Board
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 11th May 2006 at Bainbridge Hall, Room 3, Carr Vale
BOLSOVER LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
BOARD
Minutes of the Bolsover Local Strategic Partnership Board meeting held on Thursday, 11th May, 2006, at 9.30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Sherwood Lodge, Bolsover.
PRESENT
Mrs. Mandy Chambers - North Eastern Derbyshire PCT (Chair)
Mrs. Clare Munks - Parish/Town Councils
Chief Supt. Debbie Kelly - Derbyshire Constabulary
Mr. Joe Dugdale - Derbyshire Rural Community Council
Mrs. Marie Cox - INVOLVE
Councillor Geoffrey Carlile - Derbyshire County Council
Mr. Andrew Campbell - Derbyshire Business Link
Mr. Paul Gamble - Government Office for the East Midlands
Mr. Andrew Street - Alliance SSP
Mr. Ian Murray - Chesterfield College
Mr. Wes Lumley - Bolsover District Council
Mrs. Pam Brown - Partnership Team
Mrs. Laura Khella - Partnership Team
Miss Natalie Price - Partnership Team
Mrs. M. Chambers in the Chair
LSPB01/06 APOLOGIES
Dr. Martin McShane - North Eastern Derbyshire PCT
Councillor Eion Watts - Bolsover District Council (Vice Chair)
Mr. Andrew Marsh - Learning & Skills Council
Mr. Richard Colgrave - Partnership Team
LSPB02/06 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.
LSPB03/06 MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING HELD ON 19TH JANUARY, 2006
AGREED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 19th January, 2006 , be accepted as a true and correct record.
LSPB04/06 MATTERS ARISING
There were no Matters Arising.
LSPB05/06 URGENT ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE CHAIR OF THE LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BOARD
The Chair reported that there were two urgent items to report to the Board , these being:
1. A letter received from Councillor B. Murray-Carr regarding the underspend on the Thickley Bank Project, and
2. an update on progress with the infrastructure for community and voluntary sector support within the Bolsover District.
Thickley Bank Project
Mrs. Khella briefly reminded those present of the commissioning process adopted by the Partnership. As part of this process, it had been necessary to identify contingency projects last year to ensure the allocation of NRF in 2005/06 would be fully committed. As part of the contingency planning, the LSP had commissioned the reclamation of Thickley Bank and allocated £20,000 towards this piece of work. However, after going out to tender, the works only cost £11,000 resulting in a project underspend of £9,000. An amendment to the project was agreed which enabled approximately £1,400 of the underspend to be utilised for CAN Ranger overtime up to the end of March. The project had, therefore, underspent by approximately £8,000. Councillor Murray-Carr had requested that the underspend be carried forward into the financial year 2006/07. A response had been sent to Councillor Murray-Carr which stated that the £20,000 had been allocated to the Thickley Bank project and not the Bolsover Community Safety Partnership and that the Executive Support Group would agree future use of any underspend. The amount of underspend would not be known until all projects in receipt of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding had undergone audit but it was unlikely that this underspend would be rolled forward as the intended outcome had been achieved utilising less NRF than originally anticipated.
AGREED that the response to Councillor Murray-Carr be endorsed.
Infrastructure for Community and Voluntary Sector Support
Mrs. Munks, Mrs. Cox and Mr. Dugdale declared an interest in this item.
Chief Supt. Debbie Kelly left the meeting at 9.40 a.m.
The Chair advised that the Local Strategic Partnership engaged with the Community Empowerment Network and Voluntary Action Bolsover and it had become apparent that due to a reduction in funding for both organisations, that consideration would need to given to the future provision of a robust organisation to provide the necessary support to the community and voluntary sector. A mapping exercise, which was commissioned by the Partnership, had recently been undertaken by Peter Stone Consultants.
The Local Strategic Partnership, being in receipt of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, had a duty to support the Community Empowerment Network as this formed part of the performance management process.
The Chair briefly updated those present on the funding problems being experienced by both organisations and the recommendations contained within the report prepared by Peter Stone Consultants.
The Chair reported that the Executive Support Group had received a request for funding to the value of £90,000 for the period Ocrtober 2006 – March 2007. It had been agreed that financial support be approved up to £90,000 subject to consideration of the recommendations within the report produced by Peter Stone Consultants, two of these being that a Steering Group, with an Independent Chair be established and a Transitional Director be appointed to create a new organisation.
A Steering Group had been formed and had met twice; Councillor Karl Reid, Parish Council Executive Support Group representative, being the Independent Chair. A staffing plan was currently being prepared and consideration was being given to the Accountable Body status for the new organisation.
Mr. Dugdale advised that the aims had been agreed and that it was intended to establish a singly managed voluntary sector infrastructure which would serve the needs of the Bolsover district.
Mr. Gamble mentioned that there were similar instances of merges within the East Midlands, two of these being at Melton Mowbray and Charnwood and it may be beneficial to contact these local authorities to seek their advice.
Mrs. Brown reported that Board members had recently been e-mailed information relating to a secondment opportunity to be in post by the end of May. Councillor Carlile raised his concern that some people were too close to the organisations involved and that it would be better to appoint someone who was completely independent. There would, therefore, be no nominations from Derbyshire County Council. Mrs. Brown confirmed that the Executive Support Group had been very clear in their instructions around transparency and independence.
AGREED that (1) a further report be submitted to the next Board meeting detailing progress to date, and
(2) the Board will reserve its judgement on the allocation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Funding until such time that the requirements of the Local Strategic Partnership have been satisfied.
LSPB06/06 LOCAL AREA AGREEMENT
Nothing to report.
LSPB07/06 SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY
Mrs. Brown briefly explained the report. She advised that a copy of the core document was available at the meeting if required.
AGREED that (1) the report be noted,
(2) a draft Proforma be produced, and
(3) the Proforma be utilised for reporting purposes within their own organisations/agencies and to also promote ownership and accountability of targets agreed in the Sustainable Community Strategy.
LSPB08/06 NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL FUND
2006-08 Commissioning – Update
Mrs. Khella briefly explained the report.
AGREED that (1) the report and supporting information be noted, and
(2) Phase 2 of the Commissioning Process and financial allocations as approved by the Executive Support Group, be endorsed.
LSPB09/06 LETTER FROM DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL RE: DERBYSHIRE POLICE RE-ORGANISATION
Mrs. Brown reported that a letter had been received from the Chief Executive, Derbyshire County Council, requesting the Local Strategic Partnership to consider the issues and respond to the Member of Parliament. The deadline for responses being August 2006.
Councillor Carlile stated that Derbyshire Association for Local Councils had organised a special conference which was scheduled to take place on 10th June, 2006, at Matlock, and that representatives from Parish/Town Councils would be invited together with Derbyshire MP’s and Chairs of the Police Authorities.
AGREED to defer the preparation of response until July 2006 when further information would be available.
LSPB10/06 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday, 20th July, 2006, at 9.30 a.m., Committee Room No. 1, Sherwood Lodge, Bolsover.
The meeting concluded at 10.00 a.m.