Community Engagement Forum

Community Engagement Forums (CEF), previously known as Safer and Stronger Community Groups, in South Gloucestershire are about listening and responding to local people’s real issues.

People in their communities know best what works for them and what their real needs are.

The aims are:

• to promote pride in the local area as a safe, thriving and pleasant place to live, work and play
• to reduce crime, disorder and drug and alcohol misuse in the area
• to empower local people to have a greater voice and influence over local decision making and service delivery by increasing the strength, capacity and engagement of the local community
• to improve the quality of life of people in the local area by identifying community aspirations, needs and local priorities.

CEFs have been developed through working with various partner agencies including the Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue, health, town and parish councils and local organisations.

CEFs are also about working in partnership with elected members; we aim to provide a platform for building strong and cohesive communities in which everyone, regardless of background, has a real sense of community involvement.

Within CEFs we also support groups who wish to make a positive difference and improve their own communities. We do this by supporting community engagement initiatives.

There are 14 CEFs who meet three times per year.

Find out more...

You'll find details of your next local group meeting on this page and in our What's On section.

Visit www.southglos.gov.uk/CEF for more information about Community Engagement Forums in South Gloucestershire, and to access future meeting dates and agendas for CEF groups.

You can also call 01454 868113 or email

Click here or on the picture above to download a flyer about Community Engagement Forums

Member Awarded Funding

Member Awarded Funding (MAF) replaces the previous Community Grant programme.

Under this system, Councillors are individually responsible for the allocation of their MAF budget to support local community projects and services.

MAF can be used in the following ways:

• To secure delivery of additional Council services or services from other Public Sector organisations during the year;
• As a contribution to or as match funding to local projects;
• As a grant to voluntary, community or social enterprise groups or Town or Parish Councils.

Before starting your application for a Member award, please contact your local Councillor to discuss your proposal.

To find out more about Member Awarded funding, visit http://www.southglos.gov.uk/MAF