Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to report.

Reference was made to Minute E33 (Presentation on Community Cohesion) that involved the organisation of a workshop for stakeholders of the Rotherham One Town One Community project.  It was noted that this would take place on Thursday 19^th January, 2012, between 1.30 pm – 4.00 pm.  Invitations would be extended to the Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues and their Advisers.

An update was provided in relation to Minute E34 (One Town, One Community – Small Grants Fund) following the deadline for submission of funding requests on 23^rd November, 2011.  Shortlisting would shortly take place to determine successful applicants.  It was proposed that the Cabinet Member would meet with Partners to explore potential partnership funding options. 

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 14^th November, 2011, be approved as a correct record.

Elena Hodgson, Research Analyst, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, to present. 

The Cabinet Member introduced Elena Hodgson, Research Analyst, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, and Janet Spurling, Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, who attended the meeting to provide an update on the recently completed community profile of Rotherham’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGB&T) community. 

This document was produced in-line with the other profiles on Rotherham’s various communities of interest to provide information about local people which would form part of a needs assessment that informed services, policies and strategies.  Whereas other community profiles had been based largely on quantitative data, such as statistics from the Census and benefits information, there were no statistics of this type on LGB&T people.  Therefore this profile was mainly based on surveys, focus groups and input from those working in relevant fields to gain some feedback about how LGB&T people felt about Rotherham as a place to live in, work in or visit.  The profile features sections on demographics, family and living characteristics, health, economic characteristics and personal safety.

Discussion ensued about the content of the profile and the following issues were raised for consideration:

• Comparison of Rotherham data to national data in relation to hate crime statistics;
• Distinguishing between issues and concerns which were specific to the LGB&T community and ones which were shared by the wider community;
• In neighbouring Authorities, LGB&T Pride events had been organised and delivered by a number of different organisations, which included local authorities, voluntary sector and community groups.

The future uses of the LGB&T community profile would include:

• Training and awareness raising across agencies;
• Informing service provision;
• Informing the development of a new inter-agency action plan.

Resolved: - (1)  That the report be received.

(2)  That the full LGB&T community profile be circulated to the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues for discussion and final feedback prior to publication.

(3)  That a further report is submitted to the Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues following the production of the new LGB&T inter-agency action plan.

Waheed Akhtar, Community Engagement Officer, Community, Policy and Performance, to present. 

The Cabinet Member introduced Lizzy Alageswaran, Principal Officer, Planning and Regeneration, Environment and Development Services, and Waheed Akhtar, Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Planning and Performance, who had prepared an update presentation following Rotherham’s 2011 Diversity Festival. 

Lizzy Alageswaran was representing the Chair and Vice Chair of the Management Committee that acted on behalf of the Rotherham Cultural Group.  Unfortunately neither the Chair nor Vice Chair had been able to attend the meeting.  The Management Committee organised and delivered the Diversity Festival as part of the annual Rotherham Show. 

A background to the Rotherham Cultural Group and previous Diversity Festivals was shared; the Group had grown out of the Heritage Lottery Fund and was managed by Rotherham MBC’s Cultural Services.  In addition to monies from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Festival had previously been funded by Arts Council England Funding, and RMBC match funding.  In the past a full-time RMBC Officer was available to support the project, although this had now reduced to general support provided by the Community Art Service.

Other events and activities supported by the Rotherham Cultural Group included:

·         Holi 2011 – Festival of Colour;

·         Chinese New Year Celebrations;

·         Black History Month;

·         Women’s Arts Groups.

In 2011, the Group had been unsuccessful in their funding bid to the Arts Council England.  This was combined with the end of Neighbourhood Regeneration Funding.  Therefore, the 2011 Diversity Festival was delivered for a minimal sum of funding received from Rotherham MBC’s Community Cohesion and Community Art Services. 

Photographs of the activities, stalls and performances available at the Festival were shared; activities and performances were delivered in conjunction with local artists and performers, and many communities were represented. 

Following the event, a number of lessons learned were recorded and would improve the organisation of the Festival in future years.  It was noted that:

·         Audiences for performances had varied but had probably been reduced due to a less favourable position and poorer publicity than in previous years;

·         Some key roles had not been fulfilled by the Festival’s Management Committee, leading to difficulties as a result of information not being available when required.  A future priority would be to increase the capacity of the Management Committee, which would be bolstered by the inclusion of a representative from Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance;

·         Some groups would not get involved with the Diversity Festival once they knew less funding was available compared to previous years. 

·         Lack of funding also led to the increased use of free acts, which had an impact on quality;

·         The liability of the Management Committee was not limited, so RMBC Community Arts had requested that Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance support the group to be a Charity or Limited Company to limit liability of the Management Committee in future events;

·         Ideas for new fusion projects and partnerships had been formed, and would feature in the development of future bids to the Arts Council England;

·         There had been a suggestion that there should be some integration of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Monday 16^th January 2012, 11.30 am, Rotherham Town Hall

Resolved: - That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People’s Issues be held on Monday 16^th January, 2012, at 11.30 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.