Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all to the inaugural meeting of the Oban Lorn & the Isles Area Community Planning Group and explained the community planning process.

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of:

Councillor MacIntyre

Councillor McIntosh

Leslie McInnes, WHHA

Douglas Hendry, Link Director

There were no declarations of interest

Brian Barker outlined the process of the Community Planning Partnership explaining that it is a process which helps public agencies to work together with the community, led and supported by the Council, to develop and achieve shared goals making a real difference to people’s lives.

The question of whether the Coastguard should be involved with the group was raised.

Brian Barker spoke on the Community Planning Partnership structure and explained the roles of the Thematic Groups.  He also explained who the Core Partners would be, summarising the key tasks to be undertaken - Community Engagement, Developing the Area Community Plan and Performance Management.

Brian Barker detailed the structure of the stakeholders (Community Groups, Service Users, Third Sector Organisations, Advocacy Groups and CPP Partners) and how they would link in with the Community Planning Partnership (CPP).  All would work together utilising the widest and most effective means of communication to disseminate and gather information, knowledge, skills and resources to the benefit of all.

A new Community Plan is being developed through dialogue led by the thematic leads: -

• Douglas Cowan, HIE
• Andrew Campbell, SNH
• Douglas Hendry, Argyll and Bute Council

The Community Plan has four main themes – Economy, Environment, Social Affairs and Community Engagement.

It was reported that data had been updated since the needs analysis had been undertaken.  It was stressed that the information will never be ale to pinpoint the needs of individuals.  A demographic map was used to illustrate how the geographical locations where issues such as homelessness, alcohol, drugs, etc., had been highlighted.

Clarity and openness will enable effective scrutiny and performance management.  When the Plan priorities are agreed, information can be accessed from a variety of sources providing a better overall picture of what is happening in the area.

The Area Community Plan will identify local objectives which would then be agreed and given timescales.  Partners would have to discuss the risks and challenges of these outcomes and success measures would have to be incorporated.

The Area Community Plan would be facilitated and co-ordinated by the Area Corporate Services Manager with input from all partners and stakeholders.

The Pyramid system would be the monitoring system.  Partners have to decide what information they want to see and to demonstrate success in achieving priorities from a variety of sources.

Scorecards would be used as a means of managing performance.  The information would be incorporated into the Council’s Pyramid Programme which would highlight targets using a traffic light method.

Partners must be clear about success measures, making sure they relate to the outcomes and be clear about who is providing the data.  The Council’s performance management team would collate the data and produce the scorecards.  

Group membership was discussed.  It was acknowledged that there are a wide range of active communities within Argyll and Bute with a wealth of knowledge of issues in their local area and that these existing networks with developed plans would be beneficial to the Area Community Planning Group reducing duplication.

It was suggested that Jim Lynch from the Job Centre, along with representatives from the Federation of Small Businesses and OLTA be invited to join the group.

It was agreed that a sub-group comprising of Kenneth Macdonald, Jeannie Holles, Councillor Elaine Robertson and a representative from the Community Councils be set up to look at the area community plan.

Next meeting to be held on 13^th January 2010 at 10.30am