Derry City and Strabane District Community Planning Partners Workshop Report

Derry City and Strabane District Task and Finish Workshop Report / 2015

Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. Thematic Working Groups Draft Guidance 4

3. Principles of Co-operation 5

4. Governance and Implementation 5

Appendix A: Participant List 7

Appendix B: Thematic Workshops Guidance 8

Appendix C: Feedback from Participants on Thematic Working Groups Draft Guidance 11

Appendix D: Principles of Co-operation 13

Appendix E: Feedback from Participants on Principles of Co-operation 14

This Report was produced by Community Places, May 2015.

Derry City and Strabane District Task and Finish Group: 3rd Workshop

1. Introduction

This is a report of the Community Planning Workshop for the Task and Finish Group held on 8 May 2015 in St Columb’s Park House, Derry. The workshop was facilitated by Community Places to support the new council and its partners in preparing for Community Planning. A list of participants at the workshop is included at Appendix A.

John Kelpie, Chief Executive of the Derry City and Strabane District Council, welcomed all participants, including new members, to the third Task and Finish Group Workshop. He commenced the workshop with a recap of the agreed three pillars of the Community Plan, followed by a review of the thematic table agreed at the third plenary workshop and reference to the working groups being established to discuss, agree, integrate and process work on the 8 identified themes. John Kelpie advised that registration for these Thematic Working Groups exceeds 400 people to date.

Colm Bradley, Director of Community Places, introduced the workshop objectives which were as follows:

1. To discuss a draft guidance paper on the strategic role and work of the Thematic Working Groups

1. To identify key principles for building good co-operation in the work of the Theme Groups and beyond

1. To discuss, clarify and agree the overall Community Plan framework (i.e. strategic plan, local plans and themes)

1. To consider the need for a transitional Partnership structure and the process and timescale involved

1. To identify existing partnership structures which could potentially contribute to the implementation of the Community Plan at thematic and local levels.

1. To agree next steps and issues for discussion at next TFG workshop.

2. Thematic Working Groups Draft Guidance

Colm Bradley invited participants to review a hard copy of draft guidance for the Thematic Working Groups, Appendix B. He advised that the Thematic Working Groups would be following the Outcomes Planning Logic Model and would progress their work through a preliminary meeting followed by 3 workshops.

He asked participants to provide comment and feedback on the following questions:

1)  Is the draft broadly acceptable?

2)  Are there additions or changes which would be helpful to the Groups?

Participants all agreed that the Thematic Working Groups Draft Guidance was broadly acceptable. The written feedback from Participants is attached at Appendix C. Feedback on the day on the Draft Guidance focused on the following:

·  Baseline information should be made available in advance.

·  The collaborative working in the Thematic Groups needs to be realistic and achievable

·  There should be a mechanism to deal with ‘parked issues’

In response to these comments:

·  Gerard McCleave (Ilex) informed participants that baseline information will be available to Thematic Groups on arrival and that Groups can request any additional information or research they deem appropriate. He further advised that additional information will become available once the results are back from the Citizen Survey. In terms of progress on the survey, 60 enumerators had carried out 72 surveys to date.

·  In terms of collaborative working; Colm Bradley advised that the principles for nurturing co-operation will be developed today by the Task and Finish Group.

·  Colm Bradley and John Kelpie further advised that Governance arrangements and ‘overseeing role’ will also be discussed separately as part of the workshop.

3. Principles of Co-operation

Community Places tabled key principles for partnership working from Scottish council areas for discussion, Appendix D. Colm Bradley invited participants to discuss and to give feedback on the following question:

1)  What principles should be included to nurture co-operation within the Thematic Working Groups?

Colm Bradley advised that the written comments from the Task and Finish Group would be worked into a final document that would be distributed at the launch of the Thematic Working Groups on 4 June 2015. The written feedback from Participants is attached at Appendix E.

4. Governance and Implementation

Colm Bradley presented the Derry City and Strabane District Council Community Planning Framework (draft). He explained that it should be viewed as a whole system and asked:

1)  Is this framework the way forward?

All participants were broadly in agreement with this framework as a model for moving forward.

John Kelpie addressed the Group on governance structures needed to deliver the Community Plan at all levels from a strategic overseeing partnership body to local partnerships.

In terms of a Strategic Partnership structure, John Kelpie advised that it needed to be set up immediately to oversee the preparation of the Community Plan. He advised that he was mindful of existing structures, i.e. the One Plan Strategy Board, that he did not want to lose the work and momentum of this Board but that discussions needed to be had now about setting up and populating the Community Planning Strategic Partnership. He sought and gained agreement from participants that discussions should now be held with political representatives, the community and voluntary sector and business/private sector about the Community Planning Strategic Partnership and then brought back to the next Task and Finish Group.

Similarly, John Kelpie acknowledged the existing local partnerships and networks across the new DCSD area and their potential role in delivering the Community Plan. He sought and gained agreement to start discussions with these local structures that would again be brought back to the next Task and Finish Group.

Participants raised queries about structures for coordination between local and central government and cross-border. John Kelpie advised that these were two ongoing parallel processes and reminded the Task and Finish Group that its remit was to advise on governance for the preparation and implementation of DCSD Community Plan. He did however state that DCSD was already looking at relations and partnerships in the North West as well as cross-border, which is timely as it also undergoing local government reform. He also reminded the Task and Finish Group that the DOE chaired Partnership Panel, which will co-ordinate and communicate between local and central government, was already operational.

In closing the workshop John Kelpie thanked everyone for their participation and advised that the next date for the Task and Finish Group will be circulated once DCSD had held discussions with existing strategic and local partnerships.

Appendix A: Participant List

Simon Sloan, DoE

Johanne Mullan, DoE

Sharron Carlin, DSD

Karina Carlin, DCSDC

Angela Hughes, Ilex

Claire Hood, Ilex

Hugh McNickle, Ilex

Eamon OKane NWCN

Rachelle Craig, DCSDC

Karen McFarland, DCSDC

Barry O Hagan, DCSDC

Dr Maura O’Neill, WHSCT

Sue Divin, DCSDC

Gerard McCleave, Ilex

Mary Black, PHA

Gemma Scarlett, DCSDC

Tara Herron, INI

Karen Scrivens, U3A

Oonagh McGillion, DCSDC

Jarlath McNulty, Cairde

Alderman David Ramsey

Alderman Derek Hussey

Mary Casey

Cllr. Paul Gallagher

Christopher Gray, DCSDC

Patti Holly, DCSDC

Michael Gallagher, Ilex

Colm Bradley, CP

Claudine Doherty, CP

John Kelpie, DCSDC

Hugh McKenna, DRD

Kathleen McCaul, NWRC

Susan Mullan, DCSDC

Philip O’Kane, Rapid

Eamonn Gallagher, NIFRS

Mark Deeney, NIFRS

Seamus Heaney, Old Library Trust

Aoibhe Hickey, NIHE

Paul Cavanagh, WHSCT

Appendix B: Thematic Workshops Guidance

Theme Pillar TITLE

Working Group NAME

The task of each Working Group is to prepare a paper recommending strategic regional outcomes and actions to achieve these outcomes. The group will be assisted by a facilitator. The focus is on outcomes for the whole of the council area (taking account of the wider North West region) utilising the Outcomes Planning Logic Model. Local plans will flow from the Community Plan.

The Community Plan is about identifying the major strategic outcomes for the area and joining up service and programme planning across partners and sectors. It is not about duplicating or replacing the plans of individual partners. It should thus contain outcomes and actions which can best be achieved through collaborative working. The facilitator will assist each group to identify those activities which are high priority and should thus be recommended for inclusion in the Community Plan.

The Thematic Pillar Groups (chaired by Council directors) will enable communications between the working groups and seek to achieve integration and alignment. The Community Planning Working Group will prepare papers and give advice and support to each of the working groups. (Please see Terms of Reference paper for further details).

Preliminary
Meeting
Half Day
Current Situation Baseline Data.
Main Issues to be considered.
Planning Ahead / Tasks / Date
1.  Elect Chair
2.  Consider current baseline statistics relevant to both Theme Pillar and Working Group theme.
3.  Discuss and agree main strategic regional issues which should be considered within the Working Group’s theme.
4.  Consider list of existing strategies/plans which will be scoped during preparation of a Scoping Paper for workshop 1 on current strategic regional priorities and outcomes.
5.  Agree dates and venues for Workshops 1, 2 and 3. / 5 June
Workshop 1
Half Day
Outcomes Logic Model:
Strategic Priority needs
and
Long-term Outcomes / Tasks / Date
1.  Consider any additional baseline analysis information and survey/ focus group findings.
2.  Discuss Scoping Paper on current strategic regional priority needs and outcomes and associated planned strategic activities (as articulated in existing strategies and plans).
3.  Draw on scoping paper and baseline information to identify key strategic regional priorities and needs.
4.  Initial identification of strategic regional long-term outcomes. / By end of June?
Workshop 2
Full Day
Strategic Outcomes
and
Output Activities / Tasks / Date
1.  Discuss paper (informed by Workshop 1) on strategic priority needs and regional long-term outcomes and possible associated medium- and short-term outcomes.
2.  Consider what indicators will need to be measured to assess progress towards these outcomes and feasibility of measuring same.
3.  Revisit outcomes at point 1 if indicator measurement problems are foreseen.
4.  Agree strategic regional long-, medium- and short-term outcomes.
5.  Identify Outputs (activities and participants)
In order to progress towards the outcomes consider:
(a)  who activities should reach and benefit (informed in part by the evidence from Workshop 1). Who (people, groups, businesses etc) needs support, new opportunities, engagement etc?
(b)  what currently planned activities (presented in the scoping paper prepared for Workshop 1) will help these people/businesses/ groups (as appropriate) achieve the outcomes;
(c)  what activities need to be undertaken so that these people/businesses/ groups (as appropriate) will achieve the outcomes. / By end of August?
Workshop 3
Half Day
Action Plans,
Lead Partners
and
Recommendations / Tasks / Date
1.  Discuss paper prepared from Workshop 2 (on outcomes, indicators and output activities) and any associated opportunities/obstacles.
2.  Agree (with any amendments) the paper.
3.  Assess the activities (using the partnership-priority axis table) to identify:
-  High priority activities requiring high level partnership working (and which thus should be recommended for the Community Plan)
-  High priority-low partnership activities (which can and should be taken forward by a single partner’s corporate/business plan and be recommended for the Community Plan because they are high priority)
-  Low priority-low partnership activities (which should not be in the Community Plan - and perhaps are not needed at all)
-  Low priority-high partnership activities which are good for building partnership working but less useful for achieving outcomes (and may thus be recommended for the Community Plan because improving partnership working is needed and valuable)
4.  Identify one lead partner (Council, agency or sector) for each outcome and delivery partner(s) for each recommended activity. / By end of September?

Appendix C: Feedback from Participants on Thematic Working Groups Draft Guidance

1)  Is the draft broadly acceptable

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes – Workshop 3 Point 4 – is this sub regional target for Partner Agencies? If so, agreement sought at a much more strategic/department level is required.

Good process and acceptable (Allocate and include the 400 across the areas)

Continue to reinforce that it is a Community Plan for wider council area based on need

Strategic and then local-accepted

Yes – challenges do exist:

Time commitment

Some agencies may have to attend more than once

Summer issues

Issues on “general public/private buy-in”

2)  Are there additions or changes which would be helpful to the Groups?

Scoping study carried out in advance of meeting to use as introductions

Key and relevant planners/commissions must be in the themed groups to regulate omissions or additions

Brief to Thematic Groups needs to be clear re. recommendation to Task and Finish Group

Some action may be deemed undeliverable

Risk that agencies may be changed with actions not currently in their brief

Focus on rural engagement and rural proofing and capacity building for groups across themes.

Will baseline information be in advance?

Sign off at end of each workshop?

Mechanism for dealing with “parked issues”?

Mechanism for cross-cutting issues?

Clarification of oversight arrangements for the Thematic Groups

Definition on who wider NW region involves/includes and how we will take into consideration how they will be involved e.g. invitation to other councils

Opportunity for people to feed in online

Strong facilitation – high priority issues – how will they be decided e.g. based on number of people in group stating it should be?

Discipline about collaborative working – making it realistic and achievable – boundaries and resources

Integration across the themes – need a clear mechanism