Agenda and minutes

Councillor Burton declared a personal interest in Minute No. 126 being the Council’s representative on the Women’s Strategy Group.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th February, 2007 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Zafar Saleem, Equalities and Diversity Manager, which detailed the Community Cohesion Action Plan 2007-2008, which had been produced by the Community Cohesion Group, a sub-group of the Proud Theme Board.

This document would also help inform Members of the key themes and strands of activity in relation to Community Cohesion.

The Community Cohesion Plan was based on seven key objectives covering areas such as community tensions, migrant communities, interfaith activity and young people.

The plan contained specific tasks that would contribute towards achieving agreed objectives, identified lead agencies and other organisations that would offer support and outlined how progress would be measured.

Further information was provided on the objectives contained in the action plan.

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

·              Promotion of cultural events and specialist activities aimed at various groups in Rotherham.

·              Social and economic factors affecting the Polish community.

·              Effect of the influx of migrant workers on the Rotherham economy.

·              Links with Culture and Leisure Services.

·              Credibility of cohesion and need for resources.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Community Cohesion Action Plan 2007-2008 be approved.

(2)  That performance reports on progress be received on a regular basis.

(3)  That regular liaison take place between Culture and Leisure Services and the Equalities and Diversity Unit to keep abreast of activities taking place.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Phil Rogers, Director of Culture and Leisure Services, which set out an introduction to the ongoing work within Culture and Leisure.

The attached briefing paper highlighted the work currently being undertaken within Culture and Leisure Services across a range of activities and areas aimed at delivering services to target groups and communities.

Specific reference was made to just some of the activities taking place, which included:-

·              BME representation on the Rotherham Cultural Consortium.

·              Provision of targeted services to communities.

·              Family learning opportunities.

·              Free internet and e-mail access.

·              Services to minority ethnic communities.

·              Heads Together magazine.

·              Temporary exhibition programmes at CliftonPark Museum.

·              Ongoing improvements to permanent displays at Clifton ParkMuseum.

·              Ferham Family’s Project.

·              Global Village All Year Round Programme.

·              Cabby Cup – Six-a-side football tournament for taxi drivers.

·              Position Action for Young People Football Project.

·              Community Sports Coach delivery.

·              BME Pilot Project for Girls.

·              BME Cricket Project.

·              Promotional material offered in other languages/formats.

A discussion and a question and answer session ensued clarifying the following issues:-

-                 Gender balance and activities for young females.

-                 User analysis for the library.

-                 Need for cultural mixing between communities and Council-wide activities.

-                 Access to sport for all to prevent male dominated sports taking over.

-                 Encouragement of young females to participate in sport.

-                 Promotion of the positive work undertaken.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contents of this report be noted and regular updates be received.

(2)  That copies of the Heads Together magazine be provided for the Cabinet Member and Advisers.

(3)  That analysis of users of the Library be forwarded to Councillor Burton.

(4)  That a further report be provided for the delegated powers meeting in June, 2007 looking at the outturn activity for 2006/07.

(5)  That a further report be submitted to a future meeting on the new Performance Indicators relating to Community Cohesion.

(6)  That the Cabinet Members for Community Cohesion and Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure meet to consider how Culture and Leisure and cohesion activities could be brought together.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Asim Munir, Principal Community Involvement Officer, which detailed the progress made between April, 2006 and January, 2007 against the actions in the Council’s Consultation and Community Involvement (CCI) Framework aiming to deliver improvements in community involvement and consultation activity across the Council.

The Framework set out the Council’s vision, aims and objectives for consultation and community involvement.  It also set out a range of actions to ensure that consultation and community involvement under-pinned and was built into Council policy and service delivery.

In terms of progress to date the Framework had been published and disseminated widely.  It had been received positively and identified as good practice, the development of the Framework had been published as a case study on IDeA’s Knowledge website and the Consultation Institute Website.

In the recent CPA, the Council performed well in CCI across the Council making strong improvements in user focus acknowledging the development of the CCI Framework as a key driver. “The Council was sustaining its strong community connections through extensive programmes of consultation and engagement, including with vulnerable sectors and minority groups in the borough” and “consultation outcomes were carefully tracked and reflected in the final strategy and action plans.”

All the actions in the action plan were on track with some of key achievements so far being:-

·              A CCI Training Event which took place last year and staff training sessions have continued since.

·              A Corporate CCI Officers Group had been developed and five meetings have taken place so far.

·              NRS funding was secured to develop an Older People’s Forum and a Disability Network.

·              The CCI Toolkit was completed and was ready for dissemination.

·              The new Area Assemblies structure had been developed with support, a review undertaken from the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel and was officially launched in September 2006.

·              The Parish Charter was launched in March last year following support and a review from the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel.

·              The Corporate CCI Website was up and running on the Council website.

·              Seven Communities of Interest profiles have been developed and disseminated.

·              The 1st Quality of Life Survey undertaken and results have been disseminated which has established a baseline.

·              Reach Out had been refreshed.

·              Three Reach In Surveys completed.

·              Customers Charters now ‘live’.

·              Older People’s Forum developed.

·              Revised Service Planning.

The CCI Framework was agreed at the Proud Theme Group with a view to extending it into a Partnership CCI Framework.  This had now been agreed by the Partnership Board in September, 2006.

Partners have a long history of consulting and involving, often in partnership.  The proposal was to develop a Partnership CCI Framework setting out shared standards, principles and aims.  It would build and bring together existing plans and guidance.   Its aim would be to help ensure that all consultation was co-ordinated, consistent, coherent and constructive to high and common standards. The Local Area Agreement had a target to develop the Council’s CCI Framework into a Partnership one by November, 2007.

It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 123.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Angela Smith, Neighbourhood Strategy Manager, which detailed the final draft of the Rotherham Community Development Strategy 2007, a Year Ahead Commitment in the Corporate Plan.

The aim of the Community Development Strategy was to ensure that the Council and its partners delivered services which were responsive to and tailored made to the needs and aspirations of our customers. It sought to ensure that services extended choice and control, gave individuals and community groups a real say over services and strengthened the role citizens and communities played in shaping the places they lived in.

Community involvement and development was part of the democratic process.  It was a ‘means to an end’ rather than an end in itself.  If done right it would lead to better outcomes for people and places throughout the borough.

The vision was that Rotherham would be a place where residents played a leading role in the development of their own communities and delivery of services. A place with:-

“Vibrant and engaged communities where individuals and groups are able to work effectively together to regenerate the area, improve and deliver public services and generally enhance the quality of life through independent action and mutual support.”

Through the delivery of this strategy it would ensure that outcomes for individuals living within each Assembly area included:-

·              Bringing people together and increasing their capacity to identify common issues and areas of need.

·              Helping people to develop the skills to influence the social, economic, political and environmental issues which affect them and their communities and enabling them to undertake initiatives of their own to deal with concerns.

·              Involving people equally on the issues which affect them and their community.

·              Promoting consultation, dialogue, and involvement that was responsiveness to community needs.

·              Developing policies, structures, systems and procedures which more readily responded to community needs.

·              Recognising and improving the contribution providers of services could make to the process.

·              Providing advice, support and development to less well resourced partners.

Members recognised the importance of the Strategy and the partnership approach, emphasis was placed upon the clear need for performance monitoring and reporting back on the delivery of robust outcomes for the community, this should also include impact on community cohesion.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the draft Community Development Strategy be approved.

(2)  That the draft community development strategy be circulated for wider consultation.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relates to financial or business affairs).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) -  (information relating to financial or business affairs).

Consideration was given to a report presented by Zafar Saleem, Equalities and Diversity Manager, which provided an update of spend against the allocated 2006/2007 budget from the I.C.I.B. for the Women’s Strategy and sought authority to carry forward unspent I.C.I.B. monies to the new financial year 2007/2008.

Funds were allocated for the launch of the Women’s Strategy in December, 2006, but the launch had been postponed until June, 2007, leaving more time for consultation on the final draft.

Resolved:-  That the carry forward of unspent monies, as set in the report, into the 2007/2008 financial year be approved.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the Annual Plan be reviewed for the new municipal year.

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion take place on Monday, 23^rd April, 2007 at 8.30 a.m.