Agenda and minutes

Andrew Campbell welcomed everyone to the meeting

 

The Minutes of the meeting of 8 February 2006 were accepted as an accurate record.

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Drivesafe Action Plan 2006-2009

 

Geoff Calvert referred to the contribution towards the Drivesafe initiative by partner organisations, where further discussion took place regarding the kind of contribution which should be provided and suggesting the possibility of providing a part-time co-ordinator dedicated to specific projects.  It was agreed that the Steering Group could use the current underspend to progress work as it saw fit, subject to agreement of the Health and Wellbeing Theme Group, which oversees the DriveSafe work. 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2006 were accepted as an accurate record.

(a)   SEERAD Research Report on Access to Services (Brian Barker)

(b)   Involvement of Scottish Water at CPP Meetings (Lolita Lavery)

(c)   Transforming Public Services in Scotland (Brian Barker)

(a)          Response to Health Board Consultation

 

It was noted, following responses to the limited publicity of the NHS consultation on the selection of a name for the new Health Board area, that there would be no change to the name of NHS Highland.

 

(b)          SEERAD Research Report on Access to Services

 

Brian Barker advised that the proposals contained in the previous reports had been submitted to SEERAD for consideration along with a further report requested for Lochs Goil and Eck.  Some partnerships in other areas had not yet made their submission and confirmation awaited from SEERAD was expected in the week following this meeting.

 

(c)          Involvement of Scottish Water at CPP Meetings

 

Lolita Lavery had received a response from Caroline Jones confirming that a representative of Scottish Water would attend Community Planning Partnership meetings where there was a specific item relating to Scottish Water.  It was suggested that Scottish Water’s Consultation Plan for water and sewerage should be discussed at the CPP Management Committee and it was agreed that Andrew Campbell would issue an invitation to Scottish Water.  It was also agreed that details of Scottish Water’s Consultation Plan would be circulated to the Management Committee. 

 

(d)          Transforming Public Services in Scotland

 

Brian Barker advised that an integrated session on models for transforming public services in Scotland had been arranged for the week following this meeting, involving organisations such as SNH, AIE, Health Board, Argyll and Bute Council.  It was confirmed that Tom McCabe had a continuing dialogue with regard to his Thinkpiece, but that this was unlikely to be published in the near future.

“On the Ground” presentation by Tracey Slaven, the Programme Director for this project, focussing on how services provided by the ERAD “family” of agencies can better deliver services to their clients.

Andrew Campbell welcomed Tracey Slaven, SEERAD’s Programme Director for the Capital Development Partnership project to the meeting.  Tracey outlined the focus on how services provided by the ERAD “family” of agencies can better deliver services to their clients.  The basic ethos behind “On the Ground” was to break down barriers, test out shared administration between organisations, seek better accessibility and investigate co-location of bodies rather than centralisation.

 

SEERAD will go through the functions undertaken by all organisations with a view to streamlining a multi-organisational programme (not Scottish Executive), no matter how small the organisation.  The programme focusing on co-location of existing offices rather than relocation of staff.

 

The meeting then discussed various points regarding services provided by the “family” of agencies in key areas, including customer focus looking at how far it can go with community and regional structures and  how to deliver, being aware that Argyll and Bute was more complex because of the geography of the area.  Discussions also focussed on the retention and relocation of services in rural areas and improvement to accessibility.

 

Andrew thanked Tracey for her presentation and she then left the meeting.

• Health and Wellbeing Group (Josephine Stojak)
• Argyll and the Islands Economic Forum (Alan Milstead)
• Dunbartonshire Economic Forum (Verbal report – Aileen Edwards)
• Sustaining & Developing our Communities, Culture & Environment (Donald MacVicar)

Health and Wellbeing Theme Group 1:

 

Josephine Stojak acting Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Theme Group, spoke to the Health and Wellbeing Theme Group report which included a lost of positive action/achievements over the year 2005-6 including –

 

Helensburgh – Paths to Health, pilots until end of March, very successful, walks well received.  GP’s supportive – JHIP priority 3.

 

Kintyre – HIF for Diversionary Schemes/Physical Activity – successful dance held, positive publicity, well received at Community Safety Forum.

Should be sustainable.  Next dance is 21 April – JHIP priorities 2 and 3.

 

North Argyll – School counselling service proving successful – JHIP priority 4

 

Mid Argyll – Healthy lunchbox pilot, well received – JHIP priority 3

 

Bute – Swim Around Bute, Exercise on Referral/Argyll Active linking to other services e.g. lunch clubs, social opportunities.  Ramblers – GP taking on longer distance walks JHIP priority 3

Islay – Alcohol free youth dances – JHIP priority 2

 

Josephine advised that revised plans had been presented from 6 out of the 7 localities, that the Group would be re-focusing on the Cowal area and that there had been positive feedback from the local public network representatives on the success of the Meet the Funders Roadshow.

 

The report on the activities by the Health and Wellbeing Group was noted.

 

The meeting also noted the change to Choose Life staffing arrangements taking place at present and that NHS Highland was currently looking at the transfer of public health consultants.

 

Argyll and the Islands Local Economic Forum

 

Ken Abernethy updated the Management Committee on the activities of the Argyll and the Islands Local Economic Forum report of 15 February 2006 meeting.  The report was noted.

 

It was agreed that the Strategy Progress Measurement report, being the first of a  series of quarterly reports on progress being made by Argyll & the Islands Local Economic Forum towards implementing the Economic Strategy for Argyll & the Islands, would be circulated to the Management Committee along with these minutes.

 

The meeting also noted that Careers Scotland is being integrated into HIE, which will extend the network of AIE offices in Argyll and Bute.

 

Dunbartonshire Economic Forum

 

Aileen Edwards, Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire, gave a verbal report on the progress being made by Dunbartonshire Economic Forum.  The new strategy was approved on 9 February 2006 and a communications strategy sub-group would proceed contacting key partners and involving the private sector, with a launch around June 2006.

 

Sustaining and Developing our Communities, Culture and Environment Theme Group 3:

 

Donald MacVicar provided the Management Committee with the progress update of the Sustaining and Developing our Communities, Culture and the Environment Theme Group, being minutes of a meeting held on 30 March 2006, copies having previously been circulated.  The report was  noted.

 

Donald MacVicar highlighted the wide ranging and diverse issues included within this Theme Group and the Management Committee discussed the possibility of identifying and prioritising major issues and/or considering a small number of relevant items on specific issues to assist in moving matters forward.

 

It was agreed that Donald MacVicar, Brian Barker and Lolita Lavery’s successor would look at re-focusing the efforts of the Theme Group and report back to the Management Committee.

 

 

Lolita Lavery reported on interviews currently being carried out with members of the Bute and Cowal Partnership to evaluate the local community planning pilot.   Although some of the partners felt that the evaluation exercise was premature, valuable insights were being gleaned that could give future direction to the Pilot.

 

It was agreed that Lolita would draft a report on the findings of the evaluation exercise and, in consultation with Lynn Smillie, Corporate Services Manager for the Helensburgh and Lomond area who would be acting as successor to George MacKenzie, would complete the report by the end of May 2006.

Lolita Lavery advised that the Kintyre Youth Forum were hosting a two day seminar on 1 and 2 June 2006 which was specifically aimed at how young people would like to engage in Community Planning.  This would be particularly useful for the Bute  and Cowal Pilot which was struggling to engage young people.  The outcome of the seminar would be fed back to the Management Committee.

The Management Committee noted the concerns highlighted in the report form the islands of Colonsay, Jura and Coll which were looking to the Community Planning Partnership for solutions.  The Committee suggested that it would be helpful to know the type of support that was required.

 

David Dowie advised that Communities Scotland would be meeting with IatE later in the week regarding a medium term housing programme and would report back to the Management Committee.

Andrew Campbell advised that he had attended an interesting SEERAD Conference regarding their rural development vision which included equality issues.  Andrew and the Community Planning Manager from Highland had both given presentations at the Conference highlighting the lack of co-terminosity.  Andrew considered that it had been a useful day.

Brian Barker advised that he would be compiling the next CPP Annual Review and was looking for significant partnership achievements over the past year, including submissions from the Theme Groups.  It was hoped to produce the Annual Review by the end of June/beginning of July 2006.

Lolita Lavery referred to the extracts form the Accounts Commission’s Audit on Best Value Report and the subsequent Improvement and Development Plan that had been drafted to address issues of concern.  It was noted that the Council was to develop the “Leading Rural Issues” concept and a series of workshops seeking Partnership input had been arranged around this theme.

 

Brian Barker confirmed in respect of Citizens’ engagement, that the ongoing Citizens’ Panel questionnaires would continue with a programme over the coming years with links to the Council’s Corporate Plan and Community Planning partners’ interests.

Josephine Stojak confirmed that since the last Management Committee meeting she had endeavoured to obtain funding for the future research on rural health provision in very remote areas form various parties as well as looking to Argyll and Bute Council.  As the research was about the sustainability of services, the Committee regarded the matter as a Partnership issue rather than one for the NHS.

Isobel Strong attended the meeting as Chair of Against Domestic Abuse (ADA) Partnership and spoke to the report which had previously been circulated seeking to -

 

 

• Raise awareness of the particular issues and barriers which can be faced when experiencing domestic abuse within a rural area

 

• Continue to develop responses and resources to domestic abuse particularly within a rural setting

 

• Continue to educate and create greater awareness for men, women, children and young people, statutory and non-statutory agencies involved in the field of domestic abuse and employers and the public at  large.

 

It was agreed that a performance of the 45 minute play, “Jackie’s Story” would be included at the meeting of the Community Planning Partnership to be held on Friday 7 July 2006. [NOTE: this will now follow the full CPP meeting being held on 20 November 2006]

Andrew Campbell provided an update on progress with the Transport Strategy, copies having previously been circulated.  It was anticipated that a draft of the local transport strategy would be completed by summer 2006.  The  update was noted.

Peter Minshall advised the Committee of  a feasibility study being carried  out by Argyll CVS regarding a Community Hub concept with access to resources in the voluntary sector.  It was agreed to note that this feasibility study was proceeding.

David Dowie briefly spoke to the Communities Scotland Strategic Investment Framework consultation paper which incorporates changes to funding for housing.  David advised that responses were to be submitted to Communities Scotland by 19 June 2006.

(a)          Joseph Rowantree Foundation

 

Brian Barker reported that Argyll and Bute CPP was one of twelve CPPs invited to a meeting hosted by the Joseph Rowantree Foundation on 14/15 June 2006.  They have requested that the CPP be represented by the Chair of CPP, Allan Macaskill and Argyll and Bute Council’s Chief Executive, James McLellan and one other partner.

 

(b)          Scottish Fire and Rescue Services

 

Copies of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services leaflet on Community Planning were circulated for information.

 

(c)          HMIP

 

Strathclyde Police – Inspection of police was now under way and some partners could be approached by the Inspectorate to provide input from a community planning perspective.

 

(d)          Retiral

 

James McLellan advised that James Fraser, Area Director, Visit Scotland, who was very supportive of Community Planning, was retiring and it was agreed that Andrew Campbell would draft a letter of thanks on behalf of the Partnership.

 

(e)          Community Planning Manager

 

Andrew Campbell, on behalf of the Partnership, thanked Lolita Lavery for her valued work during her time as Community Planning Manager and presented Lolita with a token of appreciation.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 14 June 2006 at 10.30. am in Scottish Natural Heritage Offices, Kilmory Industrial Estate, Lochgilphead.

 

Note:

(Subsequent to this meeting, the Chair agreed that the meeting for 14 June be postponed until Wednesday 28 June 2006).

 

Dates of future CPP Management Committee meetings –

 

Wednesday                 16 August

Wednesday                 4 October

Wednesday                 6 December

 

 

(10:30 – 13:00 hours)