Leisure, Arts And Communities Committee - 16/04/2001

At a MEETING of the NEIGHBOURHOOD RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 16th April, 2001.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor FARQUHAR, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 12th March, 2001 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIPS - ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2001/2002

There was submitted Report No 235-2001 by the Director of Neighbourhood Resources and Development bringing forward proposals for the allocation of Social Inclusion Partnership revenue funding and awards from the Small Grants Programme 2001/2002. The report also included details of additional SIP funding resources for 2001/2002.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the recommendations of the Dundee Partnership Community Regeneration Group in progressing two deferred proposals - one from SIP 1 Revenue Funding for 2001/2002 as detailed in Appendix A and one from SIP 1 Capital Funding for 2001/2002;

(b) to agree the award of SIP 1 & 2 Small Revenue Grants as set out in Appendices B and C of the report;

(c) to note the additional financial resources secured towards Social Inclusion Partnership activity in 2001/2002 as detailed in Section 7 of the report.

The Convener declared an interest in this report and took no part in the discussion.

II CREDIT UNIONS IN DUNDEE: FUTURE DEVELOPMENTNATIONAL CREDIT UNION DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

In September, 2000, the Neighbourhood Resources and Development Committee had agreed that Credit Union Development in Dundee should be focused on a partnership between Dundee City Council and a consortium of agencies from the public, private, community and voluntary sectors to facilitate the establishment of a legally and financially independent Dundee City-Wide Credit Union.

The Committee had also agreed that a strategy for targeting external funding should be prepared to cover additional costs during the start-up/development phase until such time as the membership grows to a scale whereby the Credit Union can achieve financial independence and long-term sustainability.

The Committee noted that following an unsuccessful bid for three years SIPS funding, a further bid had been submitted for a SIPS small grant to fund a feasibility study to test the demand for Credit Union services at a city-wide level. The Committee also noted the public launch of the National Credit Union Development Strategy "Unlocking the Potential - an Action Plan for the Credit Union Movement in Scotland" on 30th March, 2001.

The National Working Group proposed that a Scottish Credit Union Partnership be established to oversee the implementation of the strategy and that COSLA should provide the link between the national strategy and local delivery. A watching brief would be maintained on this national development to determine the extent to which the Action Plan for the Credit Union Movement in Scotland can support the development of the Dundee City-Wide Credit Union.

III ADULT EDUCATION SUPPORT FUND

It was reported that during the period April, 2000 to March, 2001 a total of 4,561.85 had been awarded to support adult learning in the community. Allocations into the three categories of award were as follows:-

(a) Support to Adult Education Associations

Harris Adult Education and Recreation Association (HERA): 2,350.

(b) Support to Community Groups (maximum 500) to support local learning initiatives; total 1,050 allocated to:-

Volunteer Issues Group (Positive Women Conference): 300.

Pakistani Society (Organisation of Women's Group): 495.

Scottish Dyslexia Association (Organisation of a One Day Event in Dundee): 255.

(c) Support to individuals undertaking part-time accredited vocational courses of study (maximum 200) where individuals were experiencing disadvantage and where funding was unavailable from other sources - total awarded 1,161.85 to sixty-six individuals (ranging from 4.25 to 200).

Individual awards provided help with fees (maximum 120), help with childcare (maximum 100), help with travel costs (maximum 100) and help with the cost of books (maximum 20).

In all cases, individuals were either not working or in low paid part-time work and would have experienced difficulty in undertaking or continuing with vocational courses of study, in many cases representing a first step qualification.

The Committee noted the awards made.

IV ADULT LEARNERS' WEEK 2001

It was reported that Adult Learners' Week 2001 would take place between 14th and 20th May, 2001.

The Committee agreed to release 1,000 from the Neighbourhood Resources and Development Adult Education Support Fund to support events and functions relating to Adult Learners' Week 2001.

V GRANT AID 2000/2001

At the Policy and Resources Committee on 14th November, 1998 (Report No 800/1998 refers), authority was given to the Director of Neighbourhood Resources and Development to make awards up to the value of 500 to voluntary/community organisations.

The Committee noted that during the financial year 2000/2001, sixty three awards had been made at a total cost of 20,988 as detailed in Appendix I. This sum was contained within the grants portfolio of the Department's 2000/2001 Revenue Budget (Report No 829-2001).

VI SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT IV 2000/2001

At its meeting on 10th February, 1997, the Committee approved the criteria and procedures for the Department's Grant Aid Portfolio (Report No 127-1997 refers).

There was submitted Report No 236-2001 by the Director of Neighbourhood Resources and Development recommending a specific grant award which could be met from the relevant revenue budget 2000/2001.

The Committee approved payment of 10,000 to Broughty Ferry YMCA subject to confirmation of compliance with the necessary requirements.

CHARLES FARQUHAR, Convener.