Brambles Farm Community Centre – Thursday 24 June 2010
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
APPENDIX A Appendix A: Summary of Consultation Responses Summary of Consultation Meetings: Brambles Farm Community Centre – Thursday 24 June 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (MH Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration), members of the BFCC Management Committee (MC) and Councillor Len Junier (towards the end of the meeting). The meeting started with MH explaining the budget issues the service was facing and how they might start to impact on the service we could provide at BFCC. The MC were unable to respond in detail due to the lack of information about the specific nature of any proposals. They did however make a number of points which were: They would like to retain the resource they have Difficult to see how the centre could run without staffing The centre operates within a small geographical area serving a clearly defined community If they haven’t got a worker they might as well close the centre It is a well used centre which supports local groups and church group Brambles Farm Community Centre – Tuesday 31 August 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (MH Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration and members of the Management Committee (MC) MH explained he was meeting the MC to make them aware of the proposals referred to in the previous meeting with the Centre Management Committee in June. He outlined the reduction in staffing which was proposed. This was: The loss of the Site Manager post and the replacement with a single part time ‘Super Caretaker’ role, which would be put in place from the beginning of April 2011. Added to this the Centre would receive ongoing support from the East Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Management Team Community Worker. The members of the MC highlighted a number of issues and questions with regards to the proposals. These were: Is a demand for staff to be in place when sessions are running. Is a problem with redundancy payment for the current worker who is employed by the Management Committee, the MC may not be able to afford redundancy payments. Computer Suite not currently working; there is a need to look at the use of that room. Volunteers provide support to the Centre but were unable to do any more than they currently do and in the main are older people who are not as agile and mobile as they once were. MH provided details of the consultation period and offered to come out again and talk to the Committee at any point they requested it and suggested they may want to respond in writing. BME Network (BMEN)– Monday 14 June 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (MH Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration), Tony and Yasmin Khan, members of the BME Network Board The meeting started with MH explaining the budget issues the service was facing and how they might start to impact on the support the service could provide to BMEN. The Board members expressed some concern over the implications for the organisation, although at this point were unable to respond in detail due to the lack of information about the specific nature of any proposals. Some of the issues they were concerned about were: Is it that there is no funding at all? MH replied he thought that Cohesion work was recognised as making a significant contribution but was unable at that point to guarantee funding. BME Network as a Network makes a huge contribution to the Council’s agenda BMEN meets the needs of the local community, encouraging enterprise What would be in place to meet the Council’s objectives were this structure not in place Network has suffered from being unsuccessful in tendering processes and subsequent support with running costs, admin all mixed in terms of Future Jobs Fund Quality of work has gone up ten fold with the current staff member’s arrival MH explained he would return to speak to the Board when they were more concrete proposals to put to them and that a formal consultation would be undertaken with all staff affected by them. BME Network (BMEN)– Wednesday 1 September 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration), Yasmin Khan (BMEN Board member) MH explained that at this no point no firm proposals were being put forward as the area of Cohesion work was complex in that it cut across the work of the Council and Middlesbrough Partnership and that efforts were being made to explore what the broader position might be in terms of those structures. A report was being compiled which would raise this issue corporately. Difficult for the Network to make decisions / actions Assistance with bid writing. MH Offered to assist with bid writing. A question was asked in relation to how the Council will prioritise the various Cohesion related work it currently supports. MH said a number of exercises were being undertaken to support that decision making process, which included a scoping and prioritisation process and a full Equality Impact Assessment. MH said he would discuss the proposals with the Board once they have been put together and both staff and the Network would be given a proper opportunity to comment. Park End Community Centre (PECC) – 9th June 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration) and members of the PECC Management Committee (MC) The meeting started with MH explaining the budget issues the service was facing and how they might start to impact on the service we could provide to PECC: The issues the MC raised at the meeting were: Can’t the Council look at Job Share which would allow everybody to work less but at least retain their job Cleaner in most mornings from 8.00 to 10.00 am - £2,500 per year MH said he would take the suggestion of Job Share back to the Council and would come and speak to the MC at a later date when it is clearer what the impact of any budget cuts might be to the Centre. A formal consultation would be also be undertaken with all staff in the service. Park End Community Centre – 25th August 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration) and the PECC MC MH explained he was meeting the Management Committee to make them aware of the proposals referred to in the previous meeting with the Centre in June. He outlined the reduction in staffing which was proposed from April 2011. These were: The loss of two Community Workers to the Service across the Town. MH explained that the service would try and reduce the impact this would have on PECC, which would come into effect from the beginning of April 2011. The members of the MC highlighted that they would be keen to ensure continuity with Community Work support to the Centre. MH said that the East Team would work with the MC to provide a level of support to meet the demands of the Centre. MH offered to come out and talk to the MC again if they so wished but would also welcome any written feedback they would want to make. Charlbury Road Community Centre (CCRC) – 24.08.2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (MH Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration) and members of the CRCC Management Committee (MC) The meeting started with MH explaining the budget issues the service was facing and how they might start to impact on the service we could provide to CRCC. He outlined the reduction in staffing which was proposed which was: The loss of the Site Manager post to be replaced by a single ‘Super Caretaker’ role, which would be put in place from the beginning of April 2011. The members of the MC highlighted a number of issues and questions with regards to the proposals. The Community centre cleaning facility – would that be retained? MH said that cleaning was provided as part of the service provided by the Council to what are known as scoped buildings. There were no plans to reduce that service. The MC felt that a greater demand would be placed on them as volunteers, which was unreasonable. The Centre MC were keen to try and retain the current worker as a key worker for the Centre. MH pointed out that the Council were unable to guarantee that as the posts which were being created were on a lower salary and the current worker could apply but on a voluntary rather than compulsory basis. MH offered to come out again and talk to the Committee at any point they requested it and suggested they may want to respond in writing. International Centre (IC) – Thursday 17 June 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey (Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration), 10 members of the IC Management Committee The meeting started with MH explaining the budget issues the service was facing and how they might start to impact on the service we could provide through the IC The issues the Management Committee raised at the meeting were: Acknowledge the government cuts to the centre, the centre is unique in that it primarily serves the BME community Twelve user groups – concerns over the Council closing the centre, which MH reassured them was not part of any proposals In an area of high disadvantage (Middlehaven ward) not just within the town but nationally (Middlesbrough) The MC said they felt Regeneration money had gone to East and West of town and that the town centre communities had missed out Vulnerable members of the community feel safe here Margaret, one of the members, had been involved in the centre for 25 years and was concerned about the impact cuts would have. Difficult to see how any staffing could be reduced Centre manager works well beyond her remit and carries out a fantastic job, single handed Special community which other areas could learn from Hugely enthusiastic staff member Involvement from volunteers from day one Part of North Yorkshire Moors Activity and the current staff member has made a fantastic contribution to it MH explained he would return to the Management Committee when they were more concrete proposals to put to them and that a formal consultation would be undertaken with all staff in the service International Centre – Wednesday 25 August 2010 In attendance: Martin Harvey and Sarah Ross (Middlesbrough Council Community Regeneration) and the IC Management Committee.