Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Community Planning and Social Inclusion, held on Friday, 17th September, 2004, be approved as a correct record.

Further to Minute No. 5(c) of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Community Planning and Social Inclusion held on 9th July, 2004, Members welcomed to the meeting three representatives of Voluntary Action Rotherham: Janet Wheatley (Chief Executive), Margaret Oldfield (Vice-Chair) and Julie Robinson (Finance Manager). A further representative, the Chair Peter Broxholme, had been unable to attend because of illness.

Janet Wheatley gave a presentation to the meeting about the aims and objectives of Voluntary Action Rotherham and the wider role of the community and voluntary sector. The presentation and subsequent discussion included the following issues:-

(i) the Government’s Change Up initiative and the possible role of community and voluntary sector organisations as service providers;

(ii) summary details of the community and voluntary sector in the Rotherham Borough area;

(iii) the current and future funding of Voluntary Action Rotherham;

(iv) the current and future funding of Community Development Workers, employed by Voluntary Action Rotherham; Members noted the likelihood of there being fewer Community Development Workers in the future; such Workers would be concentrated in areas receiving grant money from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund or from the European Objective 1, Priority 4; other Workers might be employed directly by Community Partnerships;

(v) the difficulties which Voluntary Action Rotherham was likely to experience in managing the reduction in the workforce of Community Development Workers;

(vi) the overall relationship between the Borough Council and Voluntary Action Rotherham and the role of the Liaison Group;

(vii) the difficulties experienced by many community and voluntary sector organisations in having to rely upon grant funding for a single year only, instead of having the relative security of approved funding for several consecutive years.

The representatives of Voluntary Action Rotherham were thanked for attending this meeting.

Resolved:- (1) That the continuing importance of a close working relationship between the Borough Council and Voluntary Action Rotherham be acknowledged.

(2) That the appropriate officers report further on the membership, role and terms of reference of the Borough Council – Voluntary Action Rotherham Liaison Group.

(3) That the appropriate officers report further on ways in which the Borough Council might continue to support the role and work of Voluntary Action Rotherham, including:-

(a) ways of minimising the disruption likely to be caused to communities by the reduced availability of Community Development Workers; and

(b) the future use of the budget allocation of the community element of the CERB Fund.

Resolved:- That the next meeting be held on Friday, 19th November, 2004, commencing at 10.00 a.m.