Our Reference: JT/EH North Warwickshire Borough Council The Council House 9 December 2015 South Street Atherstone CV9 1BD Tel: 01827 719221 Fax: 01827 719225 www.northwarks.gov.uk Dear Sir/ Madam North Warwickshire Community Partnership Meeting The next meeting of the North Warwickshire Community Partnership takes place at 2.30pm on Thursday, 17 December 2015, at The Council House, Atherstone, CV9 1BD (Chamber). An agenda for this meeting is attached. Refreshments will be available from 2.00pm providing an opportunity to network with others. Yours faithfully Julie Taylor On behalf of the North Warwickshire Community Partnership Date of Meeting: Thursday 17 December 2015 Venue: Chamber, The Council House, Atherstone Time: 2.30pm start AGENDA 1. Apologies 2. Notes of the meeting held on Thursday 1 October 2015 3. Talent Match Presentation (David White) 4. Champion Updates Access (Bob Trahern) Healthier Communities (Rachel Robinson) Education, Aspirations and Skills (Lisa Capper) (Verbal Update) A focussed approach to Careers Advice and Business Mentors (Luke Ezard) 5. Partnership Review Report 6. Any Other Business 7. Date and time of the next meeting – Thursday 3 March 2016 Programme of meetings for 2016 (revised dates): Thursday 3 March 2016 Thursday 30 June 2016 Thursday 29 September 2016 Thursday 15 December 2016 Agenda Item 2 North Warwickshire Community Partnership Notes of Meeting – 1 October 2015 North Warwickshire Borough Council, Atherstone Present: Colin Hayfield North Warwickshire Borough Council Julie Taylor North Warwickshire Borough Council Bob Trahern North Warwickshire Borough Council Andy Jenns North Warwickshire Borough Council Haydn Phillips North Warwickshire Borough Council Peter Fowler Warwickshire County Council Bill Basra Warwickshire County Council Yasser Din Warwickshire County Council - Public Health Lynda Ward Department of Work and Pensions Carol Musgrave NWCAB Davina Key WCAVA Martin Horner Volunteer Centre North Warwickshire Luke Ezard Right Step Careers Sue Healy Community Volunteer Judy Vero Atherstone Civic Society Alan Vaughton NW Area Committee of Parish Councils Susan Healey North Warwickshire Older People’s Forum Lynn Rock North Warwickshire Older People’s Forum 1 Apologies Apologies for absence were received from Lisa Capper, Jerry Hutchinson and Rachel Robinson. 2 Notes of the Meeting held on 18 June 2015 The notes of the meeting held on 18 June 2015 were agreed as a correct record. 3 NWCP Review The meeting received a report on a review of the Partnership. Stakeholders were asked to consider whether the Partnership was achieving its aims and objectives and where it needed to concentrate its efforts in the future. A questionnaire was circulated which members were asked to complete and return to Julie Taylor by Friday, 30 October 2015. The outcome of the review would be reported to the next meeting to be held on Thursday, 17 December 2015. A general discussion ensued and the following were noted:- Concern over the future of Older People’s Group. Currently a lack of volunteers to take on the role of Secretary/Treasurer for such Groups. 2/1 There is a need to find volunteers to support officers in their delivery of the Partnership’s priorities. One of the roles of the Partnership is to educate people. 4 Evaluation Reports Access Bob Trahern gave a progress report on Access. The following items were highlighted:- Debt and Welfare Projects Meetings held locally with CAB to review how the funding supplied by the WLWS scheme in May will be committed to fund one FTE to support promotion of financial capability and debt advice in the area. Final Inclusion Partnership Day on the Council’s approach to debt was held on 19 August. Work on reviewing all debts due to the Council has commenced which will initially looking at the biggest and oldest debts. These people will be reviewed and triarged through the frontline worker toolkit wherever possible. Food Projects New arrangements introduced and embedded with Aldi which has resulted in up to half a ton of fresh fruit and vegetable being received on a weekly basis. Meeting held with Super Kitchen partners who are funded by WCC to develop food projects in Nuneaton. As a result they are likely to develop activity in the Borough and utilise and assist the Council in its food distribution and storage. Welfare Reforms The impact of welfare reforms continues to be a key issue that is being monitored by and reported on a regular basis by Council officers. Collection rates are being maintained but the trend on the job register in Atherstone has recently increased. This has been attributed to school leavers coming on to the list bucking the trend on an overall downward trend over the last few years. This will be monitored. Following the successful ESA event held in Atherstone in February, run in conjunction with JC+ to support residents in receipt of Employment Support Allowance to improve their circumstances, follow up events were now planned. It was suggest that the Hubs could be utilised for these events. Community Hubs and BOB Bus Atherstone Hub has now been launched. On-line activity going well. The successful bid to the Tinder Foundation developed by the Council, the Volunteer Centre and NBBC to employ a driver and support worker for the revamped BOB bus is working really well following its introduction in March 2014. 2/2 Health Yasser Din gave a progress report on Health. The Big Day Out Event held on Sunday, 27 September at Snowhill Recreation Ground in Hartshill had been very successful with 1,500 people attending. Running group established from Atherstone Leisure Complex on a Wednesday and Friday evening. A Community Cooking Project was commencing today at the QE Academy in Atherstone. Currently 11 health walks being maintained throughout the Borough. It was suggested that it would be useful if Public Health could have a presence at events such as Dickens Night in Atherstone and the Whitacre, Shustoke and Mancetter shows. Yasser asked members of the Partnership to forward to him details of any events so these could be added to an Events in North Warwickshire page that was being developed. Education Julie Taylor gave a progress report on Education on behalf of Lisa Capper. Careers/Business Mentors Project RightStep have been commissioned to run the pilot Careers/Business Mentors Project at the QE Academy in Atherstone and work has commenced. Delivery plan for Project being finalised. Dawn Willden will provide careers information advice and guidance at the school on a Thursday and Friday. Luke Ezard, the Employment Engagement Manager will work remotely 1 day a week and be responsible for organising events, visits, appointing business champions, organising assemblies etc. Quarterly progress reports to be brought to each meeting of the Partnership. BMW Apprentices Two local people appointed to apprenticeship positions at BMW. Only five positions were available. One student is from Coleshill and another from Atherstone. Careers Fairs/Events Coventry and Warwickshire job, apprenticeship and careers fair (LEP Event) – 15 October, Ricoh Area – 10am – 6pm. The Skills Show – 19-21 November 2015 at the NEC. Big Bang UK (UK Young Scientist and Engineer Fair) – 16-19 March 2016 at the NEC. 2/3 Skills Employment School Fund It was noted that Kingsbury, Polesworth and Hartshill Schools had applied for this funding. Confirmation of successful applicants was awaited. Lynda Ward gave an update on the Job Centre figures as follows:- Job Seekers Allowance – 330 (September 2015) Income Support – 278 (September 2015) Employment Support Allowance – 1,940 (February 2015) 5 Any Other Business The funding for the Older People’s Forum had been cut by Warwickshire County Council. It was suggested that an application could be made to the WCC Councillor Fund when the funding was next available. Judy Vero asked if there was any information in respect of the proposed West Midlands Combined Authority. Colin Hayfield said that decisions on whether or not to join this Authority were being made over the next few weeks by various Local Authorities. The Borough Council were meeting on 7 October 2015 to discuss this matter, however he did not think that any decision would have an impact on the work that the group did or the partnerships it formed. 8 Proposed Programme of Meetings for 2016 A proposed programme of meetings for 2016 was circulated. However, as these dates were inconvenient to some members a revised programme would be circulated via email in due course. 9 Date of Next Meeting 17 December 2015, 2pm in the Council Chamber, The Council house, Atherstone 2/4 Agenda Item 4 North Warwickshire Community Partnership Quarterly progress report – November 2015 Champion: Report by Bob Trahern Theme: Access Commentary on Project Progress – achievements to date (and any slippage) Actions since last report in September 2015 During the last 2 months we have continued to progress activities building on the written update provided in September in relation to the commitments in respect of the Access agenda. All activity has continued to focus on Reviewing enhancements to the Councils Foodbank Operation Reviewing and understanding the size of the problems to address issues being faced by customers Impacted by the Welfare Reforms Consolidating and promoting the use of the Community Hubs Supporting the Councils Channel Shift ambitions As advised in my last report, our ability to support our ambitions and provide data demonstrating the positive impact of our work in relation to this agenda has been thwarted by the current absence of my key internal supports in delivering this agenda. Sally Roberts, the Financial Inclusion Manager had her operation in July that went well. It is likely that she will not return full time until March 2016 but hopes to start a phased return in the New Year. Her role has not been replaced “like for like” and I have taken on the lead in supporting most of the “non hub work” in her absence although this has meant that we are being less proactive in seeking opportunities in building on new initiatives.