Councillor Jennifer Adam-McGregor; Councillor Eddie Devine; Lewis Givan (Young People’s representative); Joseph Theodore (substituting for Nicola Gooch) (Hawkhead & Lochfield Community Council); Councillor Neill Graham; Nicola Hanssen (ROAR); Christopher Johnstone (Rainbow Turtle); Elaine Loch (Paisley Opera); Councillor Marie McGurk; Councillor John McNaughtan; Piero Pieraccini (Paisley Development Trust); Andrew Ramsay (Paisley East & Whitehaugh Community Council); and Robert Elliot (Ralston Community Council).

Councillor Adam-McGregor, Chair, presided.

A Armstrong-Walter, Strategic Partnerships & Inequalities Manager, S Graham, Partnerships Planning and Development Manager, K Miller, Senior Planning & Policy Development Officer, S Kraft, Planning & Policy Development Assistant and F Taylor, Youth Services Manager (all Chief Executive’s); J Trainer, Head of Child Care & Criminal Justice Children’s Services) (Lead Officer), T Slater, Senior Committee Services Officer (Local Partnerships) and T Slater, Senior Committee Services Officer – Local Partnerships and R Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer (all Renfrewshire Council).

A McKechnie (Youth Steering Group).

M Hart (Police Scotland); and S Miller (Engage Renfrewshire).

Councillor Carolann Davidson, Lewis Givan, Young Person’s representative, Councillor Karen Kennedy, Mary Logan (Charleston Tenants and Residents Association), Susan McDonald (Active Communities) and Councillor John McIntyre.

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

There was submitted and approved the Minute of the previous meeting held on 25 June 2019.

Under reference to Item 4 – Applications for Local Partnership Grant Funding - it was highlighted (i) that the decision in respect of application FR1082 required to be amended to reflect that the award of £700 had been subject to further discussion with ROAR in respect of a ‘falls approach’; and (ii) that the Minute required to be amended to indicate that E Loch, having declared an interest in respect of application FR1264, did not vote.

DECIDED:  That the Minute be approved, subject to the amendments highlighted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Paisley East Local Partnership budget for 2019/20.

The report advised that the Local Partnership provided funding through a range of grants in terms of the General Grant Fund, Paisley Common Good Fund and the Celebrating Renfrewshire Youth Fund following a participatory budgeting exercise.  An Appendix to the report detailed the funding allocated at the Paisley East Local Partnership meeting held on 25 June 2019.

DECIDED:  That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to grant funding applications considered at the meeting of Paisley East Local Partnership held on 25 June 2019.

The report indicated that at the meeting grant funding awards had been made to 33 community projects.  Reference was made to the application submitted by Paisley and District University of the Third Age (U3A) seeking £1,225.08 in respect of IT equipment to enhance continuous learning for older people.  The Local Partnership had continued consideration of the application pending further information on the extent to which the applicants were working with other partners active in the field.  Confirmation had subsequently been received from U3A that they were currently working with DigiRen, who had strategic responsibility to increase the uptake and usage of digital technology in Renfrewshire that and were willing to discuss opportunities to work together with ROAR Connections.

Following discussion it was proposed and agreed, in view of the proposed timescale for the next meeting of the Local Partnership and the need for further information from the applicant regarding the proposed purpose of the grant, that authority be delegated to the Convener to determine application FR1140 and that details of the decision be submitted to the next meeting for homologation.

DECIDED: That authority be delegated to the Convener to determine application FR1140 and that details of the decision be submitted to the next meeting for homologation.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Celebrating Renfrewshire Youth Participatory Budgeting Exercise.

The report indicated that the Youth Challenge Fund component of the Paisley East Local Partnership Budget had been renamed “Celebrating Renfrewshire: By young people for young people”.  A McKechnie of the Youth Steering Group provided a presentation in connection with the pilot participatory budgeting exercise undertaken which had resulted in 370 young people aged between 12-25 voting to allocate the available budget for Paisley East Local Partnership in respect of the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund, £24,095, between ten projects.  Details of the process were provided.  It was highlighted that the project had been co-produced by young people and supported by Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Youth Voice, Active Schools and Young Scot to distribute Youth Challenge Funding and would inform the development of future participatory budgeting within Renfrewshire.  A document summarising the results of the Celebrating Renfrewshire Budgeting process was appended to the report.
 
DECIDED:  That the outcome of the youth participatory budgeting exercise for the Paisley East Local Partnership and the information provided in the presentation be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the draft priority areas for focus agreed at the meeting of Paisley East Local Partnership held on 27 March 2019.

The report advised that three draft priorities, (i) exploring the impact of new housing developments; (ii) supporting social connections; and (iii) community pride and safety had been identified by the Local Partnership for the Paisley East area and subsequently developed into priority statements detailed within the report.  It was noted that these draft local priorities and statements would help develop the future agenda and workplan of the Local Partnership.  Potential discussion points were provided for consideration to facilitate discussion in relation to how the priorities could shape the workplan and determine future agenda items and potential partner invitees to meetings of the Local Partnership.

During discussion in connection with the priority of exploring the impact of new housing developments reference was made to the local Development Plan, the process by which the Plan was developed, constraints, the potential incorporation of community benefits through the planning process, local arrangements for the maintenance of greenspace and footpaths, housing developments in neighbouring planning authorities which impacted on the infrastructure in Renfrewshire.  It was proposed and agreed that the Head of Housing & Planning Services Renfrewshire Council be invited to a future meeting of the Local Partnership.

In relation to the supporting social connections priority, mention was made during discussion to the need to define social isolation and identify relevant groupings affected, the role of community connectors, the associated Health & Social Care Short-life Working Group report, the desirability of ingathering information and best practice in relation to loneliness, ALICE and the need to gauge the extent and factors influencing younger people’s mental health.  It was proposed and agreed that the Director of Children’s Services Renfrewshire Council and the appropriate representatives of the Health & Social Care Partnership be invited to a future meeting of the Local Partnership.

DECIDED:  That arrangements be made to invite the Head of Housing & Planning Services and the Director of Children’s Services, Renfrewshire Council and the appropriate representative of the Health & Social Care Partnership to future meetings of the Local Partnership to discuss, as appropriate, the issues raised.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the review of Local Partnerships.

The report indicated that when the Local Partnerships had been established in September 2018 it had been agreed that there would be a review of arrangements following a year of operation.  The inaugural meetings of the Local Partnerships had taken place during January 2019 and it was proposed that the review begin in January 2020.  A summary of the tasks completed to date by the Local Partnerships was provided.  The report sought views on the proposed scope and approach of the review. 

There then followed a general discussion in relation to the benefits of reviewing the Local Partnership grant funding process prior to consideration by members of the Local Partnership of future applications for funding.  It was the consensus that specifically consideration be given to how applications for funding met the priorities agreed by the Local Partnership, the adoption of a scoring/evaluation process prior to consideration by members of the Partnership, potential ‘asks’ of applications to meet the priorities should funding be allocated for projects, avoiding duplication (on a Paisley-wide basis) of funding awards, proposed monitoring and evaluation arrangements and the methods to be used to obtain feedback from applicants.  It was proposed and agreed that a copy of the monitoring documentation used be circulated to members of the Local Partnership.
 
It was also proposed that consideration be given to establishing a mechanism to facilitate communication among members of the Local Partnership in the periods between meetings.

Members of the Local Partnership were invited to provide their views on the scope and approach for the Local Partnership review prior to the next meeting of the Partnership.

DECIDED:  

(a) That a review of the Local Partnership grant funding process, prior to consideration by members of the Local Partnership of future applications for funding, be included within the scope of the Local Partnership Review and that Members of the Local Partnership provide their views on the scope and approach for the Local Partnership review prior to the next meeting of the Partnership;

(b) That arrangements be made to circulate a copy of the monitoring documentation used to members of the Local Partnership; 

(c) That consideration be given to establishing a mechanism to facilitate communication among members of the Local Partnership in the periods between meetings; and 

(d) That Members of the Local Partnership submit their views on the scope and approach for the Local Partnership review prior to the next meeting of the Partnership.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to arrangements for meetings of Paisley East Local Partnership during 2020.

The report referred to the previous decision taken that Local Partnerships meet at least three times a year and proposed that meetings be held in April, August and November 2020.  It was further proposed that grant funding allocations be made at the April meeting.  Potential meeting date options in April, August and November were detailed in the report. 

It was highlighted that the wider engagement event, to provide the opportunity for wider local engagement with the work of the Local Partnerships, help build networks and connections and provide a chance to engage around the local priorities, which had originally been scheduled to be held during Autumn 2019 had been delayed due to the focus on delivering the Youth Participatory Budgeting approach and would now be carried out in early 2020.

The Convener invited members of the Local Partnership to advise of their preferred dates in 2020, from those detailed in the report, for meetings of the Paisley East Local Partnership.

DECIDED: 

(a) That members of the Local Partnership submit their views on their preferred dates in 2020, from those detailed in the report, for meetings of the Paisley East Local Partnership; and 

(b) That members of the Local Partnership submit feedback on the proposed approach for the engagement events and, where appropriate, express an interest in the development of these events.