Oswestry vision for local groups

How Oswestry’s thriving voluntary and community groups can help shape and deliver the localism agenda will be at the heart of the next meeting of the Oswestry Local Joint Committee (LJC) on Thursday 16 February 2012 at the Eastern Oswestry Community Centre staring at 7pm. 

In addition to members of the public, representatives from groups across the town and wider area are being specially invited to hear about changes in council services which are being driven by the Localism Act and the reform of public services, and to share their views on how they can get involved in shaping these changes, and bidding for contracts to provide existing and new ways of working. 

Shropshire Councillor Martin Bennett, the chair of Oswestry LJC, said:

“We are particularly inviting everyone involved in running a local charity or voluntary group to come along and find out more about what the move from delivering to commissioning services will mean, both for them and for local people.  There will be exciting new opportunities, but some pretty scary challenges to us all as well.  This meeting will be a chance to think about the how our local groups can create and deliver, in partnership with Shropshire Council and Oswestry Town Council, an Oswestry vision of what localism actually means in real life.”

Local voluntary groups and associations are reminded that the LJC has funding to support and enhance the local community; the closing date for this round of funding is Friday 13 January 2012 and application forms and guidance notes can be found at www.shropshireljcs.com/ or by ringing 01743 253077.

For more information about the meeting, to suggest groups that would like an invitation, or for advice about applying for an LJC grant, contact Kate Garner, community action manager on 01691 677318 or at kate.garner@shropshire.gov.uk.