Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 28^th January, 2013, were considered.

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion held on 28^th January, 2013, be agreed as an accurate record. 

·         Community Liaison Officer, Housing and Neighbourhoods, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, to report. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Community Liaison Officer, Housing and Neighbourhood Services, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, in relation to the Community Leadership Fund outturn position for the 2012/13 financial year.  The report related to the arrangements available for Elected Members to carry-forward underspends into the 2013/14 financial year.

The report noted that the Community Leadership Fund enabled each Elected Member to address local priorities, support grassroots groups and quickly instigate changes in response to local opinion through an assigned £1,000 budget.  As at January, 2013, 117 projects had been supported across the borough.  The areas supported included activities for young people, helping local events that brought the community together and supporting education and learning projects. 

The submitted report stated that, with five weeks of the financial year to 31^st March 2013 left, the budget was likely to be underspent at year-end, with an approximate amount of £25,000 unallocated.  This estimate had been based on previous years’ outturn positions. 

The report noted how underspends in previous years had been dealt with. Discussion ensued on how underspends for the 2012/13 financial year could be treated. 

Resolved: - (1)  That individual Elected Members’ underspends on their allocations of the Community Leadership Fund at the end of the 2012/13 financial year be treated in the following manner: - 

·         That any underspends above £750 be removed (unless the monies had been approved during the 2012/13 financial year but not spent by year-end). 

·         Any underspends below £750 would be approved to be carried forward into the 2013/14 financial year. 

(2)  That any underspend amounts lost from individual Elected Members’ allocations be recovered into a One Town One Community small grants panel that organisations could submit bids towards.  Criterion for judging applications would be based on how they contributed to the Council’s Corporate Plan Priorities.

(3)  That the Community Liaison Officer notify Elected Members of these arrangements. 

(4)  That all Elected Members receive an allocation of £1,000 from the Community Leadership Fund for the 2013/14 financial year. 

Further to Minute number E37 (One Town One Community Small Grants) of the meeting held on 25^th January, 2013, where consideration had been given to applications to the One Town One Community Small Grants scheme, consideration was now given to a report outlining a funding application received from the Rotherham Military Community Veterans’ Centre Group (MCVCG). 

A decision in relation to the application had been deferred at the previous meeting due to a requirement for further clarification and information to be provided in relation to the application.  This information was now available and was contained within the report submitted to the Cabinet Member. 

The Rotherham MCVCG was a newly established group that aimed to develop and widen the range of services provided for and in conjunction with the ex-forces community.  This was a separate group and the grant would be used to undertake a baseline survey to identify the needs of the ex-forces community in Rotherham.  The requested £250 contribution would be match-funded and used to provide drop-in sessions.

Resolved: -  That a One Town One Community small grant of £250 be made available to the Rotherham Military Community Veterans’ Centre Group as outlined in the submitted report. 

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the public and the press as being exempt under Paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended March, 2006) (Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter).

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 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter). 

·         Head of the Rotherham Integrated Youth Support Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services, to report. 

Further to Minute number C109 (Integrated Youth Support Service – Restructure) of the Cabinet meeting held on 5^th December, 2012, consideration was now given to a report presented by the Head of the Rotherham Integrated Youth Support Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services, that outlined progress to date on the creation of the Service. 

The Head of Service explained how a multi-agency and multi-disciplinary Project Group had been constituted to inform all areas of the Integrated Youth Support Service’s development. Membership included a wide-range of stakeholders from all sectors and two ‘Young Embedded Advisers’ to represent young people’s voice and influence in the process.  Completed actions of the Project Group, along with its related sub-groups, included: -

·         Creation of a Borough-wide needs assessment focussing specifically on young people;

·         A mapping exercise of existing provision across all providers Borough-wide;

·         A mapping exercise on the national and local policy requirements and foci;

·         A definition of vulnerability;

·         Modelling and creation of tools for the delivery of work to young people;

·         Consultation design, especially regarding voice and influence;

·         Developing work on health and wellbeing strand;

·         Development of support, activity and admin hubs for the Service;

·         Short- and Long-term workforce development strategies, which included the development of six modules that all members of the Integrated Youth Support Service would undertake, including topics relating to engagement and health and wellbeing issues, to ensure that all members of the Service would have knowledge of the support available. 

The Head of Service shared a draft service structure for the Integrated Youth Support Service.  It was noted that consultation on the proposed service structure was shortly due to start with employees and trade union representatives. 

Discussion ensued, and the following issues were raised: -

·         Would staff be deployed centrally or in bases across the Borough?

·         How would the Service support outlying areas and the town centre?

·         How would the Service ensure the privacy and confidentiality for all service-users when operating from a co-located building?

·         What were the risks and uncertainties associated with the creation of the new Service?

Resolved: - (1)  That the information shared be noted. 

(2)  That a further report be presented to the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion in relation to the progress of the Rotherham Integrated Youth Support Service when appropriate. 

·         Monday 25^th March, 2013, to start at 12.00 noon in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved: -  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion be held on Monday 25^th March, 2013, to start at 12.00 noon in the Rotherham Town Hall.