they would like to change and what services they think are needed.

Entitled "have your say, be involved - improving our lives now and in the future" visitors will also be able to get further advice and information from a variety of organisations. These include the Citizens Advice Bureau, Outset, housing, Family Information Service and the Hand in Hand Volunteering Service.

The events will be held in the following locations:

* Monday 11th July – Windmill Centre Torquay

* Tuesday 12th July – Foxhole Community Centre Paignton

* Wednesday 13th July – Ellacombe School Torquay

* Thursday 14th July – Furzeham Children's Centre Brixham (only until 5pm)

* Friday 15th July – Watcombe Community Centre Torquay

* Tuesday 19th July – Great Parks community centre Paignton

They will be open for the public to attend between the hours of:

* 8.30am - 10.30am

* 1.30pm - 3.30pmn

* 4pm - 7pm

Local community groups will also be providing home cooked food for a small charge at some of the venues.

Cllr Chris Lewis said: "Reducing child poverty is a top priority for Torbay Council and we want to ensure that our strategy will make a difference to the lives of children and young people.

"The impacts of child poverty are well researched, children who grow up in poverty are less likely to achieve well in school, are more likely become teenage parents and have lower life expectancy. They are more likely to be unemployed and depend on benefits and there is a significant financial cost to the tax payer.

"I really hope residents come along to these consultation events and let us know what is good about their communities and what can be improved. Their views will help shape our child poverty strategy, which aims to make a real difference to their lives."

In Torbay there are a number of existing programmes which are working towards reducing inequality, one of the most closely linked to the child poverty agenda is the Closing the Gap project. The Closing the Gap project presents a new way of looking at how public services are delivered and is working closely with residents. Torbay's Child Poverty Strategy will contribute to the wider Closing the Gap project.

For more information about the consultation events please call the Consultation Team on 01803 208829 or go to www.torbay.gov.uk/consultation.