C Johnstone declared an interest in Item 5 - Membership of Paisley East Local Partnership – by reason of his membership of Rainbow Turtle, one of the organisations applicants seeking to become a member of the Local Partnership.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of this Local Partnership held on 29 November 2023.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the 2023/24 budget allocated to this Local Partnership which detailed the distribution of funds.

The report advised that of the £64,087.33 budget allocation for 2023/24 for this Local Partnership, which comprised funding from the General Fund and the Paisley Common Good Fund, there was currently an unallocated balance of £9.67.  It was also highlighted that, £24,095.00 had been awarded to local youth groups, detailed in the appendix of the report, from the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund.  

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Local Partnerships Review and launch of the 2024 Development Programme.

The report made reference to the model of community level governance adopted by the Council in 2019 through the launch of seven Local Partnerships. The local partnerships had developed and grown over the intervening period, promoting community empowerment through the identification of initial local priorities, local grant making and the nationally recognised youth participatory budgeting process, Celebrating Renfrewshire.
It was stated that the pandemic had impacted some of the planned developments in relation to the Local Partnerships, and a consultation and engagement exercise had been undertaken in late 2023 to learn from the work that has been undertaken to date and to identify options for building on this. The findings of the consultation exercise had been submitted to the meeting of the Council’s Leadership Board held on 20 September 2023.

The report recognised that Local Partnerships had huge potential to strengthen community empowerment and capacity in Renfrewshire, and to harness this potential it was now proposed that the next phase of their development was progressed. With a focus on “Local Plans, Local Priorities and Local Voices”, a range of development actions, detailed in section 4 of the report, were now proposed.  Following the decision of the Council’s Leadership Board, the development programme and related campaign had commenced in February 2024. The report highlighted that a key focus in 2024 would be the enhancement of communications regarding Local Partnerships activities, refreshing partnership membership and supporting a review of the current priorities for each Local Partnership. In addition, the report advised that Local Partnership Grant Funding guidance had been refreshed in response to the consultation exercise feedback received and the guidance had been subsequently approved at the meeting of the Council’s Leadership Board held on 21 February 2024. 

DECIDED:      

(a) That the campaign to relaunch the Local Partnerships, implemented from the end of February 2024, be noted; 

(b) That the refreshed Local Partnership Guidance for 2024 be noted.

The Convener advised that the current term of the community organisation representatives as members of Paisley East Local Partnership had ended and thanked all for their contribution to the work of the local partnership.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

In accordance with Standing Order 13.2, members agreed to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely that the nature of the proceedings, if members of the press and public were present, could lead to the disclosure of confidential information.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to membership of Paisley East Local Partnership, 

Reference was made to the decision taken at the meeting of the Council held on 27 September 2018, that membership of Local Partnerships be comprised of an equal number of elected members and Community Representatives. The standing members of the Local Partnership were those elected members which represented the Local Partnership area and a representative of active Community Councils in the area. In Paisley East Local Partnership area there were 13 elected members details of whom were provided. Following a review of Local Partnerships carried out during autumn/winter 2023/24, the community representative positions required to be refreshed. Consequently, there were 13 spaces available for Community Representatives. Active Community Councils were automatically allocated a Community Representative space. It was highlighted that three of the five Community Councils in the Paisley East Local Partnership area were currently active. 

The report advised that as Hunterhill and Charleston Community Councils were currently inactive, two of the ten remaining places required to be filled by organisations representing the Hunterhill and Charleston areas respectively. The report also indicated that the Local Partnership could nominate interim Community representatives who represented the interests of these areas to fill the vacancies. In accordance with the terms of reference agreed for Local Partnerships, the appointment of the interim community representative position would be made on the basis that should a Community Council became active at a later date, the Community Council would assume the place held by the interim community representative. In addition the desirability of one of the available places being allocated for a young person or representatives of organisation for young people. Applications had been invited from both current community representatives and new applicants for the available vacant positions and criteria developed to support members decide on the appointment of community representatives. The criteria was outlined in the report together with details of applications received.

DECIDED: 

(a) That having considered the summary of applications received in relation to the places for community representatives on the Local Partnership which required to be filled as set out at paragraph 3.7 the standing members of Paisley East Local Partnership agreed that the following individuals be appointed to fill the vacant community representative positions on the Local Partnership in accordance with the criteria set out in the application process and referenced at paragraph 3.6 of the report;

Fergal McCauley, Ralston Community Council; 
Christine Mclellan, Paisley East & Whitehaugh Community Council; 
Joe Theodore, Hawkhead & Lochfield Community Council
Keith Cornwall, Paisley Society of Model Engineers
Chris Johnstone, Rainbow Turtle
Andrew MacLeod, Ralston Out of School Care
Katy Wilson-Scott, Kairos Women
Cassie Forbes, ROAR Connections for Life

(b) That consideration of the application submitted by Just Dive in be continued pending submission of further information regarding the group’s connections with the Paisley East local partnership area;

(c) That arrangements be made to identify appropriate community groups to represent the interests of the Charleston and Lochfield areas and young people; and 
 
(d) That arrangements be made to identify appropriate community groups to fill the remaining membership vacancies.

It was noted that meetings of this Local Partnership would be held at 6.00 pm on
26 June, 25 September and 27 November 2024.

DECIDED: That.appropriate arrangements be made to convene meetings of the Paisley East Local Partnership at 6pm on 26 June, 25 September and 27 November 2024.