A McNiven, Chief Executive, Engage Renfrewshire, presided.

F Garabedian, Active Communities; M Mathieson, Barnados; A Thomson, Bridgewater Housing Association; and M Fotheringham, Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau.

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 15 November 2022.

DECIDED:    That the Minute be approved.

DECIDED:  That the updates be noted.

The Rolling Action Log was submitted for approval.

DECIDED: 

(a)  That the update be noted; and

(b)  That the Rolling Action Log be approved.

A McBride, Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund Officer, Engage Renfrewshire, gave a presentation relative to an update on the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund. 

DECIDED:  That the verbal presentation be noted.

G Sergeant, Police Scotland gave a presentation on the expansion of Police Scotland’s Partners Intelligence Portal (PIP).

He advised that the PIP was a secure and confidential electronic system, developed by the Police Service to enable partner agencies to share important information.  The portal provided partners with the means to securely and discreetly submit key information, whilst maintaining safeguards which protected the source of the information.

This process was aimed at developing information around the threat, risk and harm posed by perpetrators and locations and would provide invaluable opportunities to target those who posed risk and protect those at risk of harm

He indicated he was happy to engage with any of the local organisation and they would receive training, access and any guidance required in the use of the portal.

DECIDED:  That the presentation be noted.

There was submitted a report by S Graham, Partnerships Manager relative to an update on the inquiry into Community Planning by the Scottish Government.
 
The report advised that the Scottish Parliament approved the Community Empowerment Scotland Act (2015) as a key part of legislation to take forward community empowerment and community planning in Scotland.

As part of the Inquiry, the Scottish Parliament discussed with Third Sector Interfaces, their experience of involvement in community planning and other aspects of the Act. The Scottish Parliament was interested in the experience of Engage Renfrewshire and the Third Sector in general and, as a result, members of the Local Government and Housing Committee and Scottish Parliament Officers visited Renfrewshire on 6 February 2023 to hear first-hand about this engagement.  The Scottish Parliament also issued a call for views on ommunity planning in late 2022 through surveys and witness sessions in the Parliament.  Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership’s response to the survey was attached to the report as an appendix.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the visit of members of the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Housing Committee to Renfrewshire to discuss local Third Sector experience of community planning on 6 February 2023 be noted;

(b)  That the positive impression of work in Renfrewshire recorded by Scottish Parliament members following the meeting be noted; and

(c)  That the response of Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership to the call for views from the Scottish Parliament be noted.

A Armstrong-Walter, Strategic Partnership & Inequalities Manager gave a presentation relative to an update on the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme

The presentation gave an update on key activities and priorities for late 2022/early 2023; the background and context was outlined in relation to the Winter Connections programme; the Winter Connections approach was highlighted; and an update on the Fairer Renfrewshire programme was given.

DECIDED:  That the presentation be noted.

S Graham, Partnerships Manager gave a verbal update on the Local Partnerships and Grant Awards.

He advised that applications for the 2023/24 round of Local Partnership awards would close on Monday 10 April 2023. Updated guidance had been issued to applicants, with opportunities for applicants to attend support sessions to obtain advice and receive answer to queries about the process.  The applications would be processed and would then be submitted to the May 2023 cycle of Local Partnership meetings for consideration and determination. 

DECIDED: That the verbal update be noted.