Bristol City Council has introduced a form of Neighbourhood Governance across the city where local people can have more influencing on decisions called Neighbourhood Partnerships.
The Neighbourhood Partnerships are organised on a ward basis, and decisions taken in the Neighbourhood Partnerships are devolved from the whole council to the Neighbourhood Committee comprising the ward councillors for the wards in the NP.
There are 14 NPs in Bristol comprising 2 or 3 adjoining wards.
Neighbourhood Partnerships meet 4 times a year to decide on allocation of funding eg as Well-being grants, or on Minor traffic schemes and to discuss local issues.
Neighbourhood Partnerships comprise the ward councillors and police, and local representatives from the resident and business community, and representatives from community groups. An equalities representative is appointed for each NP.
Public meetings called Neighbourhood Forums are also held on a ward basis by most NPs (sometimes combining wards). Issues raised by the local community at these meetings are dealt with by the council delivery team or raised at Neighbourhood Partnerships. Forums are also used to alert local residents to consultations and opportunities to influence council services.
Note: this is not the same as a Neighbourhood Development Forum which is the body designated by the local planning authority to bring forward a Neighbourhood Development Plan under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011.