Important step to create first Newport neighbourhood hub
Posted on Wednesday 27th February 2019
Work has begun to transform Ringland community centre into Newport's first neighbourhood hub to put residents at the heart of service delivery.
Last year, the cabinet agreed to develop the hub concept to enhance and integrate the delivery of support services.
Ringland, with high levels of deprivation and the greatest number of users of community services, was chosen as the first location to pilot the model before it is rolled out to other areas.
Local company TPS won the contract to reconfigure and modernise the community centre which will become home to many community services such as Work & Skills, youth services, Families First, Resilient Communities, libraries, Flying Start and other partner organisations.
At the moment these services are managed across a number of buildings across the city. When complete, these services will be managed in the neighbourhood hub but they will still be delivered to residents in other venues or "spokes".
The spokes for the east of the city under this first hub will be in Alway, Somerton, Moorland Park (East Newport community centre) and St Julians (the Beaufort Centre). It is anticipated that the project will be completed this autumn.
Councillor Debbie Wilcox, Leader of Newport City Council, said: "We want to provide a much more effective way of delivering services to benefit residents who most need support. At the moment, that can mean going to a number of different sites to access services or possibly missing out on support that could make a real difference to their lives.
"By bringing the management of those services into the hub, there will be one point of contact for families and individual that will ensure they are given the right support, in the right place."
Councillor David Mayer, Newport City Council's cabinet member for community and resources, said: "Services will still be available where they are most needed but the hub will provide the initial point of contact and coordinate those services.
"Ringland's Library will have an enhanced environment and partners are also planning to join us in the hub. It will create a local 'one stop shop for residents and will make sure they are getting the assistance they need to lead fulfilling lives.'"