Issue - meetings

Antonia Baird, Community Development Officer

Antonia Baird, Community Development Officer, advised that the Supporting Communities Fund was now open for applications, with a deadline of the 11^th of March 2021. Antonia confirmed that there were four new criteria for the fund this year, with information available on the Council website and assistance available from the Community Development Team.

Councillor John Armour

Councillor Armour expressed his frustration at non-attendance of partners at meetings of the Group, noting that he had also raised this issue at the previous meeting of the Group. Councillor Armour advised that he was unaware of what solution was required to increase attendance, however he felt that improvement was required to support meetings going forward. The Committee Manager, advised that a number of written updates had been submitted on the response to Covid-19 following a request to partners and noted that the attendance at the meeting from partners was improved from the previous meeting. The Committee Manager confirmed that where there was not a representative in attendance to speak to a report, the Committee Manager had offered to feedback any questions to them and circulate responses to the Group. The Committee Manager also confirmed that the feedback around non-attendance from the previous meeting had been communicated to the Community Planning Partnership Management Committee in December 2020.

Councillor Armour voiced his disappointment that a Council seminar had been scheduled at the same time as the meeting of the Group, noting that the Group meetings were scheduled well in advance and this had impacted the attendance of Councillors at the meeting,.

Councillor Anne Horn

Councillor Horn echoed the disappointment of Councillor Armour regarding the scheduling of a Council seminar at the same time as a meeting of the Group, advising that she has raised this with the relevant Council officers.