Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Community Planning and Social Inclusion held on 18th February, 2005 be approved as a correct record.

Simon Cooper, Human Resources Manager, introduced the submitted report relating to the above indicating that the project was aimed at providing twelve month training placements in the Council’s programme areas for individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic (B.M.E.) communities.

The training and experience gained during the placements would increase the chances of the trainees entering mainstream employment.

Simon gave a PowerPoint presentation which covered :-

-          Context

-          What is Equip

-          Key features of Equip

-          Placements identified

-          Recruitment of trainees

-          Outcomes

A question and answer session ensued and the following issues were covered :-

-          numbers required to reach 2.8% of the Council’s workforce being from B.M.E. Communities

-          self esteem training

-          origin of trainers/mentors

-          criteria for the selection of individuals for placements

-          constitution of the selection panel

-          balance of internal/external jobs

-          need to liaise and ensure the proper marketing and packaging of material

-          need for more emphasis of BME Workers Network

-          project length

-          opposition to project

-          gender balance

-          suggestion that mentors/trainers be referred to as coaches

Resolved:- That the report and presentation be noted and the progress being made with the Equip project be welcomed.

ZafarSaleem, Equalities and Diversity Manager, updated the meeting on the current position regarding the Rotherham Racial Equality Council.

He referred to concerns regarding the management and operation of the RREC and that an investigative report on such was pending.

Zafar then referred to the current funding of the RREC and confirmed that the Commission for Racial Equality was not going to continue its funding of the RREC. A report was to be considered at Cabinet next week regarding this Authority’s funding of the RREC which was due to cease in March, 2005.

Cabinet would consider whether it wished to give grant aid to the RREC for a further year or give the organisation three months notice of the ending of Council funding to allow the RREC to find alternative funding.

The need not to forget the previous good work of the RREC over the last 35 years was highlighted and it was stressed that any grant aid monies received by the RREC should be ring-fenced for the Black and Minority Ethnic community.

Resolved:- That the position be noted.

(Councillors Ali and Sangster declared a personal interest in the above matter)

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (financial assistance provided by the Council).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to financial assistance provided by the Council).

(Exempt under Paragraph 5 of the Act – report contains information relating to financial assistance provided by the Council)

Consideration was given to a report presented by Waheed Akhtar, Partnership Officer (Regeneration), which provided an update on progress since the last meeting regarding grant aid levels and further funding requests.

The report covered:-

(a)        Community Cohesion Project:-  A request for further funding for this project through a service level agreement with Voluntary Action Rotherham to carry out additional work required.

(b)        Renewable Energy Feasibility (Wath Montgomery Hall):-  A request for funding from the Wath Montgomery Partnership towards the cost of a feasibility study of including renewable energy during their renovation work to the hall.

(c)        Strategic Funding Officer – External and Regional Affairs:-  A request for funding for a post of Strategic Funding Officer for two years to facilitate improved co-ordination of external funding information.  Particularly important in helping to prepare for funding changes post 2006 in respect of changes to SRB regimes, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Objective 1.

(d)        Rotherham M.B.C. Support to the Voluntary/Community Sector (2003/04):-  Outline of the corporate response to the Charities Aid Foundation on local authority funding to the voluntary and community sectors during the year 2003/04.

(e)        Progress with Service Level Agreements:-  Indication that, for groups who are funded during 2005/06, work was still ongoing in agreeing detailed and re-designed service level agreements.

(f)         Rothersave:-  Indication that a payment had been made to the Council as part of the payback requirement.

Resolved:-  (1)  That approval be given to funding of £2,000 in 2004/05 to Voluntary Action Rotherham to carry out work on the Community Cohesion Project.

(2)  That approval be given to funding of £1,330 in 2004/05 to Wath Montgomery Partnership as a contribution towards the costs of a feasibility study.

(3)  That approval be given to funding of £37,000 in 2005/06 and £38,110 in 2006/07 for the post of Strategic Funding Officer.

(4)  That the funding levels to the voluntary/community sector during the financial year 2003/04 be noted.

(5)  That the contents of the report, the work being undertaken on service level agreements with funded organisations and the payback position from Rothersave be noted.

(Councillor Ali declared a personal interest in the above issues relating to Rotherham Racial Equality Council and Rothersave.

Councillor Sangster declared a personal interest in the above issues relating to Rotherham Racial Equality Council and Wath Montgomery Partnership.)

Resolved:-  That the next meeting be held on Friday, 15^th April, 2005 commencing at 10.00 a.m.