Documents
Agenda
Committee Members
Membership
Councillors Glen and Andy Doig; B Davidson, Chamber of Commerce; S Graham, Engage Renfrewshire; I McLean, Renfrewshire Forum for Empowering our Communities; R Nimmo, Glasgow Airport; J Downie, Police Scotland; M Crearie, F Carlin; and R Cooper, all Renfrewshire Council; S Clocherty and H Cunningham, Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership; K Sharp and A Loveday, Scottish Enterprise; S Mitchell, Skills Development Scotland; J Binning, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport; G Hunt, University of the West of Scotland; and A Dick, West College Scotland.
Chair
Councillor Roy Glen.
Standard Items
Further Information
This is a meeting which is open to members of the public.
A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/agendas.
For further information, contact
democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
Items Of Business
Apologies
Apologies from members.
Councillor Andy Doig and R Cooper (both Renfrewshire Council); R Nimmo (Glasgow Airport); J Downie (Police Scotland); H Cunningham (Health & Social Care Partnership); K Sharp (Scottish Enterprise); S Mitchell (Skills Development Scotland); J Binning (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport); and G Hunt (University of the West of Scotland).
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.
Minute of the Meeting held on 12 March, 2015.
1
There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Jobs & the Economy Thematic Board held on 12 March 2015.
DECIDED: That the Minute be noted.
Report by Director of Finance & Resources.
2
The Rolling Action Log was submitted for approval.
J&E.10.10.13(3) and J&E.09.01.14(6) - Discussion on overlapping themes with C&YP TB
It was agreed that these two actions would be merged together.
J&E.21.08.13 and J&E.05.09.14(8) - Key Statistics for Renfrewshire
It was agreed that these two items would be merged together.
J&E.09.01.14(7) - Development of Community Transport
It was agreed that this action would be removed from the action log as it was being actioned by the Greener Renfrewshire Thematic Board.
J&E.12.03.15(6) - IIQ
It was noted that the sub-group met in May and further meetings and updates were planned.
DECIDED:
(a) That it be agreed that J&E.10.10.13(3) and J&E.09.01.14(6) be merged into one action;
(b) That it be agreed that J&E.21.08.13 and J&E.05.09.14(8) be merged into one action;
(c) That it be agreed that J&E.09.01.14(7) - Development of Community Transport be removed from the action log; and
(d) That the rolling action log be noted.
Report by Director of Housing & Development Services.
3
There was submitted a report by the Director of Housing & Development Services relative to the progress of the action plan and the requirement to reconfigure the Board's targets and prioritisation of outcomes.
The report recognised that the Glasgow & Clyde Valley City Deal would significantly affect the action plan to be delivered by the Jobs and the Economy Thematic Board and as a result a consultation and development session was held in December at which a range of issues and themes emerged from the discussions.
It was also noted that the Community Planning Partnership Board had previously agreed amendments to the Single Outcome Agreement.
The report advised that over the next few months an exercise would be carried out by the Lead Officer, in consultation with Partners and the Convenor, to develop and agree a suite of relevant targets for the Board within the context of the new SOA targets and anticipated outcomes.
DECIDED: That it be agreed that a report would be submitted to a future meeting of the Jobs & Economy Thematic Board seeking approval for a range of new targets that would guide the ongoing work of the Partnership and the objective to grow and develop the economy of Renfrewshire.
Verbal report by Lead Officer/Director of Development & Housing Services.
4
A verbal update was given by the Director of Development & Housing services relative to an update on the Tackling Poverty Recommendations.
M Crearie intimated that at the Council meeting on 23 March 2015, the Council unanimously endorsed all of the Tackling Poverty Commission's recommendations. It made a 'first step' cash injection of £3.23 million from the £6 million tackling poverty fund set aside in the 2015/16 budget to support an early response to the work of the Commission. The Commission's report was referred to the Community Planning Partnership Board to agree a coordinated, cross-partnership response to the findings and recommendations of the Commission. It was noted that a report was going to Council on 25 June 2015 outlining the extensive detailed work which had been carried out in the intervening period to continue the Council's strategic programme of tackling child poverty. The proposals had been developed by the Community Planning Partnership for consideration by members and fully committed the £6 million in additional resources to enable an early response to the work of the Tackling Poverty Commission.
M Crearie advised that she would submit an update on the Tackling Poverty Action Plan to the next meeting of the Board and a copy of the Tackling Poverty presentation would be circulated to members.
DECIDED:
(a) That an update on the Tackling Poverty Action Plan be brought back to the next meeting of the Board;
(b) That the Tackling Poverty presentation be circulated to all Board members; and
(c) That the verbal update be noted.
Verbal update by Alan Dick, West College Scotland.
5
A verbal update was given by Allan Dick, West College Scotland relative to an update on the sub group which was set up to look at local employment provision, unemployment trends and issues/barriers to employment.
He advised that the group had met twice and an employability prospectus had been produced. He also intimated that the Local Employability Partnership would develop any actions relating to barriers to employment. it was agreed that as this action was complete it could now be removed from the action log.
DECIDED:
(a) That it be agreed that the action was complete and would be removed from the action log; and
(b) That the verbal updated be noted.
Report by Alan Dick, West College Scotland.
6
A report was submitted by Allan Dick, Economic Development Manager, West College Scotland relative to an update on the Scottish Funding Council European Structural Funds 2015/16.
The report advised that West College Scotland had received an indicative allocation of £2.451 million for 2015/16 via the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) from the joint SFC and SDS proposal for funding via the European Structural Funds 2014 -2020 programme. West College Scotland was awaiting final confirmation of the allocation and associated guidance for delivery of the programme.
It was noted that a further report would be submitted to the Board once the final allocation and delivery was confirmed.
DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Report by Director of Development & Housing Services.
7
There was submitted a report by the Director of Development & Housing Services relative to an update on the Paisley Heritage Asset Strategy and the City Deal.
DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Report by Alan Dick, West College Scotland
8
There was submitted a report by Allan Dick, Economic Development Manager, West College Scotland relative to Regional Invest in Young People Groups.
The report advised that the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce had recommended that business and industry work more closely with education, and for this to be facilitated through the establishment of employer-led Regional Invest in Youth Groups. As a result, West College Scotland was facilitating consultative meetings with key local employers and stakeholders to discuss the overall operation of the Invest in Young People Group for the West Region and was coordinating the submission of the proposal to Scottish Government in June 2015.
DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Verbal update by Chief Executive of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce.
9
A verbal update was given by Bob Davidson, Chief Executive of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce on the activies of the Chamber.
He intimated that the Voyager Project had proved to be a very successful partnership initiative involving Scottish Enterprise, UWS, Renfrewshire Council and the Chamber. All the students who participated were awarded a Certificate of Achievement, and the offer of a professional reference from their mentor. It was noted that Andrew Muirhead & Son, a division of the Scottish Leather Group, won the team award.
He advised that Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce had officially become the first UK chamber to be given Living Wage Accreditation. The Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative had been operating in Scotland since April 2014 and provided support and advice to organisations that wanted to pay the living wage.
It was noted that the annual business awards of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, the ROCCO awards, would be launched in mid July.
DECIDED: That the verbal update be noted.
Report by Director of Development & Housing Services.
10
There was submitted a newsletter by Economic Development which provided an overview of employment activity and economic development in Renfrewshire at the end of April 2015.
The newsletter illustrated the Renfrewshire labour market position and advised how Renfrewshire fared in comparison to the rest of the country. It also included a brief summary of the progress made to date by the Council’s Invest in Renfrewshire Programme and Business Gateway Programme and provided information on wider economic development activity across Renfrewshire.
DECIDED: That the newsletter be noted.
Report by Renfrewshire Access Panel/Engage Renfrewshire.
11
There was submitted a report by Renfrewshire Access Panel/Engage Renfrewshire relative to making streets and public places within Renfrewshire more accessible to disabled people and other people with mobility difficulties.
The report advised that the charity Living Streets published an analysis of statutory Equality Objectives of Scottish councils called “Streets For All?” which was contained within the Appendix to the report. The report highlighted that by improving accessibility within the environment this would directly benefit a wide range of individuals with temporary or permanent mobility issues, reduce the costs to individuals and public services of preventable falls and would also widen access to public services and the local economy. The Renfrewshire Forum For Empowering Communities proposed to work with the Board to develop appropriate practical actions as proposed in “Streets For All?” to improve the accessibility of streets, pavements and public places.
DECIDED:
(a) That the report be noted;
(b) That it be agreed that Renfrewshire Forum for Empowering Communities develop the work to improve the accessibility of streets, pavements and public places, which would contribute to achievement of the relevant equality outcomes in Renfrewshire, as outlined within the report;
(c) That a progress report would be submitted to a future meeting of the Board.
Present
Councillor R Glen; M Crearie and F Carlin (all Renfrewshire Council); B Davidson (Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce); S Graham (Engage); I McLean (Forum for Empowering Communities); S Clocherty (Health & Social Care Partnership); A Loveday (Scottish Enterprise); and A Dick (West College Scotland).
Chair
Councillor R Glen presided.
In Attendance
Y Farquhar and C MacDonald (both Renfrewshire Council); and I McFadyen (Scottish Leather Group Limited).
The meeting was opened by I McFadyen, Managing Director of the Scottish Leather Group Limited who welcomed everyone to Locher House, Bridge of Weir and gave a presentation outlining the history, the vision of the company, and what the company hoped to achieve in the future. Discussion took place on barriers to industrial expansion and M Crearie advised that she would speak to Councillor Macmillan regarding engaging with utility companies. After the presentation and discussion, Councillor Glen thanked Mr McFadyen for the presentation and his hospitality.
Valediction
On behalf of the Board, Councillor Glen extended his thanks to Alison Loveday, Scottish Enterprise for the significant contribution she had made to the Jobs & the Economy Thematic Board and for the advice and assistance she had provided and wished her well for the future. These sentiments were echoed by all members present.
Attendance
Declarations of Interests
|
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.
|
Visitors
Visitor Information is not yet available for this meeting