BOROUGH COUNCIL of WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM 4 Overview and Scrutiny Committee 19 September 2011
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BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM 4 Overview and Scrutiny Committee 19 September 2011 Report of the Head of Resources PRESENTATION BY THE VICTORIA CENTRE 1 Purpose of report 1.1 To introduce the presentation from the Victoria Centre. 1.2 The presentation relates to the work this organisation carries out in the borough in support of the council’s priorities. 2 Executive summary Not applicable. 3 Appendices The appendix to this report contains background information supplied by the Victoria Centre. 4 Proposed action: 4.1 The committee is invited to RESOLVE to note the presentation, and 4.2 The committee is invited to discuss issues relating to the work of the Victoria Centre and identify any matters they RECOMMEND be reported to relevant policy committees for their attention. 5 Background 5.1 This presentation forms part of the general programme of review agreed by the committee at its meeting on 27 June 2011. 6 Discussion 6.1 The Victoria Centre was formed in 1979 by the Wellingborough United Reformed Church and the Community Relations Council, as a meeting place for the multi-cultural/multi-faith community of Wellingborough. 6.2 Many local community organisations (such as Wellingborough Afro-Caribbean Association, Hindu Community Centre, and Pravasi Mandal) began their lives at the Victoria Centre, and then moved on to set up their own premises. 6.3 The centre provides regular activities for people of all ages, including social and luncheon clubs, bowls, and arts. They also provide training and learning opportunities for disadvantaged groups. 6.4 To support the council’s PRIDE objective of ‘improving life chances for young people’ the centre provides activities for children and young people, ranging from pre-school to youth. 6.5 In 2009-10 and 2010-11 the council granted £29,300 to the centre, together with an additional summer playscheme grant each year of £440. 7 Legal powers The Local Authorities (Alternative Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2001 empower the council to establish one or more overview and scrutiny committees. An overview and scrutiny committee of a local authority may invite persons other than members or officers of the authority to attend meetings of the committee. 8 Financial and value for money implications There are no such implications arising directly from this report. However, effective overview and scrutiny is one of the means by which the council secures effective use of its resources. 9 Risk analysis A risk table is usually completed for any report setting out a proposed course of action that entails risks at the outset of the project or if the risks change along the way. This is not relevant in respect of this report. 10 Implications for resources There are no implications arising directly from this report, other than officer time required to prepare any reports needed to make recommendations to policy committees as a result of the committee’s findings. 11 Implications for stronger and safer communities There are no such implications arising directly from this report. However, effective overview and scrutiny is one of the means by which the council secures improvement in the discharge of its functions that contribute to making its community stronger and safer. 12 Implications for equalities Local scrutiny of public services improves the ability of the council to ensure equalities issues affecting the local community are taken into account by other public service providers. 13 Author and contact officer Bridget Lawrence, Head of Resources 14 Consultees None 15 Background papers None Appendix Information for presentations to Overview and Scrutiny Committee Name of organisation: VICTORIA CENTRE Date of presentation to Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 19 September 2011 Number of employees (full time equivalents): 10 (28 in total) Number of volunteers: 40 + Aims and objectives of organisation ‘To promote the benefit of all those living or working in the Borough of Wellingborough …’ (Victoria Centre Constitution) ‘Victoria Centre, in partnership with other statutory and voluntary organisations, aims to serve the members of the community in the Borough of Wellingborough irrespective of race, gender, age, ability, political and religious opinions. It is dedicated to providing cultural and educational services and development opportunities for those most in need, i.e. the elderly, children and their parents, young people, people with learning difficulties and disabilities, lone parents, newcomers to the area, single people and others in danger of social exclusion.’ (Victoria Centre Mission Statement) Please attach the following if available (please delete as appropriate): Business Plan: available. Please note that we are operating five Business Plans to take account of the great variety of activities and to make planning manageable and meaningful. These Business Plans are regularly monitored by five Quality Circles consisting of relevant staff and a member of the Management Committee as a ‘Lead’. If necessary the Business Plans are amended to take into account new internal and external developments, and then used once a year to inform the update of the Centre’s ‘Strategic Plan’. The latest updates are attached. Forward Plan: available as the ‘Strategic Plan 2010-15. Volunteering policy: available Volunteer Expenses policy attached Fundraising policy: available as Fundraising Strategy Service level agreed with council (if applicable) Second 1-year extension for 2011/12 following a 3-year SLA Copy of Victoria Centre Outputs attached Performance against service level agreement (if applicable) Monitored twice a year by the Council’s Grants Officer Details of partnership work with other organisations in Northamptonshire For a more extensive list of partners please see our Strategic Plan 2010–15 attached. Some examples of partnership working are: - Provision of four English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses in partnership with Northamptonshire Skills and Learning Consortium and Virtual Engine Training - Funding application for a 5-year project in partnership with Women’s Aid (WENWA) - ‘Choices’ Project for adults with Learning Disabilities in partnership with 3 local LDD organisations, funded by an outside funder. - A programme of activities and training sessions on the impact of migration to the local area in partnership with the Council, funded through the Migration Impact Fund. Partnership working occurs in a variety of forms; e.g. signposting, sharing of information and resources, secondary infrastructure support (or handholding) for emerging community groups. Many other examples can be provided. Are accounts available for the past three years? Yes (Hard copies only) If yes, please attach copies. If no, provide a summary of financial information 2008/9: A challenging year which ended with a deficit of £9,059 mainly due to rising staff costs. This deficit was covered from the Centre’s reserves, which stood at £79,395, equivalent to just under 4 months of expenditure. 2009/10: An extremely difficult year with a deficit of £47,607, the bulk of which (over £40,000) was due to the phasing of two large ‘one-off’ projects. Remaining reserves of £31,788.g 2010/11: A difficult but ultimately successful year with a surplus of £14,370, mainly due to holding down costs and developing additional revenue. This will be added to the Centre’s reserves. Effect on the community of cutting grant from the council by £5,000 (or, if grant is below £5,000, the effect of cutting the grant entirely) A cut by £5,000 would mean that we would have to consider cuts in staffing. Over the last 2 years we have already made reductions in staffing by not replacing two part-time members of staff, and replacing a full-time member of staff by a part-timer, whilst still delivering a full programme. We have now reached the limit of what we can deliver with the existing staff, which means that staffing cuts would have to necessarily result in cuts to our programme. Effect on the community of increasing grant by £5,000 We are planning to use office space which is becoming vacant soon at the Centre to provide a dedicated learning/teaching facility for the local community. An increase in grant would go towards equipping and marketing these facilities. BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT AGREED SPECIFIED AREAS OF WORK/MONITORING AGREEMENT FORM FOR SERVICE AGREEMENT CLIENTS 1. MONITORING AND APPRAISAL TIMETABLE Organisation: Victoria Centre Grant amount: £ 29,300 Grant Year: 2011/12 Date of 1st review/monitoring meeting September / October 2011 Date of 2nd review/monitoring meeting February / March 2012 2. AGREED OUTPUTS/OUTCOMES (Specific, measurable targets) OUTPUT OUTCOME (Type of resource, facility or service to be provided) (e.g. give people the confidence to return to work) 1. To provide community space for local community groups To increase community cohesion and encourage community participation 2. To actively encourage and support existing and To reduce isolation and to network/share resources emerging voluntary/community groups using the centre. To actively encourage new arrivals and people from the To increase community cohesion and encourage surrounding area to participate in activities and to take community participation up an active role in the local community. 3. To work closely with local community safety initiatives, To raise awareness of community safety/security issues including the Safer Communities Team and reduce the fear of crime. 4. To actively seek external/alternative funding To increase sustainability and provide new employment opportunities directly or indirectly To attract learning and training opportunities for staff and disadvantaged groups To provide ‘low threshold’ access to learning/training opportunities To provide affordable childcare for working parents To enable parents to take up paid employment which will, in turn, increase quality of life. 4. To provide healthy living activities in the centre, by To promote healthy living thus improving quality of life. providing healthy snacks and healthy eating activities and by providing sporting activities within childcare/young To raise awareness of the importance of a healthy diet people.