Agenda item

Shirley MacLeod presented the report and advised the Management Committee of the results of a recent customer satisfaction survey on the Area Community Planning Groups. It was noted that the results were generally very positive.

 

Grant Manders advised that he was keen and committed to meeting with the Chairs of the Area Community Planning Groups to develop a strong relationship and work together. Shirley agreed to facilitate this meeting.

 

Discussion was held on appropriate responses to the points raised in 4.2 of the report. The points raised and response given are as follows :

a)    Consider the role Third Sector (including Sport) Organisations play in achieving progress towards outcomes detailed within the SOA and the issues faced with regards to funding and staffing

 

Response: Glenn Heritage advised that the situation was difficult for many Third Sector Organisations and that this has an impact on communities. “Good news stories” were highlighted for some recently in receipt of funding. Discussion focused on considering whether there was a better way to commission services, ensuring funding bids were closely linked to the Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) and ensuring that all organisations knew what support was available to them. It was agreed to publicise funding opportunities through the CPP Fortnightly Bulletin.

 

b)    Consider the issues raised by the breadth of education required to be provided by geographically remote secondary schools (mainland as well as island) and the staffing difficulties faced in relation to service provision in remote rural areas and remote school towns.

 

Response: Cleland Sneddon advised that the staffing model for schools is defined by the school roll and that the Education Service was working closely with Argyll College UHI regarding their valuable contribution to the breadth of curriculum in the schools. Cleland spoke of better alignment and targeting of courses across all schools to local economic opportunities rather than simply having a breadth of subjects. He advised that a number of initiatives had been applied to improve teacher recruitment – for example the students currently undertaking the Post-graduate Primary Teaching Qualification with Argyll College UHI will graduate this year and help address staffing shortages. Creative approaches to accommodating teachers moving into the Oban area were also discussed, the recruitment of a spouse as a teacher through the Maritime Change programme was highlighted and new models of employing teachers across primary and secondary schools were also presented to the Management Committee. Fraser Durie also advised that Argyll College UHI were working with all the secondary schools within Argyll and Bute and that each of the four administrative areas had different area skills requirements.

 

The success of the Primary Teaching PGDE was praised and the Management Committee agreed provision of a Secondary Teaching qualification would also bring significant benefits to the area and address staff shortages. The CPP asked Fraser Durie to take this forward. Should any difficulties arise it was agreed that both the Chair of the CPP and CEO of Argyll and Bute Council would write to the governing body.

 

 Cleland Sneddon highlighted that he was speaking to Cllr Aileen Morton and would brief her on this discussion. 

 

c)    Consider the potential links that could be developed between the Locality Groups mentioned in the Health and Social Care Integration report and the Area CPGs.

 

Response: Rona Gold and Lorna Elliott have a meeting arranged with colleagues in Health and Social Care to discuss. Louise Long advised that the Terms of Reference for the Locality Groups are available and that the membership of these groups was still being discussed. It was agreed that Rona would look further into the locality groups and how they link into Area Community Planning Groups and the delivery of the Single Outcome Agreement.

 

There was agreement to the suggestion by the Chair to look at groups meeting locally and ensure these are linked to the ACPGs.

 

d)    Consider the problems caused in respect of road closure arrangements in the Oban area in the aftermath of road accidents and in particular of the implications for the 500 pupils who travel by bus to and from school on a daily basis.

 

Response: There was a lengthy closure of the A85 in May 2014 following a fatal collision at Dunbeg. Due to the time of day this caused delays in pupils at nearby schools being transported home at their usual times. The Argyll and Bute Multi Agency Road Safety Group discussed and implemented an early warning system in relation to schools during road closures. Any closure during the school day is relayed from the Police control room to Argyll and Bute Council with the Education Department then alerting schools and parents of such a delay and provide suitable advice. The advice may be on the diversion route to use or in extreme cases, children being kept at school longer then transported home when the road reopens.

 

Consideration was given to the adoption of the Glencruitten to Connel road being adopted as a local diversion. This was reviewed by representatives of Argyll and Bute Council, BEAR Scotland (representing Transport Scotland) and Police Scotland. After review this was not deemed to be a safe and suitable alternative to the Standard Incident Diversion Route and this was reported back to the elected members of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee in January 2015.

 

There has been a year on year decrease in fatal and serious injury collisions in Argyll and Bute over the last three years and a decrease in the requirement to close roads to investigate serious collisions. Police Scotland also continues to invest in trained Collision Investigators based within Argyll and Bute to speed up access to such locations and therefore reopen roads quicker.

 

Grant offered Police officers to attend the OLI ACPG to answer questions on road closure diversions.

 

e)    Consider the inclusion of the Scottish Ambulance Service and Visit Scotland as active partners within Community Planning structures and processes at both strategic and local level.

 

Response: All agreed that they be invited to formally participate in the CPP. Grant advised that he would invite Scottish Ambulance Service to be a partner within Outcome 6 and the Full Partnership and Visit Scotland to be a partner within Outcome 1 and the Full Partnership.

 

In addition to the points raised by the Area Community Planning Groups, the Management Committee noted there is a need to look at young people being integrated in community planning.  Shirley advised that each Area Community Planning Group were engaging with young people through different means – the Youth Forum, Education Officers and through Student Councils.

 

The Management Committee were also advised that the Community Planning and Community Development team were in the process of recruiting a Modern Apprentice whose role would be to undertake peer to peer engagement and provide information on how best Community Planning can link in with young people.

 

Louise Long advised that funding was being sought for a Children and Young Person Officer to work with looked after children, and it was agreed this would be a key person to link to.

 

 

Actions:

Shirley MacLeod to facilitate meeting with Grant Manders and Chairs of the Area Community Planning Groups.

 

Samantha Quarton to publicise funding opportunities for Third Sector Organisations through the CPP Fortnightly Bulletin.

 

Fraser Durie to take forward the introduction of a Secondary Teaching PDGE.

 

Shirley to contact Grant for representation to attend OLI ACPG to answer questions on road closures.

 

Rona Gold and Lorna Elliott to look at Health and Social Care Locality Groups and broader groups meeting locally to explore their engagement with Area Community Planning Groups.

 

Chair to invite Scottish Ambulance Service to be a partner within Outcome 6 and the Full Partnership and Visit Scotland to be a partner within Outcome 1 and the Full Partnership.