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Meeting Details

Renfrewshire Area Support Team
24 May 2022 - 14:00 to 16:00
Occurred
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda
Notification
Committee Members
Standard Items
Membership
Eileen Anderson; Derek Bramma; Craig Campbell; Annemarie Currie; Jacqueline Doherty;  Edi Hanley; Jennifer Hay; Alex MacDonald; Ruth MacLeod; Ewan McNaught; Jim Melrose; Cairistiona Manson; Marion Robinson; Angela Stevenson; Alison Thompson.

Representing Renfrewshire Council: Councillor Lisa Marie Hughes.
 
Chair
D Bramma, Area Convener.
D Bramma, Area Convener, presided.
Items Of Business
Apologies
Apologies from members.
Cairistiona Manson; Jennifer Doherty; Craig Campbell, Ewan McNaught; and Jim Melrose.
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 by members prior to the meeting.
Minute of previous meeting held on 15 March 2022.
1
There was submitted the Minute of the previous meeting of Renfrewshire Area Support Team (AST) held on 15 March 2022.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.
2 Matters Arising
2
DECIDED: It was noted that a meeting was scheduled to be held on 30 May 2022 to discuss the PPA Channel further, that the facility for AST members to view previous monitoring reports online at hearings was now available and that there were no other matters arising from the previous meeting.
Verbal report by Area SAupport & Improvement Partner.
3
The Area Support & Improvement Partner (ASIP) provided a verbal update on progress in relation to the Area Plan.

Updates were provided in respect of The Promise, Digital arrangements, the preparation of the members handbook, the communication and engagement plans, expectations in relation to involvement of young people, quality assurance arrangements and the desirability of increasing partnership development to involve more local organisations

The ASIP was then heard further in answer to questions on the Plan updates. 

DECIDED: That the information be noted and that the Area Convener provide an update to the AST in relation to Champions Board representation
Verbal report by Locality Reporter Manager.
4
The Locality Reporter Manager provided a verbal update report on local SCRA operational arrangements, making reference to the return to Glen Lane, with effect from March 2022, of office-based staff, the on-going building works and the resumption of ‘face to face’ hearings. Mention was also made to changes in processes and documentation, the new service model for Hearings and staffing arrangements.

The opportunity was taken by members of the AST to raise a number of operational issues which panel members had experienced, such as wi-fi problems, policy regarding devices in hearing rooms, backgrounds for remote hearings etc, with a view to attaining resolutions. In this connection, arrangements would be made to convene an ‘off-line’ chat between A Stevenson, L King and E Hanley to discuss the ‘day to day’ operation of hearings. 

DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Minute of meeting held on 4 May 2022.
5
There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Practice & Recruitment Sub-committee held on 4 May 2022

The ability for AST members undertaking monitoring sessions to access previous observations was highlighted.  Updates were provided in respect of recruitment, complaints and support arrangements for new trainees who attended at panel hearings to observe.

DECIDED:  That the Minute be approved.
Minute of meeting held on 10 May 2022.
6a
There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Hearing Management Sub-group held on 10 May 2022

The Minute provided updated information in relation to sabbaticals; resignations; hearing statistics for the period for the period 1 March to 9 May 2022 including deferred and cancelled sessions, secure hearings, additional hearings; swaps and continuity hearings; pastoral care; and panel member strength which indicated that there were currently 74 panel members.  A breakdown of this number by gender and type of hearings they could undertake was also provided. 

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.
Verbal report by Area Convener.
7
The Area Convener provided a verbal update in relation to Hearings capacity highlighting the challenges currently being faced with the hearings rota in terms of male panel members with chairing experience.

He indicated that he had been in contact with East Renfrewshire in this regard.

The Area Convener further advised that there was a possibility of legislation passing in the Scottish Government in October with regard to the potential removal of the gender balance requirement for Hearings.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Verbal report by Area Convener.
8
A Currie and R MacLeod provided an update on the Panel Members whom they had contacted regarding re-appointment. R MacLeod indicated that all bar one of her interviews had been completed and submitted for re-appointment. A Currie advised that three of the six she had interviewed indicated that they were seeking re-appointment. She indicated that one panel member had raised concerns over her with mobility issues which prevented her from attending face to face hearings due to lack of suitable transport.

DECIDED: That the report be noted 
Verbal report by Area Convener.
9
The Clerk advised that £268.26 of the £2,400 devolved funding budget had been spent, leaving a balance of £2,131.74. The Area Convener indicated that funding would be required in respect of the Panel Member Recognition event and gifts.

DECIDED: That the proposed spend from the Devolved Funding budget, as outlined above, be approved.
10 Date of Next Meeting
Members are asked to note that the next meeting of the Area Support Team is scheduled for Tuesday 21 June 2022 at 2.00pm.
10
DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Area Support Team was scheduled for Tuesday 21 June 2022 at 2.00pm. 

Attendance

Name
No attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending Apology
No apology information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Absence
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

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