Minute
North Lanarkshire Council · 22 August 2022
Back to People and Communities Committee — 22 August 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 81 22 August 2022 at 10 am. A Hybrid Meeting of the PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor Ashraf, Convener; Councillors Burgess, Fisher, Fotheringham, Hughes, Jones, Keltie, Khan, Masterton, McBride, B. McCulloch, McLaren, McManus, McNally, Mitchell, Nolan, Patton, Robb, Smith, Stevenson, Toner and Williams. ALSO PRESENT In accordance with Standing Order 64(a) Councillors Ballinger, Logue and Crichton attended as substitutes on behalf of Councillors Baudo, Campbell and McCluskey respectively. CHAIR Councillor Ashraf (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE The Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer; Head of Education (South); Head of Strategic Communication; Active and Creative Communities Manager; Performance and Improvement Manager; Area Community Partnership Managers, and Democratic Services Manager. APOLOGIES Councillors McCluskey, Vice-Convener; Councillors Baudo and Campbell. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC. (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000 1. Councillors Jones and Khan, by virtue of a connection with organisations listed in the report, each declared an interest in agenda item 12 – Community Grants Annual Report 2021/22 – and both further declared that they each considered the interest sufficiently remote that it did not preclude their participation during consideration of that item of business. Councillor Masterton, by virtue of being a former director of the Campsies Board, declared an interest by virtue of a connection in respect of paragraph 12 – Campsies Grant Award Programme – and further declared that he considered the interest sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation in consideration of that item of business. Councillor Smith, by virtue of being a Director of Cumbernauld Theatre Trust, declared an interest by virtue of a connection in respect of paragraph 8 – Community Theatre Trust Funding Agreement 2022/23 – and in respect of being the Chair of Cumbernauld Cottage Trust declared an interest by virtue of a connection in respect of paragraph 16 – Community Asset Transfer and Participation Requests: Annual Report for 2021/2022 and left the meeting during consideration of these items of business. Councillor Williams, by virtue of being an Officer Bearer of each of the Northern Corridor Community Volunteers and Cardowan Community Volunteers, declared an interest by virtue of a connection in respect of paragraphs 11 – Community Board Local Development Programme – and 16 – Community Asset Transfer and Participation Requests: Annual Report for 2021/22 – and left the meeting during consideration of these items of business.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 82 P084.1 - BREASTFEEDING FRIENDLY NORTH LANARKSHIRE - LEADING THE WAY IN DRIVING CULTURAL CHANGE - UPDATE 2. There was submitted a report by the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer (1) reminding the Committee that the "Breastfeeding Friendly North Lanarkshire – Leading the Way in Driving Cultural Change" report had been approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee in June 2021; (2) providing an update on the commitments the Council, and its partners, made to lead the way in driving change to improve breastfeeding rates in North Lanarkshire; (3) intimating that, by increasing breastfeeding facilities, North Lanarkshire will become a place where breastfeeding is the norm and women feel comfortable to breastfeed for as long as they want; (4) anticipating that the Council will have completed all actions required by Autumn 2022 to enable it to be the first Scottish local authority to be awarded Breastfeeding Friendly Local Authority status, and (5) reporting on the significant progress that is being made by the Council and its partners on specific areas of work. Thereon, Councillor Nolan, seconded by Councillor Burgess, moved that recommendation 2 within the report be amended to read "approve the continuation of approach as set out in this report but to do so in such a way that (1) it does not remove resources that would usually be provided for use by bottle feeding mothers eg. bottles, dummies, etc., and (2) it does not stigmatise those mothers who may have to bottle feed and choose to do so". Following clarification on specific points, Councillor Nolan agreed to withdraw her Amendment. Decided: (1) that the significant progress made to becoming the first Scottish local authority to gain Breastfeeding Friendly award be acknowledged, and (2) that the continuation of the approach as set out in the report be approved. P084.1 (5) COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT - REPORT ON PROGRESS IN RELATION TO COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY 3. There was submitted a report by the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer (1) providing an overview on progress in relation to community learning and development activity for the year 2021/22, and (2) explaining that this overview included both universal and targeted work with an emphasis on engagement with vulnerable people living in the lowest 20% data zones and other vulnerable groups as reflected within the revised national self-evaluation framework for community learning and development. Decided: that the contents of the report be endorsed. P084.1(7) UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH GUARANTEE PROGRAMME 4. There was submitted a report by the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer (1) highlighting the progress and success of the Community Learning and Development Youth Guarantee Programme and the support and positive impact on North Lanarkshire’s young workforce, together with an update on the ongoing progress of the employees; (2) introducing the Youth Guarantee Report 2021-2022, attached at Appendix 1 to the report; (3) explaining that the programme has been continued in 2022-2023 to include a new cohort of young people; (4) indicating that funding has been secured in partnership with the Employability Team and will allow for the recruitment of 15 young people aged 16-24 years to take up a 12 month placement with Community Learning and Development, and (5) explaining that the Youth Guarantee Programme has been renamed the Young Persons Guarantee in line with the Scottish Government’s branding.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 83 Thereon, the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer indicated that recommendation (1) should refer to the year 2021-2022 and not, as indicated in the report, 2020-2021. Decided: (1) that the success of the Community Learning and Development Young Persons Guarantee 2021-2022 be noted, and (2) that the continuation of the programme for 2022-2023 be endorsed. P005.2 FINANCIAL INCLUSION TEAM ACTIVITY REPORT 2021/2022 5. There was submitted a report by the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer (1) providing details of income maximisation work carried out by the Financial Inclusion Team and Council Services during 2021/2022 which generated £35,006,809 in additional benefits income for residents of North Lanarkshire; (2) highlighting the activity of external services commissioned by the Council under the new commissioning model which commenced in April 2018 and which had generated £5,423,784 in additional benefits income for the residents of North Lanarkshire, and (3) providing an update on the continued programme of welfare reform and its impact which communities will face over the following 3-4 years. Decided: (1) that the contents of the report, and specifically the approach to reviewing the Scheme, be approved; (2) that a further report providing an update on the outcome of that review be provided to the next meeting of the Committee, and (3) that the report be remitted to the Integration Joint Board for information. P005.2 TACKLING POVERTY – (2) UPDATE REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TACKLING POVERTY STRATEGY AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES ACHIEVED - FUEL POVERTY HARDSHIP PAYMENT. 6. There was submitted a report by the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer (1) providing an update on implementation of the Fuel Poverty Hardship Payment Scheme, an approach which had been approved by the former Community Empowerment Committee at its meeting on 1 November 2021; (2) reporting that the payment initially proposed for targeted groups of £75 per household had been subsequently enhanced to £150 per household due to the increased budget provided by the Scottish Government through the Tackling Insecurity Fund and Winter Support Fund; (3) providing details on payments made through the fund during the period January – June 2022, and (4) detailing the funding available for Winter 2022/23 and advising that it is planned that the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group lead on reviewing this Scheme and will report back with a view to implementation from October 2022. Thereon, the Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/Chief Social Work Officer advised that recommendation (3) should read that the report be remitted to the Integration Joint Board. During consideration of the report, the Committee considered that the revised Scheme should be submitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee for further consideration.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 84 Decided: (1) that the outcome of the Fuel Poverty Hardship Payment Scheme be noted; (2) that the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group review the Scheme and bring proposals to a future meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee for a revised Scheme for winter 2022/23, and (3) that the report be remitted to the Integration Joint Board. PROGRAMME OF WORK (P048.1) - ACTIVE AND CREATIVE COMMUNITIES STRATEGIC ACTIVITY FRAMEWORK FOR NORTH LANARKSHIRE 2020-2024. 7. There was submitted a report by the Head of Education (South) (1) presenting a reviewed and refreshed Action Plan for 2022/23 reflecting ongoing commitment in support of the previously agreed Active and Creative Communities Strategic Activity Framework; (2) reminding the Committee that the framework had originally been agreed by the former Community Empowerment Committee at its meeting on 24 August 2020 and aims to deliver support in terms of health and wellbeing, the local economy, education, reducing inequality and realising innovative future working with local communities, and (3) advising that the future development of the framework would involve a planned approach of working with internal and external partners. Decided: that the Action Plan for 2022/23, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. Councillor Smith, prior to consideration of this item of business, having declared a connection by virtue of being a Director of Cumbernauld Theatre Trust, left the meeting during consideration of this item. CUMBERNAULD THEATRE TRUST - FUNDING AGREEMENT 2022/23 8. There was submitted a report by the Head of Education (South) seeking approval of the proposed funding agreement for Cumbernauld Theatre Trust for the period 2022-23 and providing an update on the operation of the Lanternhouse venue in its first year. Decided: (1) that the funding of Cumbernauld Theatre Trust to the value of £100,300 for the period 2022- 23 be approved, and (2) that, otherwise, the content of the report be noted. P056.2 (1, 2 AND 3) WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES 9. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication (1) providing an updated position on the work that had been carried out in line with the Programme of Work item P056.2 Areas (1) and (2) respectively, and (2) reporting on progress in relation to the implementation of the nine Local Outcome Improvement Plans (LOIPs), the establishment of a Community Board Development Programme and the creation of Participatory Budgeting Tasks/Reference Groups.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 85 Decided: (1) that the approach to date in respect of Programme of Work Areas P056.2 (1) and (2) – Working with Communities Model and Supporting Government Structure, as set out in Section 2 of the report, be endorsed, and (2) that future update reports relating to key components of this Programme of Work be provided. COMMUNITY BOARDS - CYCLE 7 10. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication reporting on the work of the nine Community Boards and the North Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Strategic Leadership Board, to reflect the statutory nature of the Boards, in community planning terms, in providing local governance for the Local Outcome Improvements Plans. Decided: (1) that the ways in which communities have influenced the development of the Community Boards and their associated Local Outcome Improvement Plans, as reflected in Section 2 of the report, be recognised, and (2) that progress regarding the establishment of an evaluation framework for Community Boards, as referred to in the report, be endorsed. Councillor Williams, prior to consideration of the following item of business, having declared a connection by virtue of being associated with Northern Corridor Community Volunteers and Cardowan Community Meadow as an Office Bearer, left the meeting during consideration of this item. COMMUNITY BOARD LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 11. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication (1) providing an update on progress with the Community Board Local Development Programme projects previously approved by the Committee, and (2) seeking, in principle, approval for potential projects as proposed by local community groups. Decided: (1) that the progress with the remaining 2021/22 programme onwards be recognised and that projects which had the 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 revised project reporting format which indicates projects under development, projects seeking approval and projects which are in the delivery stage, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be recognised; (3) that the capital budget allocated to the Local Development Programme for each Community Board area for the next five financial years, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be recognised; (4) that the amendments to existing projects and further project proposals and project criteria be approved, and
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 86 (5) that changes to the project proposal process to ensure projects are developed to a viable stage be acknowledged prior to seeking approval, and that further progress on the current and proposed projects will be reported to future meetings of the Community Boards. COMMUNITY GRANTS - ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22 12. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication providing details of the applications submitted for funding from the Community Grants Scheme during 2021/22 and the awards made. Decided: (1) that the details of the awards made through the 2020/21 Community Grants Scheme, as listed in Appendices 1 to 7 of the report, be acknowledged, and (2) that an allocation of £5,499 from the 2022/23 grant award budget to the Lanarkshire Muslim Welfare Society be approved. Councillor Masterton, prior to consideration of the following item of business, had declared a connection by virtue of being a former member of the Campsies Board, and had further declared that he considered the connection sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation during consideration of this item. CAMPSIES GRANT AWARD PROGRAMME 13. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication (1) providing a financial and progress update on the Campsies Grant Award Programme which was created following the transfer of assets from the Campsies Centre (Cumbernauld) Limited to the Council on 30 June 2021; (2) reporting that, since the formal transfer of assets, funding to the value of £506,028.31 has been awarded through the programme to community and voluntary organisations operating within the boundaries of Cumbernauld; (3) explaining that, having successfully delivered two rounds of funding, with 32 organisation benefiting from a one-time grant award, the programme was now fully committed and that, at this time, there was no requirement to deliver any further rounds; (4) indicating that further funding rounds would be considered in the future, subject to sufficient levels of new income receipts from the Campsies Centre (Cumbernauld) Limited legacy activities being available, and (5) intimating that programme administrators would continue to monitor and support those community and voluntary organisations in receipt of a funding award until all project activities had been successfully completed, which is anticipated to be by the end of 2023. Decided: (1) that the updates contained within the report, and in Appendices 1 and 2 to the report, be noted; (2) that the intention to work with funded organisations to prepare case studies, which demonstrate the difference and impact the funding has had for organisations and communities operating within Cumbernauld, be endorsed; (3) that the exceptions updates outlined within Appendix 3 to the report be noted and that the proposed solutions indicated be endorsed, and (4) that the budgetary position of the programme outlined in Appendix 4 to the report, and the programme remaining closed at this time, be noted.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 87 ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY 2020/21-2021/22 14. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication (1) explaining that effective community safety partnership arrangements have been in place for some time in North Lanarkshire and that these arrangements adopt a holistic, integrated approach to improving community safety, recognising the interconnectedness of the various aspects of community safety which align with the Plan for North Lanarkshire; (2) explaining that the Community Safety Strategy is the overarching strategy in respect of community safety issues and comprises the requirements set out in the Anti-Social Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 which places a duty on local authorities and the relevant Chief Constable to publish a strategy setting out how they will tackle anti-social behaviour in their area, and (3) advising of the progress made on the strategic priorities and actions in the annual review of the Community Safety Strategy covering the period 2021-2022. Decided: (1) that the progress made to date in relation to the actions in the Community Safety Strategy for the period 2021-2022 be noted, and (2) that the annual review of the Community Safety Strategy 2021-2022 be approved. APPROVAL TO UTILISE FRAMEWORKS FOR OUTDOOR PLAY EQUIPMENT AND ARTIFICIAL SURFACES 15. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communications seeking approval for the use of the collaborative framework, established by Scotland Excel, for outdoor play equipment and artificial surfaces (1) explaining that the framework provides the Council with access to a range of qualified contractors and suppliers to support the delivery of works, services and supply arrangements for outdoor play environments; (2) advising that the framework is effective from September 2022 until August 2024 with the option to extend for up to 24 months, at 12 month intervals, until August 2026; (3) reporting that over the framework’s duration (including extensions) the Council’s estimated spend is £3m, and (4) seeking approval to use alternative existing frameworks available to the Council to expedite project delivery and deliver best value. Decided: (1) that the benefits to the procurement and delivery process by utilising a nationally agreed framework be recognised; (2) that it be recognised that alternative frameworks may, on occasion, offer a better route to market and should be utilised where appropriate; (3) that the use of the Scotland Excel Collaborative Framework for outdoor play equipment and artificial surfaces for the entire framework period be approved, and (4) that the use of any alternative established frameworks be approved to ensure efficiency and so that best value continues to be delivered. Councillors Smith and Williams, prior to consideration of the following item of business, having both declared a connection by virtue of being Chair of Cumbernauld Cottage Trust and Office Bearer of Northern Corridor Community Volunteers and Cardowan Community Meadow, respectively, both left the meeting during consideration of this item.
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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES - 22 AUGUST 2022 88 COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFER AND PARTICIPATION REQUESTS: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2021/2022 16. There was submitted a report by the Head of Strategic Communication (1) providing the annual progress report regarding Community Asset Transfer and Participation Requests in North Lanarkshire; (2) explaining that the report had been prepared in line with the legislative requirements set out in Parts 3 and 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, and (3) informing the Committee that a summary of the report would be published and made available online to communities. Decided: (1) that the progress made in implementing the North Lanarkshire Community Asset Transfer and Participation Request procedures, and the level of support being provided to groups and organisations engaged in the process, be acknowledged; (2) that the number of Community Asset Transfer requests, those agreed or refused, whether they resulted in transfer of ownership, lease or conferral of other rights, numbers of appeals, and number of decisions made by the Council that had been reviewed and the level of capacity building support being provided to groups and organisations engaged in the process be recognised; (3) that the official annual return for submission to the Scottish Government be approved, and (4) that the publication of this report and the annual Scottish Government return to meet the requirements under Section 95 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 for local authorities to produce and publish an annual report on Asset Transfer request activity be authorised. CONTRACT FOR NOTING: DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL CONTENT FOR THE NL WIDE DIGITAL SKILLS ACADEMY 17. There was submitted a report by the Head of Education (South) notifying the Committee of the award of a contract to Learning Pool for the provision of digital content for the North Lanarkshire wide digital skills academy to offer online support for those with mental health conditions or experiencing social isolation and those who need to develop basic and intermediate digital skills to improve their employability. Decided: that the action taken to award the contract to develop digital content for the North Lanarkshire wide digital skills academy be noted. CONTRACTS AWARDED BELOW COMMITTEE THRESHOLD 18. There was submitted a report by the Head of Asset and Procurement Solutions notifying the Committee of the contracts awarded between 1 January and 30 June 2022 with a value below the financial threshold requiring Committee approval. Decided: that the contracts awarded below Committee approval threshold between 1 January and 30 June 2022, as per the process within the Council’s General Contract Standing Orders, be noted.