Leisure, Arts And Communities Committee - 13/09/2004

At a MEETING of the COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 13th September 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Chris HIND, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 16th August 2004 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I SUPPORT TO DISCOVERY CREDIT UNION

Lord Provost Letford and Councillors Shimi, Morrow and Sturrock all declared a financial interest in the following item being members of the Discovery Credit Union.

There was submitted Report No 521-2004 by the Head of Communities providing an update on the progress made to date with the development of the Discovery Credit Union Project (DCU). The report also made recommendations on the way in which the Council should continue to support the Discovery Credit Union Project within the current level of resources over the next three years.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the significant progress made by the Discovery Credit Union to date.

(b) to acknowledge the role that DCU plays in tackling poverty and promoting financial inclusion,

(c) to note the Communities Department's intention to terminate the secondment of the Credit Union Development Worker post to DCU from 1 June 2004 and to pay the financial equivalent of this post to DCU through grant aid until 31 March 2006.

(d) to approve the recommended level of financial support to be provided by Dundee City Council to DCU for the period April 2004 to March 2007 as follows:-

II SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIP ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2004/05

There was submitted Report No 612-2004 by the Head of Communities noting the allocation of funding for SIP1 and SIP2 from Communities Scotland and making recommendations for the allocation of SIP1 funding for the financial year 2004/05.

The Committee noted the outcome of the SIP decision-making process and agreed the proposals contained in Section 9 of the report, further noting the allocations from SIP1 Small Grants allocation outlined in Appendix A of the report.

III SETTING STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - UPDATE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN338-2004 advising that the Committee had on 8 September 2003, the Committee agreed Dundee City Council's participation in the national pilot programme for Setting Standards for Community Engagement led by the Scottish Community Development Centre on behalf of Communities Scotland.

A focus group was held in Dundee in June 2003 as part of a programme of six area-based focus groups held across the country to identify the issues that the Community Engagement Standards would need to tackle. This was followed up by a conference at Westpark Centre in November 2003, one of a series of four national events, used to consult stakeholders on the development of the draft Community Engagement Standards.

The Dundee Partnership made a successful application to Community Scotland to participate in the national pilot programme and a decision was made to apply the standards to the development of a Community Engagement and Communication Strategy in the Dundee North-West Area (Ardler, St Marys, Brackens, Downfield and the Dales). Key stakeholders from the public, private, voluntary community sectors agreed to participate in the pilot at local meetings held between March and April 2004.

A draft Community Engagement and Communications Strategy, as per the pilot, was currently being prepared for this area with support from the Scottish Community Development Centre and the involvement of key stakeholders. The Strategy would be finalised by the end of August and run from 2004-2007. The effectiveness of the Community Engagement Standards would be evaluated by the Scottish Community Development Centre by January 2005. The effectiveness of the Community Engagement and Communications Strategy would be monitored annually.

A further report on Dundee's involvement in the national pilot programme would be prepared for Committee in March 2005.

The Committee noted these developments.

IV DISBURSEMENT OF BOOST FUND

Councillors Beattie and A Dawson declared non-financial interests in the undernoted item being a member of Kirkton Community Support and a Trustee with the Fibromyalgia Association respectively.

There was submitted Report No 617-2004 by the Head of Communities informing the Committee of the allocations awarded from the Boost Fund.

The financial cost of these allocations could be contained within external funding received from the European Regional Development Fund and Social Inclusion Partnership.

The Committee noted the following awards:-

V LITERACIES ACTION PLAN - ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2004/05

There was submitted Report No 569-2004 by the Head of Communities making recommendations for allocation of resources to delivery on the key elements contained in the Literacies Action Plan which was approved by the Scottish Executive in March 2004.

The Committee agreed the allocation of Literacies Action Plan Funding 2004/05 as recommended by the Community Learning Partnership (Literacies Sub-Group) and as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

VI SUMMER IN THE LIBRARIES

There was submitted Agenda Note AN339-2004 advising the Committee that during the Summer 2004 library staff had organised a series of three events aimed at promoting library services to children of all ages and their parents and carers.

In the Central Library, 19 activities were held during the six weeks including story telling sessions, face painting, a games workshop event and craft activities. Links were strengthened with the Equality Action Team's Access to Learning Project with families from minority ethnic backgrounds attending most of the sessions.

All events linked with the Reading Agencies national summer reading scheme "Reading Rollercoaster" where children were given incentives to read during the holiday. 154 children participated in this and during September those who had completed the scheme would be invited to a medal ceremony.

A total of 533 adults and children attended the events which was a considerable increase of 42 on the previous year. This success was reflected across the City with 924 adults and children participating in events held at Community Libraries, 264 more than in the Summer of 2003.

The Committee noted the information detailed in the Agenda Note.

VII NON-RECURRING GRANTS FUND (PARTNERSHIPS) 2004/05

Councillors Grant and W Dawson declared non-financial interests being Council representatives on the Grey Lodge Settlement Management Committee.

There was submitted Report No 611-2004 by the Head of Communities informing the Committee of the release of grants approved in the Council's final Revenue Budget 2004/05. The grant awards had already been included in the Department's approved Revenue Budget 2004/05.

The Committee noted the payments made to the undernoted organisations:-

VIII NON-RECURRING REVENUE GRANTS FUND III 2004/2005

There was submitted Report No. 610-2004 by the Head of Communities making recommendations for grant awards for from the Non-Recurring Revenue Grants Fund. The grant awards would be met from the Department's Revenue Budget 2004/2005.

The Committee approved payment of the following recommended grants:-

CHRIS HIND, Convener