Issue - meetings

Report by Committee Manager, Argyll and Bute Council

The Group considered a report which provided the results of a Partner Attendance Survey carried out following agreement at the February meeting of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group.

Shona Barton outlined the key findings of the survey and discussion took place around the ways in which this information could be used to maximise partner attendance. It was noted that attendance at this meeting of the Group had been very good, with many interesting reports and presentations from various partners.

Further discussion took place around the benefits and disadvantages of holding meetings at a central location with the option of attending virtually, with it being noted that the majority of respondents were happy with this suggestion. It was agreed that in order  for the meetings to continue to move to different locations across the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area when meetings were able to return to a face-to-face setting, there would need to be sufficient IT facilities and connectivity available at any desired location to allow people to join the meetings virtually.

In light of feedback from partners that meetings and agendas could often be too long, it was agreed that cognisance of this would be taken going forward when setting out the agendas for meetings. Following a number of respondents indicating that afternoons may be a suitable time for them to attend meetings, it was agreed that it may be beneficial to hold 1 meeting out of every 4 in the afternoon, with the November 2021 meeting of the Group to be held in the afternoon on a trial basis to ascertain whether this could assist in improving the attendance of partners. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group:

1.    noted the results of the survey; and

2.    considered and discussed the ways in which the results of the survey could be used to best facilitate increased partner attendance at Group meetings going forward.

(Reference: Report by Committee Manager, Argyll and Bute Council, dated 28^th April 2021, submitted)