Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Tweeddale Area Partnership being held via Microsoft Teams and outlined how the meeting would be conducted and how those both in the meeting and watching via the Live Stream could take part.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Tweeddale Area Partnership meeting held on 29 March 2022 were noted.

Report to Area Partnership by Steph MacKenzie, Joint Health Improvement Specialist, NHS Borders. (Copy attached.)

The Community Co-ordinator, Mr Kenny Harrow explained that the Joint Health Improvement team had planned to attend the meeting to provide an update on the development of the Scottish Borders Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Action plan but were unable to do so.  Mr Harrow outlined that the Team was in the process of undertaking a consultation on their wider 3 year action plan concerning mental health and suicide prevention. Mr Harrow encouraged attendees to provide their feedback, explained that the survey closed on 3 July, and undertook to post a link in the chat to the survey for interested parties.

MEMBER

Councillor Small joined the meeting during the discussion on the item below

Jason Hedley, SBC Neighbourhood Area Manager for Tweeddale to lead discussions on the current services being provided at Eshiels Community Recycling Centre and the intended purpose of the community survey.

The Neighbourhood Area Manager, Mr Jason Hedley, was present at the meeting and explained that he was responsible for the management of a team that included parks, open space maintenance, cleaning maintenance, public toilets, roads and winter maintenance.  The Waste and Passenger Transport Manager, Mr Ross Sharp-Dent was also present, and explained that he had responsibility for refuse collection and transfer stations.  Mr Hedley outlined that a survey of the residents of Tweeddale was underway to ascertain what improvements needed to be made to the provision of services.  Mr Hedley outlined that the survey would be live for a short duration, and expressed his hopes that the questionnaire would provide his team with genuine feedback about the feelings of the residents of Tweeddale to the quality of the services in their locality.  The Community Engagement Officer, Ms Hannah Lacon, undertook to circulate the survey.  In response to a question regarding pilot responsive travel schemes active within the Borders, Mr Sharp-Dent explained that the PINGO pilot was live only in the Berwickshire locality.  The scheme, using 2 minibuses, involved people using the PINGO software to book a place on the bus, which would then plot a route for the bus to follow based on passenger need.  The pilot would last for approximately one year, until the funding that had been secured was drawn down.  The feedback from the pilot would be fed into a wider review of the transport network within the Borders.

Consider progress report from Crick Carleton, Chair of Place Making Working Group. (Copy attached.)

5.1       Crick Carleton of the Tweeddale Area Partnership Placemaking Working Group provided an update on the progress that the Working Group had made since the last meeting of the Area Partnership.  A general update, list of membership, draft terms of reference, draft work plan, message to communities and a breakdown of the 7 potential communities that had expressed an interest in Place Making had been circulated with the agenda.  Mr Carleton explained that the intention was for the Working Group to conclude its work by December 2023, with the potential to extend the duration if necessary.  Ms Lacon informed the meeting that there had been an expression of interest from Clovenfords in Placemaking plans, and it was expected that they would be provided support.  The draft terms of reference was approved.  The Chairman and Councillor Thomson agreed to join the Placemaking Working Group.  In response to a question on how to get involved with Placemaking, Mr Carleton explained that the group membership is open, and encouraged interested parties to get involved.

5.2       A meeting of the Working Group would be convened at the next available time, with representatives of the interested communities invited to help demystify Placemaking and Place Plans.   Mr Carleton explained that the key functions of the Working Group were to identify ways to support the interested communities, identify the required resources needed to succeed, and to encourage dialogue.  Mr Harrow outlined that he was happy to facilitate meetings and link up interested parties to the Working Group, and shared his contact details.  In response to a request that the Working Group be empowered to make decisions on additional resources to facilitate travel and external guest speakers, Mr Harrow undertook to work with the Group to find solutions and potentially build applications to the Neighbourhood Support Fund.

Update on activity and conversations taking place across the Scottish Borders and in Tweeddale.

Mr Harrow provided an overview of work that had gone on within Tweeddale looking to improve financial inclusion and provide food support. Mr Harrow explained that the Financial Inclusion Fund had been made available by the Scottish Government, and that the funding was used to tackle food insecurity, provide welfare payments directly to households and fuel cards to those who experiencing fuel poverty.  Regarding food support, Mr Harrow explained that a trial “low and slow” project had taken place in Hawick, and that the Peeblesshire Foodbank would start a trial of the same project in October.  Ms Lacon explained that breakfast clubs were being considered at Walkerburn Primary School

Consider update from Stewart Sanderson and Neil Bennison.

Neal Bennison of the National Lottery joined the meeting to provide insight into his group and an overview of how they could help with community funding.  Mr Bennison explained that he worked as a National Lottery Community Fund Manager, focused on helping communities access funding.  The National Lottery had, in the last financial year, had provided approximately £1.3 million to projects across the Scottish Borders via small grants of between £10k and £200k.  Mr Bennison shared his contact details and advised any interested party to contact him as early as possible when considering making an application for funding.

(a)        Tweeddale Funding Closing Position end of Year 2021/22; and

(b)        Tweeddale Funding 2022/23. (Copies attached.)

Copies of the Tweeddale Funding Tables for 2021/22 and 2022/23 had been circulated with the agenda.  Ms Lacon provided a presentation of the projects that previous funding had helped support, including Peebles CAN, Greener Peebles, the Food Foundation, Peebles Foodbank, and St Ronans Bowling Club.  Mr Harrow provided an overview of the funding for 2022/23.  The Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF) had replaced the Community Fund for 2022/23.  The NSF had opened in April with a starting balance of £87,455.  Applications to the value of £27,644.38 had been assessed, which left £65,455.44 if all of the applications were successful. 

MEMBER

Councillor Pirone joined the meeting during the discussion of the item below.

Tweeddale assessment Panel to present funding recommendations for the following NSF applications:

·         Tweeddale Red Squirrel Network

·         Dementia Friendly Tweeddale

·         Peeblesshire Youth Trust

·         Tweedsmuir Community Company

·         West Linton Scout Group

·         Peebles Community Trust

·         Music in Peebles

(Copy attached.)

9.1       There had been circulated copies of the Tweeddale Assessment Panel’s recommendations with the agenda.  Ms Esther Daborn of the Assessment Panel provided an overview of the recommendations for funding, and explained that the consideration of each application had been comprehensive and robust.  The importance of applicants providing sufficient detail with their application – especially a breakdown of their financial position – was highlighted by Ms Daborn.

9.2       Peebles Red Squirrel Network

The application from Peebles Red Squirrel Network was for £1,009 to fund the purchase of educational equipment and promotional materials to raise awareness and funding.  The Group had monitored their past activities and appeared to be have made a positive impact.  All of the staff worked on a voluntary basis.  The decision to grant the funding was unanimously approved.

9.3       Dementia Friendly Tweeddale

Dementia Friendly Tweeddale had applied for £4,459.88 to facilitate pilot drop in meetings for people with dementia and their carers, and provide sessions for businesses, clubs, etc. on how small adaptations could improve community access. The funding applied for would be used to improve operational capacity, including the purchase of a projector and speaker, design and printing services, promotional materials, training and insurance. The decision to grant the funding was unanimously approved.

9.4       Peeblesshire Youth Trust

            The request from the Peeblesshire Youth Trust for £1,458 to provide 2 sessions for 27 vulnerable Primary seven pupils at the Youth Club prior to the summer holiday, a day trip, and 2 sessions following the commencement of their studies at high school.  The funding would be used to cover transport and entry costs.  The application was unanimously approved.

9.5       Tweedsmuir Community Company

Tweedsmuir Community Company had applied for £7,261.50 to help fund the development of a Community Garden.  The Group had provided a detailed breakdown financial breakdown.  The recommendation to fund was unanimously approved.

9.6       West Linton Scout Group

            The application from the West Linton Scout Group was for £4,000 to allow the Group to offer a 2 night camping trip to 41 scouts.  The Panel was keen to support a group for young people re-establishing post Covid-19 within a rural community. The decision to grant funding was unanimously approved.

9.7       Peebles Community Trust

            Peebles Community Trust had applied for £7,500 as part of their Library of Things project. The project involved providing community resources to allow people to borrow items rather than buying them.  The funding would help set up an app to manage the process of lending items, and fund a part-time staff member to work alongside volunteers.  The Panel had suggested that the Trust considered an application to the FCC Environmental Fund.  The Panel felt that the application was commendable and that the Trust should be encouraged to continue with their project.  The Trust had been provided £3k of funding by the Area Partnership in March 2022, but had not provided information to allow the Panel to understand how that funding had been used. The Panel recommended to defer the application to allow  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

In the absence of Councillor Tatler, Community Councillor Peter Maudsley, a Member of the Sub-Group, explained that feedback on the planned consultation had been received. It was expected that the consultation would be formalised and begin shortly.

Councillors Small and Pirone expressed their desire to allow other Members from Tweeddale the chance to sit on the Tweeddale Area Partnership Placemaking Working Group.

Ms Lacon carried out a survey of the meeting using the interactive Menti tool.

Are there any items you would like to propose for the agenda? 

Please contact your local councillor or the Communities & Partnership Team.

The next full meeting of the Area Partnership was scheduled for 23 August 2022 and the Chairman asked for agenda item suggestions to be submitted.