Agenda item

(Summary of reports attached).

A summary of reports to Council on 27 August 2020, on the Review of Area Partnerships and the Community Fund, had been circulated with the agenda.  Jenni Craig, Service Director, Customer and Communities, gave a presentation highlighting the key areas from the summary document.    She advised that following the review and report to Council by the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDS), the Council agreed that a further report be presented to them for consideration in March 2021.  This report will reflect the opinions and ideas of Area Partnerships and communities on how the Area Partnerships and Community Fund should evolve.   Mrs Craig advised that Area Partnerships had yet to realise the level of community engagement and involvement that was envisaged when they were established.  That Community Councils and community groups should be involved in shaping how their Area Partnership should develop going forward.  It was therefore anticipated that each locality should develop recommendations which reflected their own localities’ circumstances. These recommendations would then go forward for further public consultation in February 2021.  At the end of the public consultation, a report would be considered by Council in March 2021.  Mrs Craig advised that in some localities there was not enough community capacity to sustain local activity and that the Council were considering a model for communities going forward.   Mrs Craig went on to explain that the SCDS review had also reviewed Community Fund arrangements.   Findings were that most found the application process and criteria positive but that improved transparency was required about the decision making process and the grants available.   It was also the preference for Village Hall, Community Council and Festival grants to remain ring fenced. Mrs Craig then asked for views about how the Area Partnerships could be developed going forward, acknowledging that this might be different within each of the localities.

4.2       The Chairman referred to the suggested questions included in the paper circulated as an aid to stimulate discussion on how Area Partnerships should operate, how they should be constituted and what their focus should be.  A discussion followed and the following points were raised:-

·                Covid-19 communications have been helpful and Community Assistance Hubs should be retained.

·                Local authority resources provided at local level to continue.

·                Communications on Covid-19 testing, vaccinations etc. could be advised at meetings.

·                Balance Hawick town and rural priorities.

·                Community Councils worked well together in relation to Pines Burn funding, a similar model could work for Area Partnerships. 

·                Chair to be appointed within the new committee, not imposed by Council.  Could rotate Chair annually

·                Representation - eight Community Councillors and six elected Members.

·                Learnings to be used from Newcastleton Community Trust which had been set up to manage community funding.

·                Equal number of community councillors and elected Members, community organisations also to be involved.

·                Sub-Group to stand separately from the Council.

·                Elected Members and Community Council know what is required in their areas. 

·                Engagement at local level required – involve other representatives from community organisations.

·                Council officers’ experience and support to be retained.   

·                Newcastleton paper to be discussed at the next Community Council network meeting and comments fed back.   

·                Community Council review needs to be progressed.

·                Area Partnership’s role to be established to empower communities and use budget at local levels.  This needs to be agreed before setting up a new structure.

·                Base on scheme for Pines Burn plus Councillors.  Newcastleton will share paper with SBC.

4.3         Following the discussion it was suggested that officers should pull together points from the responses and comments from other Area Partnerships.