Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2004 were accepted as an accurate record after the following points were noted:

 

Item 2(c) Draft 2005/06 Community Planning Partnership Budget – David Dowie reported that having met with Patrick Flynn there was the possibility of a new fund being set up so that Communities Scotland could make a contribution to Community Planning Partnerships over and above the Community Regeneration Fund money.  This was still at the discussion stage but it was hoped that a decision would be made shortly.

 

Item 3(a) Theme Group 1 – Gavin Brown advised that the Chair of the Community Health Partnership would not necessarily be the Chair of the Theme Group 1 but that the Chair of Theme Group 1 would be a representative from the Community Health Partnership.

 

Item 3(e) Regeneration Outcome Agreement – Muriel advised that she had not circulated a copy of the finalised ROA to Partners and instead passed round a copy of the Executive Summary.

A general discussion took place and it was felt that Dr Goudie’s visit had been worthwhile to both Dr. Goudie and the Management Committee.  James reported that he had been invited to visit Dr. Goudie the next time he was in Edinburgh and confirmed that he would be contacting Dr. Goudie to set this up.

Muriel Kupris reported that work was now being undertaken on refining targets identified within the ROA and that she would be meeting with agencies whose services impact on the ROA to make sure that targets identified reflected national and local targets.  It was noted that the Fire Service had approached Muriel asking for their targets to be included in the ROA.

 

Muriel confirmed that funding of £986,000 had been secured and that a further £175,000 had been secured in Regeneration Funding for Argyll and Bute for financial year 2004-05.

 

It was noted that this funding would be used to formally launch the Regeneration Outcome Agreement for Argyll and Bute for 2005-08; look at the role of the Community Learning and Development in Regeneration and the integration of partnership working; and look at the role of the Housing Associations and the Wider Role Fund in Regeneration.

 

It was further noted that the Community Regeneration Partnership would be holding a two-day conference on 24 and 25 February 2005 in the Argyll Hotel, Inveraray to implement the above with Councillor Dick Walsh chairing the first day and Councillor Walsh and Andrew Campbell jointly chairing the second day.

Brian reported that the CPP Website was on schedule to “go live” on Friday 11 February 2005.  It was agreed that the website would continue to be a challenge and it was noted that Lolita would be reviewing the content of the website on a monthly basis.

Brian gave an update on preparations for the CPP Biennial Conference and the  Committee noted proposals by the Working Group, the draft programme for the day and the delegates list.

 

After discussion the following was agreed:

 

(i)                  The title for this year’s event should have a demographic theme with a strap line of “Argyll & Bute”: Leading Rural Area” (to be used for all future events);

 

(ii)                That a pack be issued prior to the day with contributions from Partners on current issues and what the demographic changes mean for their organisation.  It was noted that information from Partners would be limited to 2 pages and that Lolita would be issuing a framework to Partners requesting information from them;

 

(iii)               That the programme should include an opportunity for feedback on the workshops identifying actions and barriers.  This should not occupy much time and a  suggestion was made to project the finds using Power Point as a backdrop during the afternoon.  It was noted that barriers identified would form the basis for the question and answer panel at the end of the event.

 

Brian asked for volunteers to act as facilitators on the day.  It was noted that approximately 12 facilitators would be required and that training would be given.  Facilitators would only be used if they attended the training.

 

Brian also asked for any changes/additions to the delegates list to be forwarded to Lolita.  It was noted that the Volunteer Centre and Advice Network had not been included and Pat Logan asked that they be added.

With reference to the minutes of the CPP Management Committee held on 6 December 2004, the Committee resumed discussion on the CPP 2005/06 Budget.

 

After discussion it was agreed that the Annual Progress report under the Communications Plan should be removed and that Lolita bring a revised budget to the next meeting.  (The annual report would be included in the conference pack).

Brian advised that Lolita had given him an update on this and reported that there were both positives and negatives.  It was noted that the Area Partnership met last week.  This was the first meeting attended by the Community Representatives who were very enthusiastic.   However there was a question mark over the commitment being given by some of the Partners.  It was noted that Caledonian MacBrayne had advised that they would only be attending future meetings if there were items on the agenda requiring input from them and the representative from the NHS had not been able to attend this meeting and had confirmed that they would not be available to attend the next.

 

Alan Milstead confirmed that AIE would attend as many meetings as possible and acknowledged that the Pilot needed the Partner’s support.  Gavin Brown confirmed that he would check to see if an alternative representative from the NHS could attend.

 

After discussion it was agreed that the importance of the Pilot needed to be stressed to the Partners through the Management Committee and the importance of attending the Area Partnership meetings.

 

It was further agreed that George MacKenzie should provide written reports to the Management Committee on issues raised by the Area Partnership at their meetings

Theme Group 1 – Gavin reported on activities by the Health & Wellbeing Theme Group and the Committee noted an evaluation report prepared following the “Planning the Links” workshop held on 6 December 2004.  Gavin also reported that the performance measurement tool (LEAP) had been used in revising the Joint Health Improvement Plan and a copy of the revised draft JHIP was presented to the Committee for comment.  After discussion, it was agreed that the new structure of the draft JHIP was clearer and easier to read.  It was further agreed that any comments/changes Partners wished to make to the draft JHIP should be passed to Gavin so that it could be presented to the  Community Planning Partnership at its meeting in March.

 

Theme Group 2 – Alan reported that the amalgamation of Theme Group 2 and the Local Economic Forum (LEF) had been broadly welcomed by the LEF at its meeting in January and it was noted that there would be a review of membership/attendance at LEF meetings with a paper being prepared for the next meeting entitled “what are we trying to achieve”.  Alan also reported that the idea that many initiatives would be pursued via short life groups was welcomed and he suggested that this is an effective way of working.

 

It was noted that the next meeting of LEF would be on 11 May 2005 and that a report on this would come back to the Management Committee.  Alan also confirmed that he would be in contact with Aileen Edwards to ensure that reports from the SED would also come to the Management Committee.

 

Theme Group 3 – Brian spoke to a note prepared by Donald on the 3^rd Theme Group’s meeting held on 26 January 2005.  He advised that the meeting mainly focused on the Local Housing Strategy, which had been well received.  David Dowie reported that the newly formed Housing  Forum, Chaired by Councillor George Freeman, had launched the Local Housing Strategy and suggested that this Forum could report any issues to the Management Committee.  It was agreed that this should be done via Theme Group 3.

The Committee noted and agreed the content of the agenda for the Community Planning Partnership meeting being held on Friday 4 March 2005 subject to the following change:

 

Item 6(a) Preparations for CPP “Review” Day should be changed to read – Preparations for CPP Biennial Conference.

This item was discussed under the report by Theme Group 1.

Gavin reported that this initiative had been set  up in the Highland area and was a partnership set up between farmers and consumers to encourage farmers’ produce to be  made available locally and wondered about the possibility of a similar project being set up in Argyll and Bute.

 

After discussion it was agreed that the Agricultural Forum should look into this in the first instance.  Gavin also agreed to provide the background information on this initiative to Andrew with the possibility of this item being discussed again at a future Management Committee meeting.

Following the presentation to the Community Planning Management Committee at its meeting on 6 December 2004 by Strathclyde Police about their involvement in the renewal and rationalisation of various facilities in Dalmellington in partnership with the local Council and NHS, Brian presented a report suggesting possible ways to progress the development of a  similar initiative within Argyll and Bute.

 

After discussion, it was agreed that this could be something that could be considered further by the Bute and Cowal  Pilot area and it was agreed to place this item on the agenda of the Management Committee on a bi-monthly basis giving the opportunity for Partners to share information on this matter.

David reported that this site was owned by the Health Board and that Communities Scotland were currently in the process of acquiring it so that special needs housing through West Highland Housing Association and sheltered housing through Bield could be built on this site.

 

It was noted that there was the potential for many other agencies to be involved in this project and that problems such  as access, traffic control, water/ sewerage  would need to be addressed.

The Committee discussed the contents of a letter received from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department regarding Ministers’ rural services target under the Closing the Opportunity Gap programme and it was noted that East Loch Fyne, Holy Loch had been identified and likely to be included, subject to final Ministerial approval.

 

Brian reported that while the statistical method for identifying disadvantaged rural areas in Argyll and Bute was sound, the base data, most notably the Index of Multiple Deprivation did not adequately account for the true nature of access deprivation for island communities.  A review of data held by the Council identified two additional areas for consideration by the Executive – Colonsay and Jura and Tiree and Coll and the Management Committee agreed that these two areas be submitted for consideration as additional Rural Service Priority Areas in the Executive’s research programme.

The Committee noted correspondence received from the Director of Performance Audit, which advised of an Accounts Commission proposal to undertake a baseline review of community planning partnerships in Scotland with the aim of the  study to review the progress made by Councils and Partner Agencies in developing community planning since the Local Government Act 2003 came into force.

Brian reported that during 2005 Argyll and Bute Council would be undergoing an Audit of Best Value, which is designed to audit all of the new duties for councils relating to Best Value, Community Planning and Public Performance Reporting.  The approach to the Audit includes a comprehensive self-assessment of the current performance of each  of the council’s main functions and services, and of corporate achievements.  It was noted that during this self-assessment process Community Planning Partners may also be invited to participate and that David Clements, the Council’s Performance Manager, will be liaising with Lolita in this respect.  Brian also advised that Partners would be invited to take part in a series of workshops with the opportunity to comment on details of the Council’s submission for the Best Value Audit.  

(a)               Muriel reported that a European Funding Bid was being prepared for Soroba, which had lost its social inclusion status and sought approval from the Community Planning Management Committee for this bid to be submitted.  This was agreed.

 

(b)               Brian reported that he had attended a meeting of the Improvement Service, which planned to create scenarios on Local Governance, and asked the Management Committee to note that there may be matters arising from this.

 

 

(c)               Brian reported that Dave Jones who gave a presentation to the last meeting  of the Management Committee was leaving the Council.

Wednesday 20 April 2005 at 10.00.am in the Scottish Natural Heritage Offices, Kilmory Industrial Estate.