Leisure, Arts And Communities Committee - 21/08/2006

At a MEETING of the COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 21st August, 2006.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Chris HIND, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 26th June, 2006 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DUNDEE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP - (A) ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 - (B) STRATEGY 2005-2006 AND ACTION PLAN 2006-2007

There was submitted Joint Report No 437-2006 by Head of Community Learning and Development and Co-Chairperson, Dundee Community Safety Partnership advising the Committee of the 2005-2006 Dundee Community Safety Partnership 2006 Annual Report, the Evaluation of Community Safety Award Targeted Initiatives and seeking approval for the Partnership 2006-2007 Action Plan.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the 2005-2006 Action Plan Evaluation as summarised in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii) approve the 2006-2007 Community Safety Action Plan;

(iii) note the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the Dundee Community Safety Partnership.

II DUNDEE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP - LOCAL ACTION FUND; YOUTH ACTIVITIES EVALUATION AND MONITORING REPORT 2004-2006

There was submitted Joint Report No 445-2006 by Head of Community Learning and Development and Co-Chairperson Community Safety Partnership seeking approval of the 2004-2006 Monitoring and Evaluation Report to the Scottish Executive for the dispersement of the Local Action Fund; Youth Activities as per conditions of grant award.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) approve the report to the Scottish Executive as detailed in Appendix I to the report;

(ii) note the increase in scale of youth activities targeted under the Initiative as detailed in Appendix 2.1 to 2.3 of the report;

(iii) promote the extension of this funding initiative by the Scottish Executive post 1st April, 2008.

III NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS FUND III (2006-2007)

There was submitted Report No 434-2006 by the Director of Leisure and Communities making recommendations for grant awards from the National Organisations Fund.

The Committee approved the recommended grants as detailed below:-

IV ANNUAL REPORT 2004-2006 - DUNDEE COMMUNITY SAFETY WARDENS INITIATIVE

There was submitted Report No 438-2006 by the Director of Leisure and Communities seeking approval of a revised two year Monitoring and Evaluation Report to the Scottish Executive on Year 2 of the Dundee Community Safety Wardens Initiative and further seeking approval of action plan arising from the consultants' external report.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) approve the 2004-2006 report on the monitoring and evaluation of the Dundee Community Safety Wardens Initiative as per the approved Scottish Executive format as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

(ii) note the content and approve the proposed management action plan arising from the second annual report of the independent external consultants Blake Stevenson, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

(iii) note the Scottish Executive guidance on the flexible deployment of Community Safety Wardens - July 2006 as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report.

V LITERACIES INITIATIVE - END OF YEAR REPORT 2005-2006

There was submitted Report No 448-2006 by the Director of Leisure and Communities seeking to inform members of the progress in the implementation of the Community Learning and Development Partnership - Literacies Initiative and the key points reported to the Scottish Executive in the End Year Report 2005-2006 as per external funding requirements.

The Committee agreed to note:-

(i) progress on the initiative exceeding its targets, having noted that the number of learners receiving literacy support in 2005/2006 was 1,990.

(ii) that the number of venues providing adult literacy support across the city had increased to 41 during 2005/2006.

(iii) the range of partners who had received funding to deliver literacies provision, which addresses all target groups as identified by Scottish Executive, detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

VI LITERACIES STRATEGIC PLAN - ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2006-07

There was submitted Report No 487-2006 by Director of Leisure and Communities seeking approval of recommendations for the allocation of resources to deliver on the key elements contained in the Literacies Strategic Plan, which was approved by the Scottish Executive in January 2006.

The Committee agreed the allocation of Literacies Strategic Plan funding 2006/2007 as recommended by the Community Learning Partnership (Literacies Sub-Group) on 31st July, 2006 and as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

VII INTERNATIONAL YOUTH WORK FUND II 2006-2007

There was submitted Agenda Note AN254-2006 whereby it was reported that during the recess period, a request was received for a grant from the Departments International Youth Work Fund, to enable the participation of young people from Dundee and the Bahamas in a programme based in Dundee.

In view of the timescales involved, the Director of Leisure and Communities, after consultation with the Convener and spokespersons from the other groups, approved the undernoted grant:-

The Committee agreed to note the above.

VIII "ACCESS TO LEARNING PROJECT (ENGAGING MINORITY ETHNIC FAMILIES)" MULTI-CULTURAL CELEBRATION - CENTRALLIBRARY, WELLGATE - 6TH JULY, 2006

There was submitted Agenda Note AN255-2006 relative to the above.

Members noted that the Access to Learning Project had been showcasing the work carried out through the Project and hosting multi-cultural celebration events for two years.

This year's event aimed to demonstrate how Access to Learning Project (engaging minority ethnic families) focuses on community development and learning and providing learning opportunities to encourage and support minority ethnic families within Hilltown and Stobswell/Fairmuir areas.

In addition to this, the Access to Learning Project (engaging minority ethnic families) had continued to work in partnership with local minority ethnic communities, schools, community projects, and other agencies and organisations to develop the needs of minority ethnic families.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) Note the continuing success of the Access to Learning Project, and in particular, its Open Day events and;

(ii) Approve the running of the event on an annual basis subject to the award of external funding support.

Chris HIND, Convener.