MORE than 30 community figures have met to devise fresh ways of tackling declining engagement in Stanmore.

Representatives from schools, community groups, charities, local authorities and Winchester University met at the Stand Up for Stanmore conference.

The council estate has an increasingly transient population of students which is unlikely to engage, the meeting heard. Local engagement is so low that people from outside Stanmore have been drafted in to run the community association.

Amanda Chard, a resident who recently led a student housing campaign, said locals have given up on the ability of bodies like Winchester City Council to enact change and needed something which would make them “sit up”.

Ideas raised in group sessions included a new community hub, making pre-school and homework clubs more accessible for parents, training locals in jobs and skills and making better use of online media.

Some suggested using Winchester University to raise local children’s aspirations, through campus visits, on-site jobs fairs or buddy schemes with students.

The meeting, attended largely by people from outside Stanmore, also heard speeches from Sarah Bird, chief executive of the Timebanking UK charity, and Ian Wilkey, of Food Up Front.

Rachel Aron, chairman of Stanmore Community Association, said: “We are delighted that the workshop has been such a success. We have to take these ideas and convert them into concrete initiatives. We can only do this with the help of others, including the local councils.”

Anyone who has ideas or wants to get involved can contact Ms Aron on 01962 827717 or stanmorecommunity@gmail.com.