Agenda and draft minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to record. 

The minutes of the previous meeting of the International Links Committee held on 10^th January, 2013, were considered.

Agreed: - That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record. 

The International Links Officer provided an update on the International Links Budget at the close of the 2012/13 financial year. 

The submitted report outlined the types of projects that had been funded through the International Links budget, the criteria that existed for applying funding to projects and a breakdown of the total budget for 2012/13 and for 2013/14, assuming the carry forward was agreed. 

Updated figures were available compared to those that were within the submitted report.  Therefore, at the close of the 2012/13 financial year: -

·         Total allocation for 2012/13 (including charity donations for Cluj Napoca) was £21, 769.00.

·         Total expenditure (outturn position) during 2012/13 was £13, 340.00.

·         Balance for 2013/14: - £8, 426.00.

The balance of £8, 426 was requested to be carried forward into the 2013/14 financial year to fund work on projects where work had started but not yet paid for.  The items that the proposed carry forward would fund were: -

·         Promotional material about Rotherham;

·         Host delegates from Zabrze in April, 2013; 

·         A delegation from Rotherham to attend a cultural event in Cluj Napoca in May; 2013.

The International Links Officer gave an update on the projects to be funded through the proposed carried forward amount. 

·         Promotional material: - a book on Rotherham’s history was under production.  A short delay had been experienced to enable some new photographs to be taken.  The specification and content of the books, including a dual-language format;

·         Visit from Zabrze delegates: - developing links between the two areas, including fostering links between Rotherham United and Gornick Zabrze football teams;

·         Visit to Cluj Napoca: - visits by Elected Members and members of RMBC’s Senior Leadership teams to look at issues around engagement/supporting Roma communities, social services and public health functions.  Also to include engagement of partner organisations and Rotherham taking a chef and Police band to showcase British food, music and culture.  This would be funded through the carried-forward balance from the 2012/13 total budget allocation. 

Discussion ensued on the specification of the promotional book and it was agreed that the books would have a higher quality finish if they were bound as hardback books, rather than softback. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the report be received and its contents noted, including the updates provided at the meeting. 

(2)  That £8, 426.00 from the balance of the 2012/13 International Links budget be approved as a carry-forward into the 2013/14 budget to pay for the projects that had been initiated in 2012/13, including the improved specification of the promotional book on Rotherham.  

(3)  That the 2013/14 International Links budget total allocation of £23, 508.00 (including the carry-forward amount of £8, 426.00) be noted. 

The International Links Officer provided an update on the projects that were being undertaken as part of the International Links action plan. 

Appendix one of the submitted report outlined all of the projects that had taken place during the 2012/13 year, and a number that were continuing to be on-going for each of Rotherham’s international partners. 

Consideration was given to the new requests that had been received for funding against the International Links budget: -

St. Quentin, France: -

·         Request from an MA student, Mr. Duberuil, who was seeking a placement between three and six months so that he could undertake a module for his course relating to a European-funded project.  Costs would relate to Mr. Duberuil’s accommodation and travel costs;

·         Request from Ms. J. Thompson for support to access a host family in France whilst learning French;

·          A delegation of 6 people would be invited to attend Rotherham’s annual Mayor Making Ceremony in 2013.

Cluj, Romania: -

·         An invitation had been received from the Mayor of Cluj which invited a delegation from Rotherham to attend the city's celebrations in May, 2013.  A delegation of up to 20 people, including representatives from South Yorkshire Police, Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and RMBC would be invited.  It was proposed that the carry-forward balance from the 2012/13 budget would be used to cover this expenditure.

Zabzre, Poland: -

·         An invitation had been received for a project in Rotherham to become a partner in an EU funded project around work with Women and Young Mothers.  Initial communications between the Polish element of the project and GROW had taken place. The project aimed to provide support and education for women and young mothers. Further information is awaited from Zabrze;

·         Work was underway with Zabzre to develop a number of projects relating to economic participation, work and training, sport and football and the Imagination Library.  Carryover funding was requested from the International Links budget to cover the cost of a delegation from Zabrze to attend work with Roma Community lead by Migration Yorkshire during early April 2013;

·         An invitation had been made to the Mayor of Zabzre to attend Rotherham’s annual Mayor Making Ceremony in 2013.

Fairtrade: -

·         The annual Fairtrade dinner took place at the Wharncliffe Restaurant in March, 2013, as part of Fairtrade Fortnight. Sponsorship was provided by the Co-op. The charities supported were the Mayor's Charity and Coffee Kids, each received £610 from the money raised;

·         A Fairtrade painting competition would be held in May, 2013, involving young people from local schools. An awards ceremony would be held in the Rotherham Town Hall to present the awards to the winners.

Discussion ensued on the requested as now received and how they fitted into the International Links policy. 

Agreed: - That the following actions be undertaken to further the requests received against the International Links project and budget: -

(a)  That placements be sought in support of Mr. Duberuil’s request;

(b)  That a reciprocal arrangement be sought to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

Nothing was raised under this item. 

·         Thursday 11^th July, 2013, to start at 2.00 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall.  (Please note change of date from 4^th July, 2013). 

Agreed: - That the next meeting of the International Links Committee meet on Thursday 11^th July, 2013, to start at 2.00 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall.