Agenda and minutes

1.0      WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Cheviot Area Partnership held remotely via Microsoft teams, which included elected Members, guests attending within the meeting and those watching via the Live Stream.  He outlined how the meeting would be conducted.

Copy Minute from Meeting on 29 January 2020.  (Copy attached.)

2.0   Feedback from meeting on 29 JANUARY 2020

2.1     The minute of the meeting of the Cheviot Area Partnership held on 29 January 2020 had been circulated and was noted.

a.       Outstanding Community Fund Applications for 2019/20 - these have been dealt with as per the report that went to Council on 27 08 20 which also contains the evaluation of Localities Bid Fund 1&2 and Participatory Budgeting:

b.       The Cheviot Community Fund for 2020/21 is now open - guidance and application form is on SBC website: https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/20076/community_grants_and_funding/261/community_fund

c.       Community Councils - grants are being paid as normal for 2020/21

d.       Festival Grant Scheme – commitments re pubic liability and insurance are being met for 2020

e.       Federation of Village Halls – grants are being paid as normal for 2020/21

f.        VE Celebration Fund – this fund is now closed and commitments re expenses are being met

g.       Cheviot Locality Plan & Action Plans - these plans are now published and outline the priorities of the Cheviot area and could be the focus of a future Area Partnership meeting: https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/download/1310/locality_plans

h.       Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 – Currently, there are no formal Participation Requests or formal Asset Transfer requests being considered within Cheviot.

          OTHER INFORMATION AND NEWS FOR NOTING

The following information and news, as detailed on the agenda, was noted:

(a)          Outstanding Community Fund Applications for 2019/20 - these had been dealt with as per the report that went to Council on 27 August 2020 which also contained the evaluation of Localities Bid Fund 1&2 and Participatory Budgeting. A summary paper had been circulated with the agenda.

(b)       The Cheviot Community Fund for 2020/21 was now open - guidance and application   form was on the Council’s website: https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/20076/community_grants_and_funding/261/community_fund

(c)          Community Councils - grants were being paid as normal for 2020/21

(d)          Festival Grant Scheme – commitments re pubic liability and insurance were being met for 2020

(e)          Federation of Village Halls – grants were being paid as normal for 2020/21

(f)            VE Celebration Fund – this fund was now closed and commitments re expenses were being met

(g)       Cheviot Locality Plan & Action Plans - these plans were now published.  They outlined the priorities of the Eildon area and could be the focus of a future Area Partnership meeting: https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/download/1310/locality_plans

(h)       Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 – Currently, there were no formal Participation Requests orformal Asset Transfer requests being considered within Cheviot.         

4.            FIT FOR 2024: REVIEW OF AREA PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNITY FUND AND ACTIONS FOR CHEVIOT AREA PARTNERSHIP                

4.1       A summary of reports to Council, on 27 August 2020, on the Reviews of Area Partnerships and the Community Fund, had been circulated with the agenda.  Mrs Craig gave a slide presentation which highlighted the main findings of the reviews and outlined the next steps.  Based on the findings of the review some immediate changes had been made to the Community Fund from 1September 2020.  As part of the Council’s response to the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, and from the findings of the Scottish Community Development Centre report, Area Partnerships and communities could now make recommendations to Scottish Borders Council by the end of January 2021 about how they would like their Area Partnership and Community Fund to operate in the future. These recommendations would then go out for further public consultation that would take place in February 2021.  At the end of the public consultation, a report would go to Council in March 2021.

4.2       The Chairman asked for views about how Cheviot Area Partnership could establish a way to review the findings and make recommendations at a local level for further public consultation in February 2021.  He referred to the suggested questions which were included in the paper circulated, as an aid to developing these recommendations. A discussion followed about the most effective and fair way of engaging with groups and communities and how to collaborate in the provision of a list of recommendations. It was accepted that a variety of ways could be used to consult with people, even through the current restrictions, including by remote meetings, email and group telephone calls.  It was agreed that a Working Group be established to draw together some initial thoughts to be reported back to the next meeting of the Cheviot Area Partnership.

            DECISION

            AGREED that:-

(a)     a short term Working Group consisting be established consisting of the    following:-

Councillors S. Hamilton (Chairman)

Councillor E. Robson

John Taylor (Jedburgh Community Council)

Dean Weatherston (Kelso Community Council)

Charles Strang (St Boswells Community Council)

Susan Stewart (Yetholm Community Council)

Ian Rendall-Reid (Cheviot Youth)

Heather Batsch (The Bridge)

Colin McGrath (Community Council Network)

(b)      That a meeting of the Working Group be held prior to the next Meeting of the Cheviot Area Partnership which was scheduled for 27 January 2021.

4 applications for approval:-

·Lothian Hall Committee

·  Cheviot Youth

·Kalewater Community Company

·Generations Working Together (application currently does not meet CF criteria)

5.0       CHEVIOT COMMUNITY fUND 2020/21CHEVIOT COMMUNITY fUND 2020/21

Assessments of four applications to the Cheviot Community Fund had been circulated, plus a summary of grant funding within Cheviot in 2020/21 and the source of that funding. The summary showed grant applications awarded, those under assessment and those to be considered by the Area Partnership.  Also included were funding commitments to Community Councils, Village Halls and Local Festivals.   Before consideration of the four pending applications, Ms Clare Malster outlined the process of assessment of applications to the Community Fund and the criteria used for that assessment. She advised that all applications to the Community Fund would be put forward to the Area Partnership for consideration, with officer assessment advising if the criteria had been met.  She went on to give a summary of each of the following applications under consideration and confirmed that each met the Community Fund criteria.

5.1       Lothian Hall Committee  

The application explained that Lothian Hall was a 120 year old traditionally built building and was owned and run by the local community.  The Hall served a rural community with many of the users travelling in from outlying settlements and provided opportunities for individuals to maintain social connections with one another and help to combat social isolation.  The local community had no shops or schools and therefore the hall was a key community asset for residents.  The group hoped to a hold social event as soon as it was possible to do so to bring the community together again following the restrictions of the past year.  Lothian Hall was a popular venue for local activities, particularly the informal fortnightly coffee mornings and monthly coffee evenings and hosted weekly meetings of the wood turners, local dog training group, regular surgeries for Elected Members, MP/MSP’s and had operated as a polling station for elections prior to the COVID restrictions.  Additionally the hall supported a range of seasonal events including a Christmas fayre, Easter gatherings and Kelso Civic week events and the introduction of gentle exercise classes was planned 2021.  All events were open to all and very popular with all ages.  Funding of £13,748 had been requested by the Lothian Hall Committee to install secondary glazing units to all 25 windows as the first step in improving the building thermal efficiency.  In the longer term the Hall Committee would also upgrade the heating system which would improve the thermal fabric of the building and thus the comfort of users, ensuring that groups could continue to

meet throughout the year whist utility costs were kept at an acceptable level and not passed on to hall users.

5.2       Cheviot Youth    

Cheviot Youth were requesting financial support in the sum of £25,151 for the enhanced delivery of Stepping Stones mental health and well-being service in Cheviot, which aimed to improve the mental health and well-being of children and young people.  Youth Borders co-ordinates a team of seven Project Workers to deliver Stepping Stones across the Borders.  Cheviot Youth planned to increase the capacity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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

          DATE OF NEXT MEETING

            The next meeting would be held on Wednesday, 27 January 2021 at 6.30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.