Agenda and minutes

Bute and Cowal Community Planning Group - Tuesday, 3 September 2013 2:00 pm

Venue: Castle House, Castle Gardens, Dunoon

Contact: Clare McFadden, Area Governance Assistant, 01369 707135 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Viv Hamilton, NHS Highland and Chief Inspector Gary Stitt, Police Scotland.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

None.

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Community Planning Partnership held on 4 June 2013

Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting of 4th June 2013 were approved as a correct record.

4.

PRESENTATION BY ACHA pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

Iona MacPhail from ACHA gave a presentation to the group and updated everyone on recent issues.

 

She advised that Argyll Homes for All is now up and running and they have a team in both in Bute and in Cowal.

 

She updated the group on the Affordable Housing Scheme which costs from £54.82 a week for a flat to £91.43 a week for a house.  This scheme gives tenants control of the housing stock and bring significant investment into the area.

 

She informed the group that there is now only 2% of homeless applicants in Rothesay and this is due to there being enough accommodation to house people in the area.

 

She advised that ACHA have received a secure lottery funding award of £300K to provide financial advice to tenants.  ACHA have agreed to use this money for welfare rights advice services including assistance at tribunals and appeals.

 

She was also delighted to advise the group of the new rent payment methods which was introduced in 2011. This provides additional ways for tenants to pay their rent with extended hours and there was £3M taken in the last year.

 

Decision

 

The Group noted the information provided.

 

(Ref:  Presentation by Iona MacPhail dated 3rd September 2013, submitted).

5.

PAPER ON SEXUAL HEALTH pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Report by NHS Highland

Minutes:

Laura Stephenson from Argyll & Bute CHP spoke to the Group on the need to promote sexual health and wellbeing at local, regional and national levels.  She advised the group on the Scottish Government’s Sexual Health and Blood Borne (BBV) Framework 2011-2015 and how it identifies that Sexual Health Strategy Groups should have strong links with BBV Managed Clinical Networks, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and Community Health Partnerships.

 

Outcome

 

The Group:-

 

                                          i.   Noted the information provided;

                                        ii.   Agreed to contact the Executive Director of Community Services to seek his support for promoting this in schools to address issues raised;

                                       iii.   Agreed to discuss this at the Community Safety Forums to support and deliver local awareness raising ; and

                                      iv.   Agreed to consider how the points in the paper might be incorporated into the proposed locality community engagement events.

 

 

(Ref:  Report by Laura Stephenson, Argyll and Bute CHP dated 3rd September 2013, submitted).

6.

PARTNER UPDATES

6a

POLICE SCOTLAND

Minutes:

Paul Robertson from Police Scotland gave an update on Anti-Social Behaviour and related offences.  He advised that the figures had gone down back in June and was pleased to inform the group that they had managed to sustain this.  He also advised that there was good work being achieved in the Anti-Social Behaviour Sub Group.

 

He informed the Group that they were delighted with Cowal Games at the weekend as the event ran smoothly, was busier than last year, and in total they only had 13 arrests for the whole weekend where 5 were kept in custody.  The offences were mainly alcohol related and 24 fixed penalties were also handed out over the weekend.

 

He advised that the National Campaign for doorstep crime is taking place between 9-27thSeptember and that the Police will be working operationally with partners.

 

He also advised that Police Scotland will be inspecting local work sites over the next few weeks for criminal detections and will be linking in with banks, post offices etc for unusual withdrawals.

6b

SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE

Minutes:

Eddie Renfrew from Scottish Fire and Rescue updated the Group on the sheltered housing accommodation.  He advised that there has recently been 2 more fires in the premises and false alarms and they would like to revisit this situation again.

 

He updated the group on the recent home fire safety visits that have take place since 1st April – 31st August and there have been 33 in Bute, 65 in Cowal and they have had 15 referrals from Social Work, along with 7 development House fires in Cowal and 5 in Bute.

 

He informed the Group on a recent accident which took place along the Strachur road where someone had gone off the road and down an embankment and spent 3 nights there before they were seen, and advised that lone drivers should always carry a mobile phone to call for help if needed.

 

He advised that they are currently looking for part time fire fighters in the rural areas such as Tighnabruaich and are looking to promote for new recruits over the next few weeks.

6c

SCOTTISH WATER

Minutes:

There was no one present from Scottish Water so this item will continue to the December meeting.

6d

NHS Highland

Minutes:

There was no one present from NHS Highland so this item will continue to the December meeting.

6e

ARGYLL VOLUNTARY ACTION

Minutes:

Alistair McLaren from Argyll Voluntary Action advised the group that they are currently looking for training volunteers in the Dunoon and Cowal area.

 

He also advised that they are holding internet and social media training for the elderly so they can keep in touch with their families/friends.

 

Cowal Dog Training Club

 

Cathy Proctor from Cowal Dog Training Club updated the group on the dog club and asked if the club could be promoted on the Council website.  Morag Brown, the Council’s Business Improvement Manager agreed to take this forward.  Iona MacPhail from ACHA also agreed to support and publicise the club.

 

Cathy advised the group that they are currently based in Cowal Community Centre and have run continuously since 1985.  They are also a registered Scottish Charity.

 

She further advised that their lease is for another 2-3 years so they cannot apply for any grant funding and this is putting a strain on the club as they pay £120 a month insurance which is going up each month due to their claims, and every penny they receive is going towards maintenance charges and the workers don’t get paid.

 

She told the group that they have an annual  dog show and workshops

 

Decision

 

The Group agreed that the Councillors would look into building repairs for the dog club building with Legal Services and agreed to put this on the agenda for the November Business Day.

7.

ISSUES RAISED BY THIRD SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS

Minutes:

There were no more issues raised by Third Sector Partnerships.

8.

ISSUES RAISED BY COMMUNITY COUNCILS

Police Mobile Office

Public Entertainment Licences

Update on Parking Clocks

Dog Fouling

Data Protection

School Catchment Areas – North Bute and Kilmun

Community Council representation on the Cowal Community Safety Partnership

Community Council Review

Minutes:

Police Mobile Office

 

Sue Minns from Kilmun Community Council raised an issue with Paul Robertson from Police Scotland regarding the Police mobile office.

 

She advised that no one had seen the police mobile office recently and asked if it had been in the area.

 

Paul advised that it may be getting moved to the post office and asked that the Community Councils email him with their 3 preferable locations and he would take that it on board.

 

Public Entertainment Licences

 

Iain MacNaughton from Sandbank Community Council asked for confirmation on the Council agreeing this and the Area Governance Manager confirmed it was agreed at the Council on 30th June.

 

Update on Parking Clocks

 

Councillor Marshall advised that this matter is still ongoing.

 

Dog Fouling

 

The group had a discussion on dog fouling in the area and Iain MacNaughton expressed his concern on it still being a huge problem.  Paul Robertson from Police Scotland advised that there has been a CCTV camera put in certain places in Bute and Cowal which have had high concerns of dog fouling and he feels it has been reduced since this has been put in place.

 

Data Protection

 

There has been no follow up on data protection.

 

School Catchment Areas – North Bute and Kilmun

 

Morag Brown advised the group that the Council will progress this matter as pat of the overall plan in response to the findings of the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education. Cllr Breslin agreed to forward to Morag the specifics of the situation in regards North Bute Primary as there was no representative present from Bute Community Council to provide her with that detail.

 

 

Community Council Representation on the Cowal Community Safety Forum

 

Sue Minns raised an issue about receiving cold calling information from the previous meeting in June of the Cowal Community Safety Forum.

 

The Area Governance Manager agreed to look into this.

 

Community Council Review

 

The Area Governance Manager advised that the Community Council Elections are taking place on 31st October 2013.

 

Councillor Marshall informed the group he was impressed with the way Community Councils had been inputting into the Community Planning Group.

9.

COMMUNITY SAFETY HIGHLIGHT/EXCEPTIONS REPORT pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Report by Area Governance Officer

Minutes:

A report updating the group about the items discussed at the most recent meetings of the Bute and Cowal Community Safety Forums was considered.

 

Decision

 

The Group noted the work undertaken.

 

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Officer dated 2nd August 2013, submitted).

10.

STREETSCENE SERVICE REVIEW IMPLEMENTATION

Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services – to follow

Minutes:

Given recent political decisions the detail of the proposals for each area has not yet been finalised to a point where effective consultation can take place, and discussion of the item is therefore postponed to a future date.

11.

PROPOSED AREA FORUMS pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Report by Community Development Officer

Minutes:

A report considering the decision by the Community Planning Group on 22nd August 2012 to hold four Area Forum events to enable consultation and feedback on the SOA 2013-23, was considered.

 

Decision

 

The Group:-

 

                                        i.     Agreed to encourage participation in the consultation process as detailed in the report;

                                      ii.     Agreed that the Area CPG steering group  established to consider and plan the Area Forum event is delegated to further consider the format of the event(s) and appropriate questions for the area;

                                     iii.     Agreed that the Area CPG steering group  identify partners to facilitate and record at workshop/discussion groups and agree dates; and

                                    iv.     Agreed that the Area CPG steering group consider ways of processing ideas that come forward from the event to ensure people feel they have been able to actively contribute to community planning.

 

(Ref:  Report by Community Development Officer dated 6th August 2013, submitted).