… how do we want Brinnington to be in ten years’ time?
● We will make Brinnington into a fun and enjoyable place to live
…by promoting better use of Brinnington Park and other community venues or assets.
We are aware of discussions regarding the possible provision of a new leisure centre and will pursue any opportunities offered by that development. More immediately, we intend to establish a community cinema in an existing local venue, upgrading the facilities there to accommodate this and other activities. We will also seek to improve links and networking between existing community venues, and will identify further opportunities for investment to improve the resources available for residents in our estate.
● We will make Brinnington into a place where quality of life is high
Of particular concern to the Big Local group is the level of poverty and debt in our area, and the high dependence on welfare benefits. We will introduce schemes to address these issues, including a community allotments scheme to encourage ‘grow your own’, money education, welfare rights advice, and promoting higher take up of the credit union. We will look at working in collaboration with Stockport Credit Union to offer community loans as an alternative to high cost credit. In the longer term we would like to find ways to improve school attainment and boost aspiration among young people. We will work with health providers and other agencies to find ways of encouraging healthier lifestyles, including better mental health.
● We will make Brinnington into a place where people respect and care for each other
Of particular concern is the high level of domestic violence on the estate, but we appreciate the sensitivities of trying to address this issue. We will continue to explore effective measures to make a difference. We will make early investment into projects to support and better engage young people on the estate, including employing our own youth outreach worker to help us to understand better what young people want from their Big Local and to develop the best ideas.
● We will make Brinnington into a place where residents feel safe and secure
…by increasing the feeling of community safety and introducing measures to raise awareness of the impact of bullying and domestic violence
● Brinnington will be a strong, stable and resilient community
Some residents have lived here for a many years and recall a time when Brinnington was felt to have a stronger community spirit than it does now. Although our estate has much to be proud of, we feel it still needs to get its heart back. Big Local will strive to promote existing community provision as a way of drawing people together. Our Small Grants scheme will support community activity, and we will use media based projects to raise awareness and promote local pride.