A McNiven, Chief Executive, Engage Renfrewshire.

I McLean, Bridgewater Housing Association; A McNiven, Engage Renfrewshire; J Wilby, Paisley West & Central Community Council; S McLellan, RAMH; S Cruickshank, Renfrewshire Access Panel; and K Graham, Renfrewshire Wide Credit Union.

S King, Barnardos; I Cunninghame, H Kay, K McIntyre, K Miller and S Miller (all Engage Renfrewshire); A Torrance, A Scott, J Mackie, S Graham and C MacDonald (all Renfrewshire Council); R Robertson, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership; N Hanssen, ROAR; and L Devine, Save the Children.

A McNiven welcomed Laura Devine from Save the Children and Nicola Hanssen from ROAR as new members to the Forum for Empowering Communities Group.

I McLean and S McLellan left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item of business.

M Mathieson, Barnados; A Clark, Create; A Fraser, Linstone Housing Association; and S Duncan, Leap.

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Renfrewshire Forum for Empowering Communities Group held on 13 December 2017.

DECIDED:    That the Minute be approved.

The Rolling Action Log was submitted for approval.

DECIDED:

(a)  That action RFG.13.12.17(3) be removed from the Action Log as it was now complete; 

(b)   That the updates be noted; and

(c)   That the Rolling Action Log be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice relative to the Draft Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan 2018/21 which was currently subject to consultation. The Draft Plan was due to be submitted to the Scottish Government by 31 March 2018. A copy of the draft plan was appended to the report. 

The report advised that the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 received Royal Assent on 21 March 2016. Its purpose was to make provision for community justice, establishing a new national body (Community Justice Scotland) to oversee community justice and introduce requirements in relation to the achievement of particular nationally and locally determined outcomes, and to provide national, professional and strategic leadership for community justice in Scotland.

The report indicated that on 31 March 2017, under the new model, the Community Justice Authorities were disestablished and new community justice arrangements were put in place at both a national and local level from 1 April 2017. The new model required the statutory partners to cooperate at a local level in the preparation, implementation and review of a Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan for the local authority area, outlining how they would work together to address reoffending. On 1 April 2017 Community Justice Renfrewshire assumed full responsibility for local community justice arrangements and the Renfrewshire Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan 2017 to 2018 was published. The first annual progress report to cover period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018 was required to be published by 30 September 2018.

The report intimated that on 11 January 2018 the Scottish Government agreed funding in principle of £50,000 for each local authority to continue to support statutory partners fulfil their obligations under the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016. This funding was included in the Local Government Settlement figures and would be paid out from 1 April 2018 as part of the General Revenue Grants payments.

The report stated that Renfrewshire Draft Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan 2018/21 set out the local priorities for action in the next twelve months. It was noted that the priorities identified in the plan would include improved community understanding and participation in community justice; development of the employability pipeline to better meet the needs of people with convictions; reduction in homelessness for prison leavers; and improved access to information and support options for mental health.

The Criminal Justice Services Manager was then heard in response to questions from the Group on various aspects of the report. A McNiven intimated that it was important to ensure that the information contained within the report was communicated to third sector organisations.  I McLean intimated that it would be beneficial for the Community Justice Team to give an update to the Homeless Providers Forum and potentially FLAIR.  It was agreed that I McLean would liaise with A Torrance.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the contents of the Renfrewshire Draft Community Justice Outcomes
Improvement Plan 2018/21 as outlined within the appendix to the report be approved;

(b)  That it be noted that the plan continued to be subject to consultation and minor amendments; and

(c)  That it be noted that the Renfrewshire Community Justice Local Outcomes Improvement Plan was required to be submitted to Community Justice Scotland by 31 March 2018.

(d)  That it be agreed that I McLean would liaise with the Community Justice Team with a view to an update being given at the Homeless Providers Forum and potentially the FLAIR meeting.

The Placemaking Team Leader gave a presentation in relation to the Making Places: Foxbar project.

The presentation gave a brief introduction to the project; outlined the objectives of the Local Place Plan; highlighted the key issues and approach taken; detailed the outcomes; and advised of the future programme.

DECIDED:   That the presentation be noted.

The Partnership Planning & Development Manager, Chief Executive’s Service, Renfrewshire Council gave a presentation relative to an update on the review of Community Level Governance.

The presentation gave a brief overview of the proposals; outlined a renewed set of aims; indicated the current and proposed boundaries; detailed the proposals for the meeting format; and highlighted the plans for grant funding.

DECIDED:   That the presentation be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chair of Renfrewshire Access Panel relative to an update on the work initiated by the Access Panel which demonstrated the opportunity for the Forum to engage Renfrewshire Community Planning Partners on issues important to the third sector.

The report noted that the Renfrewshire Access Panel had influenced service development on several key issues including involvement in the design of new public buildings, provision of work experience for children with disabilities and learning disabilities, engagement in improving streets and public spaces and the development of changing places toilets.  The report indicated that the Access Panel was also a key member of Diversity Equality Alliance Renfrewshire (DEAR), which had developed the equalities agenda across Renfrewshire, had supported accessibility improvements at public meetings and facilitated work by a film group of disabled people in Renfrewshire to record the work of community groups. 
 
DECIDED:   That the progress being made by Renfrewshire Access Panel in working with community planning partners to improve services for people with disabilities be noted.

There was submitted a joint report by the Partnerships Planning & Development Manager, Chief Executive’s Service, Renfrewshire Council and the Chair of Renfrewshire Access Panel relative to the Diversity Equality Alliance Renfrewshire (DEAR) Group Action Plan.

The report advised that the DEAR Group had reviewed its action plan for 2018/19 to ensure that actions remained owned by the members of the group rather than by public services. A copy of the action plan was attached as an appendix to the report.
 
DECIDED:   That the action plan and work being delivered within Renfrewshire to ensure a strong equalities focus be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Community & Partnership Manager, Engage Renfrewshire relative to the Community Empowerment Action Learning Programme.

The report indicated that the Improvement Service and Scottish Community Development Service were supporting community planning partnerships to develop community empowerment and engagement.  This was to be enabled through an action learning workshop spread over two days in February and May 2018 that allowed the community planning partnership to share good practice and identify questions for investigation.  Issues for discussion were set out within the report.  It was noted that the output of the discussion would inform further exploration of the issues at the second session.


DECIDED:

(a)   That the format of the Improvement Service action learning set be noted; and
 
(b)   That it be noted that the output of the discussion would inform further exploration of the issues at the second session.