Agenda and minutes

Councillor Dick Walsh welcomed everyone to this meeting, in particular Neil Francis from Scottish Enterprise, Douglas Cowan from HIE who was also congratulated on his promotion, Sean Johnson and Ramsay Grey-Stephens both from Youth Focus and Ray McIntosh-Walley from the Employability Team.

Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership 14 March 2008

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2008 were accepted as an accurate record.

Sustainability Seminar

It was noted that the agenda has been moving along with the Fairer Scotland Fund taking the lead on this.

Citizens Panel

There will be a presentation from hexagon at the CPP Management Committee Meeting on Wednesday 9 July.  The Panel has been refreshed with comments  and considerations being submitted to Hexagon.

Migrant Workers

This will be reported back at the CPP Management Committee in September.

Derek Leslie gave updates, for his first time at the Full Partnership, on both Management Committee meetings.

Hexagon

Will be presenting to the Management Committee on 9 July

Single Outcome Agreement

This reached a crescendo by 19 March but progress had been well informed of and Christina West did a presentation on the engagement of Communities in the health service and redesign, which the CPP continue to support.

Community Learning and Regeneration

Presentation by Martin Turnbull outlining links with Fairer Scotland Fund.  FAB Plan is ongoing.

Climate Change and Population Change

Feedback is to be provided to Stephen Colligan

Brian highlighted to the partners that Citizens Panel can be used with focus groups who can then report back to Hexagon where a panel will be selected.  Any partner can use this.

A verbal update was given by Brian Barker, advising the meeting that the final of the Single Outcome Agreement had been submitted to the Scottish Government on 27 June 2008.   The feedback from the Scottish Government on the agreement had been mostly positive and the only changes suggested were to the wording of the document.  These changes had been accommodated.

Brian then spoke on how the next issue would be the process and pulling together of the next Single Outcome  Agreement for the end of March 2009.  Brian suggested that this be given more thought and brought back to the Management Committee in September.

Action: Brian Barker to report to the Management Committee on 29 October

It was agreed that Brian be congratulated for the amount of work committed to the Single Outcome Agreement in the time given.

Andrew Campbell then commented on how the document had been of much interest to him and wondered what the thoughts of the new Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council would be.  He added that key priorities for the next agreement need to be set.

Dick Walsh asked that the partners recognise how a huge amount of work on the Single Outcome Agreement has been achieved over a short period of time and that this forms a major part of governance for Scotland and challenges for all.

Eileen circulated a report to the partners along with a verbal update on the Action Plan.  Eileen then advised the partners that this report was for information only and that feedback was welcomed from the Partners.  Eileen added that the report was a narrative on what is happening and that once finalised that the report will go on to the Management Committee on 9 July and then be posted to the website.

Brian highlighted that this report had, historically, been a stand-alone report but going forward may be combined with the Single Outcome Agreement.

Action: Paper noted

Roanna Taylor spoke to the meeting on the outcome of the Youth Focus group.  She reported that this went very well and there was a good mix of ages from the Argyll area.

Roanna added that this first meeting was purely an introduction to Youth Focus and that future meetings will be more theme based.

Dick Walsh agreed and commented that he was very impressed with the numbers in attendance and the enthusiasm shown.

Brian contributed by adding that Martin Turnbull should be asked to come forward on how the young people involved in the Youth Focus group will be managed.

Action: Noted and report back to Management Committee 29 October 2008

Joint presentation from Douglas Cowan and Neil Francis

There was a joint presentation by Douglas Cowan, HIE and Neil Francis, Scottish Enterprise.  Neil thanked the Partners and conveyed  his pleasure in attending the meeting.  There followed a short presentation on the Enterprise network, the new agenda and what the new objectives were.

Neil Francis began by putting the recent Enterprise Company changes in context.

Publication of the Government Economic Strategy had issued a challenge to the agencies to deliver growth in GDP.

The overall purpose of the Strategy is to create a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through sustainable economic growth.

The aim is to raise the GDP growth rate to the UK level and reduce emissions over the period to 2011.  The key sectors with growth potential in Argyll include tourism, renewable energy, food and drink and life sciences.  Scotland is currently underperforming in many areas such as innovation, investment and enterprise against its competitors particularly those in many Scandinavian countries.

Douglas Cowan then looked at the ways in which the enterprise companies will focus their activities to deliver the Government’s Economic Strategy by:-

• Supporting high growth businesses.  Those with potential for growth will be targeted.  Out of the 500 identified across the Highlands and Islands between 70 and 80 will be in the Argyll and Bute area.
• Creating the infrastructure and conditions to improve regional competitiveness in addition HIE will work to strengthen communities especially in defined fragile areas which represent around 13% of the overall area.

To reflect the new focus minimum grant levels for capital projects will be £25,000 although in fragile areas this will be set at £5,000.  Discretionary start up funding will only be available for new businesses with high growth potential.

Business Gateway will continue to deliver services to small and medium sized businesses in Helensburgh and Lomond and Argyll and Bute Council is currently taking on this remit in the rest of the Argyll and Bute area.  HIE will also focus on a small number of Transformational Projects which have the potential to transform the economy such as the Argyll Marine Science Initiative and locally significant projects such as the work with the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in the Dunoon and Cowal area.  Finally it was explained that the re-structuring has been reflected in reduced resources being available to the two agencies with HIE now having 350 staff and a 2008-9 budget of £78m and SE having 1046 staff and a budget of £329m.

A lively question and answer session followed the presentation during which concern was expressed about a number of aspects affecting potential economic growth in the area including the capacity  of some smaller businesses to afford the changes required to comply with new fire regulations.

New jobs were perceived by some parties to be needed but HIE explained that job creation alone is no longer the main priority for the agencies as the emphasis moves to increasing the number of higher value jobs.

The links between economic growth and the Single Outcome Agreement were highlighted with all public agencies working together to deliver and support common aims. 

The Chair recorded his thanks to Douglas and Neil for their presentation.

Dick advised that with regard to the Business Gateway that the Partners would be updated at a later date.

Brian Barker gave a verbal update advising the partners that a different way of providing support through the Fairer Scotland Fund to communities has been looked into and so far a good response has been had and that a steering group has been formed.  He also advised that three meetings have been had so far with the third sector group  and is coming together well and that there will be proposals by end of September.

He then added that the activities currently funded are for choices and changes.  This involved the Community Learning and Regeneration fund and it needs to be identified what needs to continue and what needs to stop.  It was agreed that the plan be presented before Christmas with regard to the funding process and where attention needs to be focused.

Jim McCrossan added that when the process is complete that other areas of need will be identified and there is scope for fragile areas to be investigated.

Brian then referred to Eileen’s handout, in particular the diagram at the back, and advised that the FAB Partnership will be focussing on one body for all and that this will be discussed at the CPP Management Committee on 9 July.

Ann Campbell then asked if the Children’s Service Plan is part of the Fairer Scotland Fund and Brian responded that it is not wholly funded and is at 10% funding.

Action: Noted that this will be linked to Single Outcome Agreement next year

Brian Barker gave a verbal update and copies of a background document had been circulated by Jim McCrossan.  He explained the origins of the project and then went on to talk about how Social Enterprise is the key element within communities and that this should be a strong message.  He also added how the focus is often on the failing areas and how we should also focus on the areas of success.

The presentation that was  made by Dick Walsh was acknowledged by the project.

He explained how there is lots coming together in the way of links with the Single Outcome  agreement and how the demonstration project can drive this.  He also explained what the project is aiming to deliver and the development for the future, also inviting services to get involved.  Brian then mentioned that lottery funding is a way that knowledge can be shared and valuable information gained on how better quality applications to the Lottery can be achieved.

Action: Agreed to note

Dick Walsh commented that a challenging timeline had been given for this.

Ray McIntosh-Wally gave a presentation on the Employability Service.  After the presentation a number of questions were put to him.

David Penman kindly offered the use of Fire Stations throughout Argyll and Bute as potential bases for the Employability Project, which could possibly remove the need for a dedicated vehicle.

It was agreed that all Partners be kept informed of the projects progress and Dick Walsh spoke of the benefits of the involvement of the Community Planning Partnership and how interaction with the Employability Service could improve the shape of the service.

Action: Ray McIntosh-Walley to liaise with David Penman and Geoff Calvert and report back to the CPP at a later date

Dick asked Nigel Stewart to speak about his role as Interim Chief Executive.

Nigel then spoke to the Partners on how he is preparing for the arrival of the new Chief Executive, Sally Reid and how part of this plan includes Community Planning.  He spoke of the rigorous recruitment process and his optimism regarding Sally in the role of Chief Executive.  He also advised that the Partners of the CPP will meet Sally in due course.

Dick Walsh then went on to advise that John Ironside has now left the area and the Community Planning Partnership and thanked him for his efforts.  David Penman advised that he will be replaced by Paul Connelly.

Andy Law then gave an update on infrastructure issues and the state of the roads at present.  He advised that this issue is with extra traffic, especially timber traffic, which is being addressed with the Forestry Commission.

He also spoke of the investment with Piers, Harbours and Ferries for long term sustainability.  He also spoke of the  issue with Ferries to Luing and the ongoing issue with the Jura Ferry and how there is a commitment for the Council to maintain ferry links for Communities.

He later added on the subject of carbon management, how existing facilities are to be maximised and is proposing the idea of “hot desks” within the Council.

Following on from Andy, Brian spoke of support from Community Planning to the ferry service from Tayvallich to Jura.

Shaun asked if it would be a better economy to add an additional service to which Andy then highlighted on the high level of traffic to Jura considering the population figures and how Jura would like similar access to Islay and the Islands as Dunoon have.

Brian then added to the discussion surrounding Community Planning possibly supporting a Private operator to improve services.

On another topic, Andrew then asked if Andy Law could approach the Scottish Government on the office facilities to which Andy agreed.

Action: Andy Law

Dick Walsh spoke of the budget areas which are revised and to go to CPP 9 July.

The Partners were asked to note the change in the meeting schedule.

Please Note Change of Date

Date of next meeting is to be held on 28 November in the Council Chambers, Kilmory.