Appendix 3 (a)
The Fairness Commission Process
The table below gives an outline of the work to be undertaken by the Commission:
Key action
Lead
Detail
Evidence Review
Research and Completed in time for
Intelligence
October Area Forums.
Team
Themes to include:
 Safety
 Health
 Income
 Housing
 Work
 Families
 Communities
 Education
 Older People
 Young people
 Transport
 Leisure
Analysis will be undertaken by theme and
using existing data where possible.
Invite
organisations and
interested parties
to submit further
evidence and
proposals
Policy Team
This will be supported by a Council-led
communications campaign.
Consider evidence
in public to gain
community
support and input
Policy Team
Initial submissions one
week before October
Area Forum meetings.
Further invitation to
give views publicised in
September’s Your
Blackpool, with a
submission deadline of
the end of November.
It is proposed that the
existing Area Forum
meetings arranged for
the autumn are used for
the Commission to
gather evidence.
The area forums meet
on 17th, 18th, 20th, 31st
October and 1st, 2nd, 3rd
November
Comments
Some already exists in the data
supporting the Sustainable Community
Strategy, the Child Poverty Needs
Assessment, and the (health-based) Joint
Strategic Needs Assessment amongst
others.
As part of the publicity campaign, an
invitation will be issued to individuals and
organisations to submit evidence, against
a series of questions to be developed by
the Policy team. These organisations will
then be contacted to discuss the
evidence, which the Commission will
consider when it meets.
This will require agreement of the Area
Panels
Content and length of the Fairness
Commission item will be agreed by Area
Panels based on 3 options :
1) A general overview of the work of
the Fairness Commission, and
invitation to participate. This
could include comments from the
floor and an open discussion
2) A short presentation on all the
main fairness issues facing
Key action
Lead
Detail
Comments
Blackpool, including information
on issues of fairness in your area
forum area, followed by 1) as
above
3) A presentation looking in detail at
one of the following topics of
particular interest to your area
forum: Community
Safety/Health/Income/Housing/
Work/Education/Transport/Older
People/Younger
People/Leisure/Communities,
followed by an open discussion
on fairness issues around this
topic
The item will ideally be considered by all
Area Forums.
Undertake
outreach work to
ensure the
broadest possible
spread of
community
organisations,
interest groups
and individuals is
involved
High profile
communications
campaign
Hold discussions
and meetings of
the Commission
Policy Team
with
Equalities
Team
To include:
The use of social media
(facebook and twitter)
Discussions with
community groups,
forums, and the input of
Council staff.
Comms
Team
Policy Team
A key part of ensuring fairness in the
development of the Commission's
recommendations is that the process
gives people who would not normally
participate the opportunity to be
involved.
For the Commission to
be successful, a high
profile media campaign
is needed, ensuring that
everyone is aware of
the process and the
opportunity to
participate. The
communications team
will support with this
process.
Key messages - opportunity to shape
budget, set priorities and influence the
agenda, tailor services, have your say
Proposed dates include
Uses existing Blackpool Strategic
Partnership calendar dates where
possible.
End of September:
agree Terms of
Reference.
Variety of media/ visual impact of
campaign
Links with wider reputation issues,
signposting services
Key action
Lead
Detail
Comments
27th October:
Reflection on outcomes
of initial public
meetings
8th December: Approval
of final report and
recommendations to
feed into budget setting
process.
Produce
recommendations
and final report
Policy Team
The Commission
meeting of 8th
December will consider
and approve the final
report.
Links to the budget setting process of
other partners involved need to be
confirmed.
Final report considered
by the Executive and
the Scrutiny Committee
will feed the budget
setting process and
service prioritisation
decisions
Ongoing work of
the commission
Policy Team
The commission process
will be evaluated to
determine how
frequently the process
should be undertaken,
how the
recommendations will
be monitored and any
suggestions for
improving the process
in the future.
Need to see clear links with other areas
the Council is currently focussing on –
transience, child poverty and so on.
The Commission could be a continuous
process – feed into evaluation/
monitoring.
Success will initially measured by the
level of take-up of recommendations by
local organisations and the numbers of
organisations and members of the public
responding to the commission. Once the
Commission's recommendations have
been developed and agreed, outcomes
relating to these will be identified and the
effect of implementing the
recommendations on these outcomes
will be monitored.
Key action
Lead
Detail
Comments
Influences how we engage with people
on an ongoing basis
Feedback to Area – also need to evaluate
whether the use of Area Forums is the
most viable option for the future.