Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from:-

Iona MacPhail, ACHA

Donald Melville, Businees Gateway

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Minutes of the Bute and Cowal Community Planning Group meeting of 3 June 2014 were approved as a correct record.

Update by Area Governance Manager

A report detailing the governance of Area Community Planning Groups which is currently under review and the process involved for strengthening the Terms of Reference under which the Area Community Planning Group operate, was considered.

Decision

The Community Planning Group agreed the revised Terms of Reference and agreed that the proposed Terms of Reference be adopted at the Community Planning Partnership on 31^st October.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Manager dated 2^nd September 2014, submitted).

Update by Area Governance Manager

A report detailing the Argyll and Bute Community Partnership SOA/Community Plan and the need to include localised delivery and a methodology to take forward the development of localised SOA plans was considered.

The Group felt this report is really important and felt that HIE and more Community Councils need to be involved in the Community Planning Group meeting.  The Area Governance Manager suggested that staff go back out to Community Councils and work with them to try and strengthen the attendance at the caucus meeting.

Decision

The Community Planning Group:

1.      Agreed the proposed method of taking forward the development of localised SOA plans and agreed that the proposed method of development of localised SOA plans be taken forward; and

2.      Agreed to feed any further comments back to the Community Governance Manager by the end of September.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Manager dated 2^nd September 2014, submitted).

Report by Community Planning Manager

A report detailing the work undertaken by the sub group where they will be focusing on progressing partnership working on the needs of the community, was considered.

Max Barr from Dunoon Community Council advised that the sub group have met twice since the last Community Planning Group meeting in June and have looked at the Single Outcome Agreement and related it to de-population as they would like to focus on making Bute and Cowal a more attractive place for people to come and live and work.

The sub group felt that NHS Highland should be playing a part in this discussion and the Area Governance Manager agreed to contact NHS Highland to make sure there was attendance at the December meeting.

Decision

The Area Community Planning Group:

1. Noted that the working group met to discuss the highlights of the engagement report;
2. Agreed that further work is needed to locally progress important issues for the community;
3. Agreed that the sub group continues as a formal working group of the Area Community Planning Group and that is reports quarterly; and
4. Agreed to nominate relevant partners of the Area Community Planning Group.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Manager dated 2^nd September 2014, submitted).

Report by Area Governance Officer

A report was presented to the Members by the Area Governance Officer giving the highlights and exceptions of the Forward Dunoon and Cowal Group.

Decision

The Group

1. Noted the work undertaken;
2. Agreed to invite Mount Stuart Trust to the December Community Planning Group meeting to talk about their plans;
3. Agreed to invite Visit Scotland to the next meeting in December; and
4. Agreed that the report being prepared by the SURF (Strategic Urban Regeneration Fund) Group be added to the agenda for the December meeting.

(Ref: Report by Area Governance Officer dated September 2014, submitted).

Report by Amenity Services Manager

The Amenity Services Manager gave a presentation to the Group on the recent changes in Amenity Services.

He spoke about the budget savings for 2013/14 and 2014/15 and what Amenity Services currently deliver.

Decision

1. The Group noted the information provided;
2. The Amenity Services Manager agreed to meet with the Bute and Cowal Caucus on 12^th November to discuss the changes in Amenity Services; and
3. The Amenity Services Manager agreed to arrange a meeting with Bute Estates to discuss areas of land.

(Ref:  Presentation by Amenity Services Manager dated 2^nd September 2014, submitted).

Verbal update by Joanna Peebles

There was no one present from Scottish Water so therefore this item was deferred until the December meeting.

Report by Area Governance Officer

A report updating the Community Planning Group regarding the main pieces of work undertaken in the last reporting period by the Cowal Transport Forum was considered.

Decision

The Group noted the work undertaken.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Officer dated September 2014, submitted).

Report by Quality Standards Manager

A report updating the Community Planning Group on the progress made within Education in Argyll and Bute for 2012/13 was considered.

Decision

The Group:

1. Noted the progress made in relation to the Education within Argyll and Bute; and
2. Noted that the 2013/14 Education Standards and Quality report should be presented at the December meeting.

(Ref:  Report by Quality Standards Manager dated 30^th April 2014, submitted).

Mental Wellbeing

Report by Sam Campbell

Unfortunately there was no one present from NHS Highland so therefore this item was deferred to the December meeting.

Verbal update by Alistair MacLaren

Unfortunately there was no one present from Argyll Voluntary Action so therefore this item was deferred to the December meeting.

Inspector Paul Robertson gave an update to the Group and advised that Police Scotland will have the mobile policing unit back up and running in a couple of weeks as it was in Glasgow being used for the Common Wealth Games.

He reported on the new dedicated Road Traffic department which will be focusing on the activity on the trunk roads.  He advised that road traffic accidents are currently down.

He advised that there is a Road Safety Group now in place which includes Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, BEAR, Transport Scotland and NHS that meet on a quarterly basis and hope to feed information back to the Community Planning Group meetings.

Inspector Robertson updated on policing at Cowal Games.  He advised that there was 19 arrests over the whole weekend, 14 were related to the games and were alcohol induced where ASBO tickets were handed out and 4 people remained in custody.

He updated the Group on the Home Sweet Home plays and advised they are scheduled to take place on 3^rd September in the village hall in Innellan in the morning and the Community Centre in Dunoon in the afternoon.  He advised that the play focuses on fire safety and general crime prevention.  He advised that funding for this play was applied for via the Fire and Rescue Community Fund on behalf of the Cowal Community Safety Forum.

He advised the Group that there is currently one job available to fill on Bute as 2 members of staff left for career development reasons.

Unfortunately there was no one present from Scottish Fire and Rescue so therefore this item was deferred to the December meeting.

The Area Governance Manager confirmed that Eddie Renfrew has recently retired and that Scottish Fire and Recue would hopefully have someone in post by the December meeting.

Report by Area Governance Officer

A report updating the Area Community Planning Group regarding the main pieces of work undertaken by the Community Safety Forums was considered.

Decision

The Group noted the work undertaken.

(Ref: Report by Area Governance Officer dated September 2014, submitted).

• Update on Dog Fouling

The Group had a discussion on the various issues raised by Community Councils which were discussed at their Caucus meeting on Wednesday 13^th August.

Decision

1.      The Amenity Services Manager agreed to address all issues raised by the Bute and Cowal Caucus at their meeting on 12^th November; and

2.      The Area Governance Manager agreed to circulate details of community service information which came to a previous Community Planning Group meeting.

There were no issues raised by Third Sector Partnerships.

The Area Governance Manager announced that Liz Marion, Community Development Worker for Argyll and Bute Council is retiring at the end of October.  The Chair thanked Liz on behalf of the Community Planning Group for all her hard work and contribution over the years and wished her all the best.

The date of the next Bute and Cowal Community Planning Group is Tuesday 2^nd December 2014 at 2pm in Eaglesham House, Rothesay.