Agenda and minutes

Councillor Allan Macaskill welcomed everyone to the meeting and those who were attending their first meeting introduced themselves.  Roger Gibbins, Chief Executive of NHS Highland, who was in attendance as an observer, was also welcomed to the meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2005 were accepted as an accurate record, after the correction at item 10 (a) Update on CPP Priorities (Theme Group Leaders), by the deletion of the word “Enterprise” in the reference to the Argyll and the Isles Local Economic Forum.

Item 3 (c) – Argyll and Bute was the first to feedback to the Scottish Executive on their Desktop Study on Public Service Authorities.

Item 6 – Response to Health Board Consultation

Reference was made to the NHS consultation on the selection of a name for the new Health Board area.  The meeting agreed that Argyll’s identity should be retained by selecting “NHS Argyll and Highland”.  It was agreed that the proposed name be fed into the consultation process which closes at the end of March.

Item 7 – Living Landmarks – Dunoon Marine Gateway

It was reported that the initial assessment and bid meets the eligibility criteria.  The Assessment Team will be looking to meet partners during the period beginning April to the end of June.

Item 10 (a) – Argyll and the Isles Local Economic Forum

Ken Abernethy confirmed that work towards the Construction Training Centre was hoped to start this financial year.

Item 11 (a) – Strathclyde Fire and Rescue

It was confirmed that Strathclyde Fire and Rescue would deliver a presentation on their new role and function at the July meeting.

Item 11 (c) – Housing Stock Transfer

Allan Macaskill confirmed that it was anticipated that the transfer of Council housing stock to the Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) would be carried out by July 2006.

Item 11 (d) – NPDO/PPP Programme

It was confirmed that work was proceeding on the sites for the school building programme and that a lot of work was being generated by the projects.

Andrew Campbell gave a verbal update on the Management Committee which had met in December 2005 and in February 2006, much of the matters being before this meeting of the Partnership.

Members of the Argyll and Bute Agricultural Forum had delivered a presentation to the December meeting explaining themes and objectives of the agricultural strategy for the Argyll area which stressed the importance of rural development.  The position of the Agricultural Development Officer to be funded by various organisations was also discussed.

In February the Committee discussed and updated the DriveSafe Action Plan 2006 – 2009 which would be supported by the Partnership and Management Committee, raising funds and contributions in kind to enable the initiative to proceed.

Details of all matters would be available in the minutes held on the Council’s website.

The draft Choose Life Action Plan for the period 2006 – 2008 was submitted for the Partnership’s approval, copies having previously been circulated.  This outlined key considerations for the revised Argyll and Bute Choose Life Action Plan 2006 – 2008 as well as key action points in the proposed Draft Action Plan.

Josephine Stojak went through the details of the Action Plan for those attending their first Partnership meeting.  It was noted that there will be reduced funding over the next three years.  Josephine emphasised that the rising number of suicides was a significant issue in Argyll and Bute.  Geoff Calvert raised a question regarding the involvement of the Samaritan Group in Argyll and Bute and Josephine voiced the hope to encourage organisations such as this and said she would ascertain the exact nature of their involvement.  The Action Plan was agreed by the Partnership.

The Health and Wellbeing Group submitted the Joint Health Improvement Plan 2006-2009 for approval, copies having previously been circulated, giving an update on the strategic plan, looking at issues and priorities for wellbeing across all of Argyll and Bute, and a series of 7 local plans produced by local public health networks in each of the 7 localities across the area.

Josephine Stojak apologised for the vast amount of information contained in the reports submitted, but felt it was important to ensure awareness of the joint priorities contained in the Plan.

The Draft Joint Health Improvement Plan was agreed after a general discussion on the gains that changes to schools meals would make with regard to reducing the incidence of heart disease and stroke, the need for education regarding health improvement, issues regarding national versus local targets and the effect of the new legislation banning smoking in public places.

The main points from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) identified top ten service priorities that required improvement for (a) Colonsay, Jura and North Islay and (b) Lochs Goil and Eck.  It was noted that each area has £100k available to spend on improving access to services identified by focus groups interviewed as part of the research commissioned by the Rural Policy Team in SEERAD.

The Partnership considered proposals, which had previously been circulated, for developing local target setting for Rural Services Priority Areas (RSPAs), by 2008, to improve service delivery in rural areas so that agreed improvements to accessibility and quality are achieved for key services in remote and disadvantaged communities.

Hugh Donaldson enquired as to whether expressions of interest had been received for the proposed fast ferry service for Jura.  Brian Barker responded that no detailed responses had been received to date but that there was potential for negotiation on the ferry service and subsidies and that further discussion was needed in this regard.  The Partnership noted that Argyll and Bute Council would not provide revenue funding for the proposed fast ferry.

Robin Banks asked that the intermediate geography name “Whisky Isles” be changed to “South Atlantic Isles”.  It was agreed that Brian Barker make representations to change the name.

Geoff Calvert mentioned that Strathclyde Fire and Rescue would be closely involved in both the Community Transport and Healthy Communities Collaborative for the Lochs Goil and Eck area.

It was agreed that the proposals as contained in the reports be submitted to SEERAD for consideration.

(a)        Report from the 3 Islands – reports from 3 Local Development Groups

(b)        Argyll Islands Steering Group – Development Plan – for discussion/approval

(a)        Report from the 3 Islands

Reports, copies having previously been circulated, were submitted by the Development Officers of the 3 Initiative at the Edge (IatE) areas, namely Colonsay, Coll and Jura.

The Development Officers briefly outlined progress made with their respective areas.  The water shortage problem on Coll was highlighted as a major obstacle to further development which needed urgent attention.  James McLellan commented that water and sewerage services were critical to local communities and that the Development Officers should involve Scottish Water in the IatE local areas.  It was noted that Hugh Donaldson would outline the particular difficulties being experienced with regard to Scottish Water as a separate item at the end of the meeting.

Josephine Stojak spoke of a possible study that would be commissioned regarding the provision of healthcare staff on remote islands and stressed that the study would be commissioned from a community perspective.

(b)        Argyll Islands Steering Group – Development Plan

Hugh Donaldson submitted a report from the Initiative at the Edge Steering Group for the Argyll Islands which outlined a reporting framework from the Iomairt areas back to the Community Planning Partnership, the need for which was evidenced within the evaluation carried out by Communities Scotland in 2005.

It was agreed that the Development Officers submit regular updates to the Management Committee and that a more detailed report/Development Plans be presented to the full Partnership on an annual basis.  It was agreed that the full Partnership should sign off the Development Plans as long as the timing of full Partnership meetings did not hamper progress with regard to implementing the Development Plans.

It was also agreed to stand down the small Steering Group for the IatE Argyll Islands.

·         Health and Wellbeing Group

·         Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (to follow)

·         Dunbartonshire Economic Forum – Presentation by David MacGregor on the DEF Strategy

·         Sustaining & Development our Communities, Culture & Environment

Health and Wellbeing Group

The Partnership noted the report on the activities of the Health and Wellbeing Group, copies of which had previously been circulated.

Josephine Stojak referred to the review the Care and Repair and other services for the older people and the need to look at the integration of Social Work and the Health Service.

It was also mentioned that the DriveSafe initiative was looking to appoint a champion to progress the initiative within the various partner organisations.  The Partnership accepted the recommendation from the Health and Wellbeing Group to continue the DriveSafe work for three years.

Argyll and the Islands Local Economic Forum

A presentation on the work of Argyll and the Islands Local Economic Forum would be delivered at the next meeting on 7 July 2006.

Dunbartonshire Economic Forum

David McGregor, Scottish Enterprise, provided a presentation on the Dunbartonshire Economic Forum Strategy, outlining the economic context and rationale for the strategy, priorities, constraints to growth, proposed LEF roles and Argyll and Bute’s contribution to the strategy.

The contribution from Argyll and Bute would be to:-

• Attract and retain individuals through the delivery of good quality housing and public services which is seen as part of the Community Planning Partnership’s role;

• Support the development of “destination Loch Lomond and Clyde”, the Helensburgh Waterfront and National Park;

• Participate in LEF sub groups to support development of key sector specific programmes and projects through Business Gateway with a focus on key sectors;

• Support and promote modern apprenticeships in key sectors and wider workforce development with businesses.

Sustaining and Developing our Communities, Culture and Environment

The Partnership noted a report on the activities of the Sustaining and Developing our Communities, Culture and Environment Group, presented by Donald MacVicar, copies having previously been circulated.

An update on the Bute and Cowal Area Partnership was submitted and noted, copies having previously been circulated.

Brian Barker mentioned that there were no representatives from the Health Board or Cal Mac at the Area Partnership meeting and emphasised that participation would be extremely beneficial and suggested that suitable representation be identified once structural changes within both organisations have settled.

Brian Barker further mentioned that the main discussion at the last meeting was on the SEERAD Report on Lochs Goil and Eck and through a comprehensive debate between both Partners and Community Representatives the allocation of funding had been agreed.

It was reported that the Group was working well and that an evaluation of the Pilot would be carried out in due course.

It was also noted that George McKenzie would be retiring from the Council at the end of April and that Lolita Lavery would act as the Bute and Cowal Area Partnership Co-ordinator until a replacement appointment was made.

Hugh Donaldson spoke to the meeting regarding correspondence between Initiative at the Edge and the Scottish Executive in regard to difficulties encountered with Scottish Water due to waste constraints and water supply issues on the island of Coll.