GYP: Minutes of Steering Group meeting 13/12/07

CC                   Community Connections

GYVSP           Great Yarmouth Voluntary Sector Partnership

CG                   Community Grants

CDW               Community Development Worker

DCLG             Department for Community and Local Government

GYST             Great Yarmouth Support Team

CP                   Community Partnership

GO-East         Government Office – East of England

GYBC             Great Yarmouth Borough Council

GYIA               Great Yarmouth International Association

GYLC             Great Yarmouth Learning Community

GYLSP            Great Yarmouth Local Strategic Partnership

GYP                Great Yarmouth People

GYPSG           Great Yarmouth People Steering Group

LAA                Local Area Agreement

NM                  Neighbourhood Management

NRF                Neighbourhood Renewal Fund

SCS                 Sustainable Communities Strategy

SSCF               Safer and Stronger Community Fund

WNF               Working Neighbourhoods Fund

Welcomes and Introductions: Adrian Barnes welcomed us all to the meeting. Introduced ourselves around the table.  

Attendance: Adrian Barnes (Chair – BWCF), Avril Teun (CC Administrator), Alan Ellison (Mag rep), Carol Congreve (Norfolk Constabulary) David Wilkinson (SY Rep), Diana Baxter (GFS Platform), Jacky Hughes (Children & Families rep), Jo Chaplin (GY Volunteer Centre) Julia Dyson (GYIA), Julie Woods (CD – TL), Margaret Ward (Waterside Rep), Mike Hewitt (North Yarmouth Rep), Nick Davey (CY Rep), Annie Sadler (GYVC), Phil Nathan (1st East), Rosa Hogarth (Chinese Association), Stephanie Vincent (Gorleston Central rep), Tim Leonard (LSP Officer), Trish Aydin (CC), Susan Lat (Chinese Association 2nd Rep), Peter Kirkpatrick (Rural 2nd Rep), Margareth Howard (Yareside rep), Paul Cheeseman (GYVSP)

Apologies: Judith Edmonds (BWCF), Brian McDonnell (OPN), John Drinkill (CC Finance), Wendy Long (Rural 1st rep), Lindsay Seward (Disability Forum), Pam Cranston (GYVC).

Not in attendance: Sue Read (Housing Rep). Rachel Street (Connexions), John Holmes (SY Rep).

Minutes of the last meeting (8th November 2007) were checked for accuracy and acknowledged as a true and correct record.

Everyone was acknowledged with thanks for their good and hard work pulling the action plan together. Changes have been made from our last meeting. No further changes to be made, SG are happy with the action plan and to move on. Copy of the action plan has gone to LSP Executive. Trish will keep us updated.

a) Training. GYP Training needs form was enclosed with the minutes; please complete the form for your own individual GYP training needs i.e. Induction. Please complete the training form still if you feel no training is needed, this is so we know that we’ve had a response from everyone on the SG. Please forward all forms to Avril by 30th Dec 2007. Action All 

4.2    (item 5.1) Event 2007/2008 – GY Together (Julie)

The event is taking place on 15 March 2008, 2-7pm held at Marina Centre. Entertainment throughout the day. Posters circulated, have been amended slightly and will be sent out electronically to all networks. Please forward on the posters and display them. We can organise bigger posters if requested, contact Julie or Helen at Electra House. Julie gave an overview of the day’s schedule. 

Question arose over how Community Cohesion will be built into the days event and its theme? Trish will work with her network on this and get back to us with thoughts, will send something out with the minutes. Action Trish    Contact Julie if you are interested in joining the event planning sub group.

Tel: 01493 656372, julie.woods@communityconnections.org.uk

Next sub group meeting: 15th January 2008 at Electra House at 10.00am

Meeting took place this week. Research was done on those claiming Job Seekers Allowance, had a good response. This will help inform an Ambitions event March 2008, date yet to be advised. Investing in Communities and NRF will be funding this event. More information will be forthcoming.

a) Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF). NRF is coming to an end, as from 1st April 2008 Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) will be a new funding programme for the borough. This Working Neighbourhoods Fund is a new dedicated fund for local councils and communities to develop more concentrated, community-led approaches to getting people in the most deprived areas back to work. It replaces the existing Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) with the restricted focus.

WNF has 7.1m to spend over three years, broken down to the following, 2m for the 1st year, 2.5m - 2nd year and 2.6m - 3rd year. Tim mentioned that there will be lots of work to fully utilise this fund. If any money is left over, this will be returned.

Still in some thought to whom the responsible body will be, NRF team will continue to administrate.

For full details and guidelines, visit the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG); http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/neighbourhoodrenewal/workingneighbourhoodsfund

There is no application available yet to apply for this fund. It’s suggested that we should start to think about what the fund can be used for. WNF is available borough wide, no restrictions. 

LSP Executive will be looking at WNF to decide on a set up and spending process. 

A point was made by Julia that action plan should draw out those areas that are applicable to WNF include WNF into the Action Plan. Add to Action Plan. Action Trish/Avril

Julie reported that most membership forms have been returned, couple outstanding. Forms to be forwarded to groups not yet responded. Action Avril/Julie

Paul reported that the voluntary sector is looking for a rep for housing sub group.

a) Economic Forum. Peter Paine has agreed to have a seat as 2nd rep on Economic Forum. Suggest Peter having a seat on GYP SG to be able to report back to this SG. Nominated and agree for Peter Paine to become a full member to this SG. Inform Economic Forum of Peter’s details. Action Avril 

Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) & Local Area Agreement

SCS. ‘Have your say’ consultation document circulated, compiled by David Stannard and Community Connections and Priory NVS. The document is available for the public to complete, available on website, CLIP offices and libraries. To be complete and returned to Electra House by end of January 2008. Action All

LAA. Trish circulated the following document, Tim explained, “The new performance framework for local authorities and local authorities partnerships” The Local Government White Paper Strong and Prosperous Communities published last year, committed to introducing a set of streamlined indicators that would reflect national priority outcomes for local authorities working in partnership. A single set of 198 national indicators was announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.

In each area, targets against the set of national indicators will be negotiated through new Local Area Agreements (LAAs). Each Agreement will include up to 35 targets from among the national indicators, complemented by statutory targets on educational attainment and early years.

Tim Leonard and David Stannard have selected 34 indicators (one indicator short), GYP SG spent time to go through these and gave feedback to what we felt as a group should be removed or added i.e. NI 7 – Environment for a thriving Third Sector – to be included, bearing in mind that all indicators are to be measured in some way. Each indicator will be monitored closely and regualry. Your comments are required. Community Development Workers will work with Community groups on getting feedback. All feedback to Tim.

Small Grants has come to an end, no budget available. Continuing to meet occasionally and to monitor each project. See attached report.

Gorleston Wide CP.  Good meeting covering crime and variety of issues was raised.

State of Borough Debate - Borough Wide Liaison Committee. Is now split into 2 groups; Gorleston and Great Yarmouth. Gorleston committee meeting took place and raised the issue around lack of Community Buildings especially when the Chapel Centre sells. Are there any means to find funds to keep this centre? 

Chinese Association. Rosa reported they now have 40 x children attending school to learn a language and 8 x adults to learn English.

Please let Rosa know asap of any local buildings or schools they can rent for use at reasonable cost. 

Database: Avril reported is complete, ready for use as of January. 

Website: Affinity are still working on the site, hoping to get this ready by Christmas. Promise to get this finalised and live for New Year. 

10.2  Environmental Forum (Alan)

Meeting took longer than usual therefore no time for reporting back. Reports will be included with minutes for next meeting. Report for next meeting (Trish)

First newsletter sent out to 2250 people. Copies of the newsletter will be sent to GYP SG. Now starting to work on the 2nd Phase of 1st East. Phil has spoken to Mr Bailey Marketing and Communication officer of on using other methods getting newsletter out.

Phil and Mark would like to provide the SG with a 30 min session for us to discuss ways to how the community forum would operate and run in the community? Suggested to facilitate this workshop in February’s meeting. Phil to facilitate. CDWs to discuss this also at their CP meetings. Action Phil  

Thank you. Adrian would like to thank Avril on behalf of the GYP SG for her work over the years and all the best with the new arrival soon.

held on Thursday 13th December   2007.

Report of the initial meeting with voluntary, community and statutory organisations held on Thursday 29th November 2007.

Mary welcomed us and explained the Great Yarmouth Library Activity Plan.

Great Yarmouth is one of 58 nationally including 5 in the Eastern Region to receive a grant. The grant, just over £1.3 million, is held by Norfolk Library and Information Service (NLIS). 

Better designed, more accessible and better able to meet the community needs.

Over the next six months, 3 futher plans, a business plan, a community and engagement plan and a capital project delivery plan have to be submitted. These plans will enable BIG Lottery Funding to assess whether the project is achievable.

Members present finished by writing on the table sheets ideas relating to their organisations. 

Mike Hewitt                   GYP Representative 

 meeting held on Thursday 13th December   2007.

Report of the Task Group meeting held 27th November 2007.

The full budget of £26,179 is fully spent. The last £845 awarded to GY International Assoc.

Also NRF would not allow any under spend to be re-allocated to small grants as in the past. This money will be clawed back to NRF for other projects. This was despite John giving a full explanation of how the funding had been used in the past.

Panel members agreed to do follow up visits to a number of projects and encourage them to present to their local partnership meetings.

Mike Hewitt                   Task Group Chair

The Report of the last meeting, 28th November 2007

 It was unanimously agreed to recommend to the LSP that the Great Yarmouth Fair Share area be extended to incorporate all of Central Yarmouth up to the west side of North Denes/Nelson Road North. Assuming approval was received, publicity and community members from the additional area will be required.

Loss of funding could occur if grant spending is not increased.

The scheme to improve the surface, has been completed on the un-adopted part of North River Road. 

Discussions are still taking place between all parties regarding the disabled access from the crossing to the station. Land ownership is still a problem.

A start has taken place in that fencing has been placed along the low wall. Assumed this is for safety purposes.

Runham Vauxhall Residence Association members gave a verbal list of a number of small projects, these will be costed for the next meeting.