Agenda and minutes

Raymond Park welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies.  He thanked Oban Fire Station for the use of their facilities.

CPP Management Committee 21 January 2009

Minutes of previous meeting dated 21 January 2009 were agreed.

Agenda item 4 – CPP Budget

Dick Walsh wrote to all partners and has had some positive responses.  2009/10 budget is now looking healthy but we are still anticipating a shortfall in the 2010/11 budget.

Action Point

This item will be discussed further at Management Committee in May – All Partners.

Agenda item 9 – Economic Development and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005

Brian Barker raised this issue with Peter Russell (Scottish Government) and the element included in the draft SOA “asks” has been removed and both Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and the Scottish Government are happy that this issue has been covered. 

Agenda item 12a – DRIVESafe

Discussions have taken place between DRIVESafe and Strathclyde Fire and rescue regarding location, and support for the initiative.

Geoff Calvert advised that Robert Cowper (Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator) has produced a draft Community Safety Plan and it was suggested that he be invited to attend the next Management Committee meeting on 20 May 2009 to update the Committee on the work of the Community Safety Forum.

Action Point

Robert Cowper to be invited to meeting on 20 May 2009 – Eileen Wilson/Joyce Cameron

Agenda item 12c HUBBUS

Jane Fowler gave a brief update.  The development of this project has been postponed due to other priorities.

The SOA went to the CPP Full Partnership on 4 March and the Full Council Meeting 5 March, a couple of minor changes were made.  Further changes will be incorporated within the final version of the SOA based on additional feedback and dialogue with Peter Russell.  The final SOA will be agreed by end of May and formal Ministerial sign off will take place after that (date to be arranged).

Carron Tobin (National Park) informed the Committee that the 3 SOAs that the National Park is involved in are all very different.  Other partners involved in more that one SOA also confirmed that these are different approaches (e.g. SPT, Police, HITRANS etc).  Each of those partners will sign off the different SOAs at Board Meetings – the precise process will be slightly different in each partner organisation.

When the question of whether all partners had to physically sign the SOA was raised it was agreed that there was no need for all partners  to sign it off and Dick Walsh, as Chair of the CPP would sign on behalf of the Partnership.

A

The gaps in the document –

3.2 Thematic Groups/Local Area Planning Group and Appendix 1 – 4.1/4.2 Thematic Groups/Local Area Planning Group will be addressed over the next few weeks as discussions take place with key Council officers and SOA strategic leads.

Whether the document constituted a legal commitment was discussed and it was agreed that a paragraph would be added to the CPP Constitution/Partnership Agreement explaining that the document did not constitute a legal contract but was an agreement to commit to a common agenda.

Action Point

Eileen Wilson to liaise with Nigel Stewart with regard to the wording.

As items 6,7, and 8a were all connected it was agreed to cover in one item

Nigel Stewart updated the partnership on the Council’s commitment to reviewing their political management arrangements and advised that there is a bit of work to be done to ensure that linkages are made to theCPP.

This work involves a number of people – Shirley MacLeod (Corporate Services Manager, Bute and Cowal) will be taking the lead in the development of the Local Area Planning Groups and Lynn Smillie (Corporate Services Manager, Helensburgh and Lomond) will be leading on the Thematic Group developments.

It was suggested that a Time Limited Group be set up to ensure that CPP partners are involved in these structural developments.  3 people have been identified as key to this process they are strategic leads in the SOA and will be the leads in the new theme groups formed to create content for the new community plan.

Douglas Hendry, Argyll and Bute Council – Social Affairs

Andrew Campbell, SNH – Environmental

Douglas Cowan, Highlands and Islands Enterprise – Economic

It was agreed that Raymond Park and Derek Leslie, as Chair and Vice Chair of the Management Committee, be involved in the above Time Limited Group.  This Group will be known as the Community Plan Review Group.

Sally Reid advised that at the November Seminar there was general agreement that the role of the Thematic Groups would be:-

-          To review the Community Plan

-          To set up Performance Management arrangements

-          To identify appropriate Strategic Partnerships

Sally Reid advised that although the timescales were challenging they were achievable.

Brian Barker and Eileen Wilson will be meeting with Area Corporate Services Manager on 19 March to discuss further how this process should be taken forward.

It is essential the third sector are kept informed of developments and are able to participate in ongoing discussions,  The Community Plan Review Group and the groups developing the community plan content will consider how best to ensure all partners are able to contribute.

The Action Plan was discussed with content and timescales agreed.

b) Better Community Engagement

It was agreed that the CPP would return an expression of interest to be considered for involvement in the Scottish Government’s better Community Engagement pilot project.  Returns should be with the Scottish Government by Friday 27 March.

Action Point

Eileen Wilson to respond

Business Gateway

The Council will take over responsibility for Business Gateway from 1 April 2009.  This is a new service in the Highlands and Islands area, but currently operates in the Helensburgh and Lomond area.  The service development process has been subject to detailed negotiations between Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Government, Councils and Scottish Enterprise.  In Argyll and Bute the Council and HIE are working very closely together, with the main objective being no detriment in  service to our customers.   There will be a phased transition in Argyll and Bute,  with a “soft launch” in April.  The recruitment process is currently underway for Council Business Gateway staff.  All enquiries for business support should go to 0845 609 6611 or www.bgateway.com and links will be available on the Council and HIE websites.  Development of the service will be ongoing with partner involvement a key part of that process.

Sue Gledhill advised that Business Starter initiative ended and enquiries have tailed off and that the advice line for Business Gateway is about to be advertised.  David Price pointed out that because of the downturn there has been an increase with PSYBT (Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust) Business start-ups.

It was noted that Business Gateway staff will be located in the HIE Office in Lochgilphead.

European Funding

In response to an opportunity presented by the Highlands and Islands European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund Programmes to bid for ringfenced  funding for Community Planning Partnerships, a sub group of CPP partners worked throughout 2008 to prepare a bid.  This involved significant commitment by partners and the process of joint working was excellent in identifying joint and complementary priorities, particularly in relation to ESF.  However, due to conflicting guidance, the bid could not be fully completed and has been withdrawn.  The Management Committee agreed that the consideration and development of a Community Planning funding package be reconsidered by partners at the CPP Funding Hub and developed further if agreement could be reached.

Raymond Park asked Andrew Campell, as chair of the Funding Hub if we were going down the right routes ? The response was positive.

Action Point

It was agreed that an update on the CPP European Funding package would be requested from the Funding Hub and brought to the CPP Management Committee on 20 May 2009 – Arlene Cullum/Jane Fowler

a)      FAB Partnership

Report noted

b)     DEMO Project Update

Report noted

This paper was circulated for information.

John Davidson asked partners to consider using the facilities available through Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile (Gaelic College, Islay)

It was agreed that this be put forward to the meeting on 20 May 2009.

It was noted that any suggestions with regards to the Citizen’s Panel should be put forward to Chris Carr, (chris.carr@argyll-bute.gov.uk)

Sally Reid pointed out that it would be useful to have a programme of what goes into the panels.

This has been put forward to the meeting on 20 May 2009.

Wednesday 20 May 2009 in the Mid Argyll Community Hospital, Lochgilphead.

The Funding Hub meeting followed on from this meeting, commencing at 1.30 pm.