Minute
North Lanarkshire Council · 24 April 2023
Back to Communities Committee — 24 April 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
COMMUNITIES - 24 APRIL 2023 27 24 April 2023 at 10 am. A Meeting of the COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor Stevenson, Convener; Councillor McBride, Vice-Convener; Councillors Ashraf, Beveridge, Burgess, Campbell, Fisher, Fotheringham, Hughes, Jones, Keltie, Khan, B. McCulloch, McLaren, McNally, Mitchell, Nolan, Patton, Robb, Smith and Toner. ALSO PRESENT In accordance with Standing Order 64(A) Councillor Ballinger attended as a substitute for Councillor Barclay. CHAIR Councillor Stevenson (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement), Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic), Area Community Partnership Managers and Democratic Services Manager. APOLOGIES Councillors Barclay and Williams. Prior to the commencement of business, the Convener advised that he had agreed that an additional item of business – Grant Award Programme – would be considered and which he considered was relevant, competent and urgent in accordance with Standing Order 15, and that he would take this item immediately after agenda item 5. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC. (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000 1. There were no declarations of interest. COMMUNITY COUNCIL QUADRENNIAL ELECTIONS 2. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic) (1) advising of the proposed arrangements for the Community Council Quadrennial Elections in terms of the North Lanarkshire Council Scheme for Community Councils; (2) outlining the statutory obligations of the Council in relation to the establishment of Community Councils and associated timescales for quadrennial elections; (3) indicating that a date requires to be identified when Community Council members will stand down, in terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to enable the reconstitution process for Community Councils to be initiated; (4) proposing that the date on which Community Council members shall stand down will be Monday, 9 October 2023 at 11.59 pm; (5) providing a summary of the process to be followed, including where the number of nominations received for any Community Council exceeds the number of vacancies exists and an election would be required, and (6) detailing that, where no election to a Community Council is necessary, Community Councils will re-establish on Tuesday, 10 October 2023.
Page 2
COMMUNITIES - 24 APRIL 2023 28 Decided: that the date when Community Council members be requested to stand down be set for Monday, 9 October 2023. TOWN TWINNING 3. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic) (1) providing a background to the concept of Town Twinning and listing the individual Town Twinning arrangements in existence in North Lanarkshire; (2) explaining that, given the level of Town Twinning invitations and requests received during the previous twelve months by the Council, and the rising costs associated with the provision of transport and hospitality, it had become evident that the current approved budget cannot sustain the previously agreed financial provisions; (3) explaining that the relevant funding is held in a separate budget distinct from the general Civic Functions funding and is ringfenced for the four specific areas within North Lanarkshire involved in Town Twinning; (4) intimating that, with reductions to the Civic Functions budget over the previous few years, the opportunities for civic recognition for individuals and organisations throughout North Lanarkshire had become constrained and that, to increase opportunities for civic recognition for all community groups across North Lanarkshire, proposing to cease future funding of Town Twinning and transfer the remaining funds into the Civic Functions budget, and (5) highlighting that, should the proposal be approved by the Committee, notification regarding these arrangements would be issued to all Town Twinning Associations. Decided: (1) that the cessation of discreet funding for Town Twinning visits from 1 July 2023 onwards be approved, and (2) that the transfer of any remaining 2023/24 Town Twinning funds to the Civic Functions budget be approved. NORTH LANARKSHIRE VOLUNTEERING STRATEGY 2023 TO 2026 4. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) (1) explaining that the North Lanarkshire Volunteering Strategy had been developed by the North Lanarkshire Voluntary Partnership during 2022 with a view to strengthening volunteering across North Lanarkshire for the benefit of volunteers, residents and communities supported by volunteers, and volunteer-involving organisations, and (2) providing an overview of the North Lanarkshire Volunteering Strategy, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, and inviting the Committee to consider the role of the Council as a key delivery partner in its implementation. Decided: (1) that the content of the North Lanarkshire Volunteering Strategy be acknowledged, and (2) that the role played by the Council in the implementation of the strategy as a key community planning partner be endorsed and supported. COMMUNITY BOARD LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 5. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) (1) providing an update on progress with the Community Board Local Development Programme (LDP) projects previously approved by Committee; (2) seeking in principle approval for new potential projects as proposed by local Community Groups and as outlined in the report; (3) outlining the criteria being applied applicable to projects to enable them to be included in the Programme; (4) providing a narrative of the challenges being faced in project delivery, and (5) attaching, as Appendices to the report (i) C
Page 3
COMMUNITIES - 24 APRIL 2023 29 Community Board Local Development Programme 2022/23 onwards, and (ii) Budget Information, and (iii) Play Area Development List 2022/23. Councillor Smith requested, in respect of the Abronhill Community Works in the Potential Community Board LDP 2022/23 onwards, which the report recommended be removed from the Programme, that this matter be continued pending a meeting of the Regeneration Forum later that week. The Community Partnership Manager advised that he was prepared to continue consideration of this matter. Decided: (1) that the progress with the remaining LDP 2022/23 onwards be recognised and that projects which have potential for delivery in future financial years, depending on availability of budget and community support, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; (2) that the capital budget allocated to the LDP for each Community Board area for the next financial year, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be recognised; (3) that the amendments to existing projects and further project proposals and project criteria be approved; (4) that the proposal listed in the report in respect of Abronhill Community Works be continued pending a meeting of the Regeneration Forum, and (5) that the current challenges faced in achieving delivery of the LDP be acknowledged. In accordance with Standing Order 15, the Convener had agreed that the following item of business be considered as, in his view, it was relevant, competent and urgent. UPDATE FOR GRANTS AWARDS PROGRAMME 2022/23 6. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) seeking approval of funding for the Parkinson's Self Help Group (Motherwell Area) of £4,047 (1) explaining that as part of the 2022/23 Grant Award Programme, 78 applications had been received, however, one application was not assessed within normal timescales due to the pre-assessment checks identifying a gap in the financial records for the organisation; (2) advising that the records have now been submitted by the organisation, and the application has been assessed using the agreed process, and (3) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, the funding recommendation. Decided: that the additional funding recommendation for the 2022/23 Grant Awards Programme, as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report, in respect of Parkinson's Self Help Group (Motherwell Area), be approved. PO56.2(3) COMMUNITY BOARD AND PARTNERSHIP COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 7. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) (1) providing an update on key progress linked to supporting the development of the Community Boards model including updates on the tenth cycle of Community Boards meetings which took place throughout February and March 2023; (2) advising that, as previously agreed by Committee, reports on the work of the nine Community Boards are provided to the Committee relating to each committee cycle and progress is also reported to the North Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Strategic Leadership Board to reflect the statutory nature of the Boards in community planning terms and to provide local governance for the Local Outcome Improvement Plans, with this report covering
Page 4
COMMUNITIES - 24 APRIL 2023 30 cycle 10 of the Community Board meetings, and (3) explaining that the process and focus of reporting on the work of the Community Boards will continue to be reviewed. Decided: that the work to continue to develop and improve the integrated approach to supporting the Local Community Board model be recognised. PROVOST'S CITIZENSHIP AWARDS 8. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) (1) reminding the Committee that in 2019, the former Youth, Equalities and Empowerment Committee had approved the creation of the Provost's Citizenship Awards to recognise the vital work carried out by dedicated individuals in their own communities which can often go unrecognised and that it was acknowledged that individuals and groups can be role models for others and inspire people to participate in activity which benefits their community; (2) explaining that to make the awards, nominations had been sought from members of the public, with three individual winners and three group winners chosen by a panel chaired by the Provost and including other Elected Members, the Council's Chief Executive and the Chair of the Community Planning Partnership with the panel judging nominations against a set of criteria; (3) outlining that the first awards had taken place in early 2020 and had been the only in-person awards awarded due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and (4) intimating that, following consultation with the Provost, it was proposed that Community Boards, and Elected Members from across the Council, be more involved in nominations and that a new system of award be commenced to ensure that the whole of North Lanarkshire is represented in the awards while making more awards available, with details of the proposals outlined in the report. Decided: (1) that the proposed new arrangements for the Provost's Awards, including the change of name from Provost's Citizenship Awards, be approved, and (2) that, otherwise, the contents of the report be noted. CONTRACTS AWARDED BELOW COMMITTEE APPROVAL THRESHOLD 9. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) notifying the Committee of contracts awarded between 1 January and 31 March 2023 with a value below the financial threshold requiring Committee approval. Decided: that the contracts awarded below Committee approval threshold between 1 January and 31 March 2023, as per the process contained within the Council's General Contract Standing Orders, be noted.