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Meeting Details

Forum for Empowering Communities
30 Mar 2016 - 16:00 to 18:00
Occurred
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda
Notification
Committee Members
Membership
L O’Brien, Barnados; I McLean, Bridgewater Housing Association; A McNiven, Engage Renfrewshire; A Fraser, Linstone Housing Association; J Wilby, Paisley West End & Central Community Council; S McLellan, RAMH; S Cruickshank, Renfrewshire Access Panel; K Taylor, Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau; S Graham, Renfrewshire Council; J Cram, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership; and J Kiddie, Renfrewshire Law Centre.
Chair
Alan McNiven.
Alan McNiven presided.
Standard Items
Members of the Press and Public
Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the reception where they will be met and directed to the meeting.
Further Information
This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. 

A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at www.renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx

For further information, please either email
democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk or telephone 0141 618 7112.
Present
L O'Brien, Barnados; A McNiven, Engage Renfrewshire; J Wilby, Paisley West End & Central Community Council; S McLellan, RAMH; S Graham, Renfrewshire Council; and J Cram, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership.
In Attendance
I Cunningham and K Miller (both Engage Renfrewshire); and N Irvine-Brown. G Wilson, S Tkacenko and C MacDonald (all Renfrewshire Council).
Order of Business
The Chair intimated that he proposed to alter the order of business to facilitate the conduct of the meeting by considering item 11 of the agenda after item 2.  He also advised that Item 4 - Community Learning & Development Strategy Update had been deferred to the next meeting of the Forum.
Items Of Business
Apologies
Apologies from members.
I McLean, Bridgewater Housing Association; and S Cruickshank, Renfrewshire Access Panel.
Declarations of Interest
Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest.
There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to commencement of the meeting.
Minute of meeting of the Forum for Empowering Communities held on 27 January 2016.
1
There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Renfrewshire Forum for Empowering Communities held on 27 January 2016.
 
DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.
Report by Director of Finance & Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
2
The Rolling Action Log was submitted for approval.

DECIDED:

(a)  It was agreed that completed actions within RF.27.01.15(5), RF.27.01.15(8) and RF.05.05.15(3) would be removed from the Action Log; and

(b)  That the Action Log be approved.
Presentation by N Irvine-Brown, Chief Executive's Service, Renfrewshire Council.
4
A presentation was given by N Irvine-Brown relative to the design and development of a Stakeholder Engagement Framework.  The presentation gave a brief overview of the current practice and highlighted the opportunities and developments to date.

The presentation requested that the Forum for Empowering Communities act as a Reference Group on the development of the external stakeholder aspect of the Engagement Framework; to provide expertise on content and sections or to advise who could assist;  to sign off the framework before it was presented to the CPP Board; and to suggest a name for the framework.

A general discussion followed which centered around establishing a mission statement to act as a wrap around what was currently in place.

DECIDED:

(a)  That it be agreed that the Board would act as a Reference Group on the development of the external stakeholder aspect of the Engagement Framework;

(b)  That it be agreed that the Board would provide expertise on content and sections or advise who could assist;
 
(c)  That it be agreed that the Board would sign off the framework before it was presented to the CPP Board; and

(d)  That it be agreed that the Board would suggest a name for the framework.
Verbal update by A Conboy, Education Manager, Children's Services.
Joint presentation by A McNiven, Chief Executive, Engage Renfrewshire and S Graham, Partnerships Manager, Chief Executive's Service, Renfrewshire Council.
5
A McNiven and S Graham gave a presentation which updated the Board on the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (the Act).  The presentation indicated that the Act would mean different things to different community groups in terms of assets, services and procurement for community benefit; a brief overview was given of the participation request and how it would be managed and approached;
 
A general discussion followed relating to the development of a Community Planning toolkit for the Act and the establishment of a Sub-Group to develop an action plan.

DECIDED:

(a)  That it be agreed that a Sub-Group be established to develop a Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 action plan;

(b)  That it be noted that further reports on the progress of the Sub-Group would be submitted to future meetings of the Board; and

(c)  That the presentation be noted.


Verbal update by A McNiven, Chair of Forum for Empowering Communities.
6
A McNiven gave an update on the Paisley 2021 Executive Group.  He advised that the Community Engagement Workstream now had an operational plan in place.  There was an acknowledgement that the people who lived within Paisley felt close to "the bid" however there was a need to make the bid Renfrewshire wide and keep up the profile for the bid in a wide range of Renfrewshire's community settings.  As a result, it was proposed that local ‘info-desks’ (potentially five – one in each Local Area Committee area) would be established. These points of contact would have some ability for those who enquired to leave their ‘fingerprint’ on the bid.  It was noted that branding ‘packs’ were being developed and a commitment sought from all community organisations and partners to brand output with the ‘bid’ mark.  There was also a strong commitment given around the participation of communities of interest, for example BAME and LGBT, and to engage with the Diversity and Equality Alliance in Renfrewshire (DEAR) Group.

DECIDED:  That the verbal update be noted. 
Report by S Cruickshank, Chair of Renfrewshire Access Panel.
7
Under reference to the Minute of the meeting of the Forum for Empowering Communities held on 27 January, 2015, there was submitted a report by the Chair of Renfrewshire Access Panel relative to improving the accessibility of streets, pavements and public places within Renfrewshire.   The report advised that Renfrewshire Access Panel had carried out its first Living Streets report which provided comment on the accessibility of pavements and public spaces around Paisley Town Centre from Moss Street to Cotton Street/Abbey Close.  The street audit was attached as an appendix to the report.

DECIDED

(a)  That it be agreed that the Living Streets report be submitted to relevant Community Planning boards for consideration: and

(b)  That it be agreed that Renfrewshire Access Panel undertake further Living Streets reports of appropriate locations in Renfrewshire.
Verbal update by S Cruickshank, Chair, Renfrewshire Access Panel and S Graham, Partnerships Manager, Chief Executive's Service, Renfrewshire Council.
8
Under reference to the Minute of the meeting of the Forum for Empowering Communities Thematic Board held on 17 November 2015, A McNiven advised that funding had now been released from the Tackling Poverty Programme to provide supported volunteering and work experience opportunities targeted at young people with Additional Support Needs.  It was noted that Renfrewshire Access Panel were working with employers to raise awareness and to ensure that any necessary adaptations were in place.  It was hoped that the project would continue after funding which would in turn help to enhance the employability of young people.

DECIDED:  That the verbal update be noted.


Report by S Graham, Partnerships Manager, Chief Executive's Service, Renfrewshire Council.
9
There was submitted a report by A McNiven relative to the revised action plan for the Forum for Empowering Communities Thematic Board.  The report advised that the action plan had set out tasks to be achieved in support of the agreed Community Planning targets.  The draft action plan was attached as an appendix to the report.

DECIDED:  That the report and action plan be agreed.
Report by A McNiven, Chief Executive, Engage Renfrewshire.
10
There was submitted a report by the Lead Officer for the Forum for Empowering Communities Thematic Board (the Forum) relative to membership of the Board.  The report advised that the Forum had operated productively to date with its original membership, supplemented by members co-opted on to the Forum to address specific issues. However, it was now appropriate that the Forum sought to widen its membership to ensure that there was good representation at meetings and to enable some additional third sector organisations to participate in the Forum as appropriate, in accordance with emerging guidance from the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.  It was also noted that substitute arrangements should be put in place if members were unable to attend the meeting.

DECIDED:

(a)  That it be agreed that an invitation be extended to additional third sector organisations that have the capacity to contribute across the range of issues that the Forum addressed to join the Forum For Empowering Communities Thematic Board;
 
(b)  That it be agreed that Forum Board Members nominate a substitute from their organisation to attend meetings in the event that they are unable to attend; and
 
(c)  That it be agreed that the Chair of the Forum write to appropriate organisations to invite them to join the Forum For Empowering Communities Thematic Board.
Report by S McLellan, Chief Executive, RAMH & Forum for Empowering Communities Board Member.
3
There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive, RAMH relative to an update in relation to the Living Wage and its relationship to the Scottish Living Wage.  The report advised that the National Minimum Living Wage starting rate at present was £7.20 per hour but would due to rise in unspecified increments to £9.00 per hour by April 2020. This constituted a 25% rise.  The Scottish Living Wage, which was a voluntary ‘opt in’ standard. was currently £8.25 per hour which was set annually in November by the Living Wage Foundation and Leicester University amongst others and was gauged against what was deemed to be a basic standard of living in the UK.  The average annual ‘increase’ was around £0.40p per hour, per annum and there was no upper target.
 
Renfrewshire Council had liaised with local third sector Social Care providers to consider options which made the Scottish Living Wage achievable. The Scottish Government had recently indicated that it was keen to see the care sector address fair work practices both through public procurement and central funding support and had made £2.5m available nationally in 2015/16. The distribution of the fund was based upon a 50% contribution from Government; 25% from Cosla members and a 25% contribution from Providers.  It was anticipated that further initiatives would be continued in 2016/17.

DECIDED:  That it be agreed that the Forum support negotiations and discussion between local Social Care providers, the Local Authority and the Health and Social Care Partnership, to facilitate achievement of a sustainable Scottish Living Wage levels across the spectrum of provision in Renfrewshire.
Report by A McNiven, Lead Officer, Forum for Empowering Communities.
11
Feedback reports from the members who had been present at the various Thematic Boards were submitted in respect of

• Greener Renfrewshire Thematic Board;
• Jobs & the Economy Thematic Board;
• Safer & Stronger Renfrewshire Thematic Board ;
• Children & Young People Thematic Board; and
• Community Care Health & Wellbeing Thematic Board .

DECIDED: To note the feedback provided in the reports.

Attendance

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending Apology
Mr Stephen Cruickshank 
Mr Joe Ferrie 

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

Visitor Information is not yet available for this meeting