Agenda and minutes

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In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Communities Cabinet Advisory Committee meeting held on 10 March 2016 be agreed as a correct record.

 

Noted that the Chair had spoken to the Section 151 Officer to determine a way to quantify the cost of delays with DFG’s and would discuss further.

In the absence of the Head of Poverty and Prevention, Anthony Richards, Tackling Poverty Partnerships Officer presented a Briefing Note on Black and Minority Ethnic Communities access to the Communities First Programme in Swansea.

 

It was outlined that the City and County of Swansea had received Communities First funding since 2001. The 2015/16 budget allocation was £2,844,812, which included a 5% reduction on the previous year. This funded 3 central support staff and 5 Cluster Delivery Teams. There were a combined staffing number of 47.5 that had responsibility for delivering 5 Cluster Delivery Plans. These cluster delivery plans outlined projects which delivered outcomes for communities first residents in the main areas of learning, health and prosperity.

 

In order to engage people on the Communities First programme within each of the Cluster areas, the teams worked to understand community engagement and involvement and the diversity of residents in the areas.  Swansea’s Communities First Programme had a shared definition of Community Involvement:

 

“It is the process of creating opportunities for everyone to:

·         have the confidence to take part in their community and society,

·         have a voice in local service planning and delivery, and

·         have the capacity, strength and wellbeing to contribute towards more sustainable and cohesive communities and societies.”

 

It was added that the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) enabled the Communities First team to fully understand the community needs and maximise involvement with residents who were hard to reach. Community Involvement needed to be continually evaluated to identify the effectiveness and relevance of the plan.

 

Each Community Involvement Plan supported Swansea’s Tackling Poverty Strategy which recognised that resilient communities had strong community involvement. The Communities First Programme through the CIP identified and targeted the most marginalised members of our most deprived communities and increasingly involved local people in decision making.

 

Whilst not all community members/residents responded to engagement techniques and the provision of information in the same way, there are a number of tools available to increase Community Involvement:

 

There were local ‘hooks’ to get people involved. Residents liked to receive up to date information on projects and activities via leaflets or the local newsletter. Community information boards provided local information.  Other methods of engagement included:-

 

·         Door to door consultation;

·         Newsletter, leaflets;

·         Information boards;

·         Social media networks;

·         Translation of information;

·         Community Groups/Organisations;

·         Community Meetings;

 

Details of how the BME population looked like across Swansea and by each Communities First Cluster area, BME people accessing the Communities First Programme in 2015/16 and what BME communities had accessed and participated in, were provided.

 

It was added that plans were nearing completion for the introduction of the Communities for Work (CfW) European Social Fund programme. This programme was a Priority 1 & 3 programme working specifically in Communities First Cluster areas to support long term unemployed people into work.

 

A brief of the key changes to to the Communities First Programme 2016/17 was given –

 

The key changes to the structure and delivery model are as follows

 

·         A move from 5 Cluster Delivery Teams managed by 5 Cluster Managers to 3 themed teams delivering across 5 Cluster Areas.

·         Submission of a single Delivery Plan for the Communities First Programme in Swansea rather than 5 separate plans.

·         Greater alignment of projects, performance measures and outcomes.

·         Development of programme wide commissioning of specialist services.

·         Improved resource for more targeted engagement in the programme.

·         Development of an asset based approach to supporting people.

 

The Committee asked questions of the Officer, who responded accordingly.  Discussions centred around the following: -

 

·         BME Population across Swansea;

·         What BME communities have accessed and participated in;

·         Family learning, cooking projects and communicating with the community;

·         Parents making friendships at school gates when collecting children from school;

·         Breaking down communication barriers;

·         Significant change programme;

·         Translation services available to the community;

·         Use of foodbanks by BME community.

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted.

The Chair stated that the Committee needed to agree its priorities for the 2016-2017 Municipal Year. It was proposed that the Committee draft a list of possible topics for discussion.  The Cabinet Member for Next Generation Services indicated that she would be happy to mutually agree the topics to be included in the Work Plan 2016/17.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee agrees a list of topics for the 2016/17 Work Plan and discussions take place with the Cabinet Members.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2015/2016. 

 

It was proposed that the meeting originally scheduled for 12 May 2016 which had been subsequently cancelled, be re-instated. 

 

The Chair stated that the purpose of the meeting was to receive the Draft Energy Policy Report presented by the Energy Manager.

 

RESOLVED that: -

 

1)    The contents of the report be noted;

2)    An additional Committee meeting be scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday,

12 May 2016.