Imagine being able to sit at home and watch live exactly what is happening that may impact on your local community, and then even play a part in talking about it.

This is the ambitious plan for #shipstonlive, an event involving Warwickshire County Council, StratfordCollege, Warwickshire Police, Shipston Town Council,ShipstonPrimary School and many others.

As a result of the array of partners working together the Shipston Stour Community Forum will be the first in Warwickshrie to test out a live broadcast at its next meeting starting at 6.30pm on Tuesday, June 12.

The community forum will be held at the Sheldon Bosley Hub in Shipston onStour, but those who don’t make it in person, will be able to log on and watch the event happening live in their own homes.

Register your interest with elizabethprice@warwickshire.gov.uk and a link will be sent to allow a single click through to the event, and take part in a community forum from home.

Throughout the event Twitter will be updated on @warksdirect with all the tweets featuring the hashtag #shipstonlive to enable people to ask questions and take part in the event through the social media channel.

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customers, Access and Physical Assets, said: “This is a very exciting idea, and we have a lot planned for the night.

“We understand that not everyone can make it to a community forum, but this will allow a far bigger audience to have a say in what is happening in their community.”

The forum will start at 6.30pm with a celebration of local seasonal produce courtesy of Stour Grown.

Forum topics in the evening include:

• Questions and answers to Orbit Housing.
• Shipston Senior Citizens Action Network goes back to school with youngsters fromShipstonPrimary Schoolteaching them how to navigate around an iPad – all happening live on air on the night.
• The State of the District debate – allowing everyone to have a say on what they think are the most important issues in the community.
• Meet the community police team, and help set the priorities for the next three months. And much more…

Cllr Peter Fowler, will be adding some creative flair to the event in providing an ‘anchorman’ role for the various video links. Cllr Fowler is also heavily involved in the work of Warwickshire Police Authority.

He said: “I’m very excited about this event. The potential to get people in and around Shipston talking and taking part is just huge.”

Shipston Stour Community Forum has also now launched on Facebook, and it is possible to ‘like’ the page by visiting http://www.facebook.com/warwicktouch#!/ShipstonStourCommunityForum and this will be updated with regular news and information on Shipston and the surrounding area.

To take part on the evening and watch the live streaming event, visit www.shipstonlive.com

Information is also available by visiting www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordarea or give the team a call on 01789 260136.

Local people are urged to attend the forum, which will have a health focus.

Forums are there for residents to raise local issues with local agencies, such as Warwickshire County Council, borough council, police, or health representative.

The special meeting is open to residents that attend the Bede and Poplar and Bedworth North and West Community Forums and to other residents who may be interested in any of the following organisations who will be represented at the Health Market which starts at 6pm:

• Healthy Living Network
• NB Leisure Trust
• Heart Town
• Drug & Alcohol Action Team
• Arden Cancer Network
• Books on Prescription
• Sexual Health
• Longhurst Group – support for stress
• Warwickshire Family Information Service

The main meeting will start at 7pm and there will be information on:

• The Future of George Eliot Hospital
• Public Health Presentation
• Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s Sports & Active Recreation Strategy Consultation

Cllr Richard Chattaway, Chair of the forum, said: “This is a very important meeting of the Forum where we will start to explore health, education and other important issues and how they compare with other parts of the borough and the county as a whole. We want to ensure that everyone has the chance to think about ways in which we can collectively try to improve things locally.

“Please come along and bring your friends to find out how the above groups could help you and your family and raise issues.”

For further information on Community Forums please call 024 7637 5700, email nuneatonandbedworth@warwickshire.gov.uk or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/nun-bedarea

Warwickshire County Council is keen to develop as wide a range as possible of ways in which people can have their say and get things done via the Forum mechanism, without necessarily having to attend a meeting, but it is hoped the new Facebook page could also drive up awareness and attendance at meetings.

The page is being launched as a pilot for Warwickshire, and it is hoped that other Community Forum Facebook pages could be launched in the near future.

The outcome of Community Forums and locality working in general is to enable people to feel that they can influence local decision-making and feel part of their community. It is hoped using Facebook to promote the Henley Studley Forum will attract an audience that have not been reached by more traditional means, and encourage greater participation.

The pilot will run for 6 months after which time there will be a review to evaluate the success or otherwise of the project.

By clicking ‘like’ on the forum page, Facebook users will get the latest updates from the forum fed onto their ‘news’ page.

The South Leamington Community Forum is being held at the Sydni Centre, Cottage Square, Sydenham, Leamington Spa, CV31 1PT, on Monday, January 16, from midday to 2pm.

The spotlight will be thrown on health in the community and shaping the new local plan for the Warwick District of the future.

Refreshments will be available at the lunchtime session, with the subjects being discussed ranging from alcohol misuse to allotments, or housing advice to stopping smoking.

There will also be the chance to vote on local projects applying to the Community Forum Grant Fund.

For further information contact the Community Partnership Team on 01926 456102 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/southleamingtonforum

The forum is taking place from 6pm to 8.30pm at St Paul’s Church in Leicester Street, Leamington Spa.

The first part of the forum will throw the spotlight on health, looking at health issues in the North Leamington community, and asking people what their local health priorities are.

There will also be an update on community safety and policing issues.

If that wasn’t enough, there will also be drinks and mince pies on arrival, plus the chance to chat through community forum grant bids.

The full agenda is available here.

Items up for discussion this time round include:

• Find out more about Stratford Parkway
• Help set local police priorities
• Quiz the Director of Public Health

Come along and join in the debate and enjoy a cup of tea and a festive mince pie.

A local policing Safer Neighbourhoods Team surgery and informal drop in session will also take place at 6.30pm, before the community forum meeting.  Officers will provide feedback on the issues raised at earlier surgeries and residents will be able to hear the latest on policing in their local area.

The free transport to the meeting is available to anyone who doesn’t have access to their own transport, doesn’t like to go out alone at night or maybe has mobility problems.  Spaces are limited and must be booked in advance by Monday 5 December, please call on 01789 260133 or email stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk to arrange your pick up.

For further information please visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordtownforum

Community Forums are an interactive event enabling residents to learn about issues big and small affecting their area, get answers to questions and influence local decision-making.

Anyone with a question about a local issue can go along and put it to officers from a range of organisations. If you would like to suggest an issue for a future Community Forum meeting, or get involved, please contact the WCC Stratford Area Office on 01789 260133 or email: stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk

Items up for discussion this time round include:

• Influence the Police Priorities for the next 3 months
• Meet Warwickshire’s Director of Public Health

Come along, have your say, help shape the future of your community and enjoy a festive mince pie.

A local policing Safer Neighbourhoods Team surgery will also take place at 6.30pm, before the community forum meeting. Officers will provide feedback on the issues raised at earlier surgeries and residents will be able to hear the latest on policing in their local area.

For further information please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/shipstonforum.

The free transport to the meeting is available to anyone who doesn’t have access to their own transport, doesn’t like to go out alone at night or maybe has mobility problems.  Spaces are limited and must be booked in advance by Tuesday 6 December. Please call on 01789 260133 or email stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk to arrange your pick up.

Community Forums are an interactive event enabling residents to learn about issues big and small affecting their area, get answers to questions and influence local decision-making. Anyone with a question about a local issue can go along and put it to officers from a range of organisations. If you would like to suggest an issue for a future Community Forum meeting, or get involved, please contact the WCC Stratford Area Office on 01789 260134 or email: stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk

Community Forums are part of a countywide initiative involving Warwickshire County Council, District and Borough Councils, NHS Warwickshire, Warwickshire Police and Warwickshire Together partners. There are 30 forums across Warwickshire, which bring together elected representatives across all tiers of local government – County, District and Borough and Parish, together with a range of other community representatives.

Items up for discussion this time round include:

• Introduction to Community Speedwatch
• Rural transport – looking to the future – County Councillor Peter Butlin, Cabinet Portfolio for Transport and Highways, discusses what the future holds for rural transport in south Warwickshire and how local communities can develop partnership services.

Come along, have your say, help shape the future of your community and enjoy a festive mince pie.

Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways, said:  “In April the Warwickshire County Council Government Grant for Community Transport was cut by 44%. Warwickshire County Council has done its best to spread these much reduced resources in such a way as to minimise the impact on isolated rural communities.

“I look forward to hearing to the experiences and concerns of those members of the community that depend on these services at the Alcester Community Forum on the 8th December.”

A local policing Safer Neighbourhoods Team surgery will also take place at 6.30pm, before the community forum meeting. Officers will provide feedback on the issues raised at earlier surgeries and residents will be able to hear the latest on policing in their local area.

The free transport to the meeting is available to anyone who doesn’t have access to their own transport, doesn’t like to go out alone at night or maybe has mobility problems.  Spaces are limited and must be booked in advance by Monday 5 December. Please call on 01789 260134 or email stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk to arrange your pick up.

For further information please visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcesterforum

Community Forums are an interactive event enabling residents to learn about issues big and small affecting their area, get answers to questions and influence local decision-making.

Anyone with a question about a local issue can go along and put it to officers from a range of organisations. If you would like to suggest an issue for a future Community Forum meeting, or get involved, please contact the WCC Stratford Area Office on 01789 260134 or email: stratford@warwickshire.gov.uk

The Forum invites all members of the community to come along and have a say, not just about community safety but on any other issues of local concern.

Chair of the Community Forum, Councillor Pauline Edwards, said: “We’ve got a long history of the town working together with the Police and Community Safety teams to respond to concerns from residents.

“People value feeling safe within their neighbourhood and the Community Forum is a great opportunity to share concerns with agencies and suggest solutions.”

Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team will be available at the meeting to listen to individual issues, alongside representation from Warwick District Council’s Community Safety Team.

For further information about the Community Forum contact Jane Coates at janecoates@warwickshire.gov.uk or 01926 456102