Agenda item

To consider a Report by the Lead Member for Customers & Libraries (copy attached) to provide information regarding the progress being made within the Communities First.

10.15 a.m. – 10.50 a.m.

The Lead Member for Customers and Libraries, Councillor Hugh Irving, introduced the report (previously circulated) to provide information regarding the progress made within Communities First – to include the work also taking place within the Pupil Deprivation Grant that had also been secured for 2015/16.  The report also outlined a further request made by the Welsh Government to the Co-operative to participate in the “Communities for Work” project that had recently been awarded European funding.

Rhys Burton, Programme Manager from the Co-operative Group, the Lead Delivery Body, detailed the three delivery themes under the current programme, outlined projects underway or in the pipeline in the area and advised that:

·       The Communities First work was being delivered to a smaller number of clusters across Wales.  There were now approximately 52 in total, of these 52 areas, the majority were in south Wales.

·       The rationale for the work would be much clearer and focussed on the delivery of outcomes.

·       As the Lead Delivery Body, the Co-operative Group would be required to report on the progress made to the Welsh Government (WG) on a quarterly basis.

·       As the programme of work focussed on working with hard to reach groups, it was anticipated that it would take some time before outcomes were realised.  There would be a protracted period of intensive relationship building work required in order to gain the trust and respect of the people they were attempting to reach.

·       Whilst Communities First work had been ongoing for a number of years, the organisation had not been very effective in highlighting the good work and outcomes it had achieved in the past.

·       The outcomes framework, included as an appendix to the report, would be added to as additional funding streams and grants became available.

Discussion took place, and the following responses to Members’ questions were given by Mr Burton, Angela Watt and Gavin Roberts of the Co-operative Group together with Council Officers:

·       The various central and European Government funding streams the Lead Delivery Body and the Council could apply to for funding for Communities First associated projects were detailed.

·       Advised that the short notice or lateness of central Government/European Government notification of available funding and its tendency to be for a 12 month period created problems for them in terms of medium to long-term project planning.

·       Specific projects in Rhyl were outlined, which were currently underway with respect to the three delivery streams.

·       Examples were given of youth work underway with a view to addressing drugs and alcohol misuse problems.

·       Confirmation had been given to Members that the Pupil Deprivation Grant funding would be used to support seven schools via the Council’s two Emotional Resilience Officers.

·       The Council’s proposals to establish an Anti-Poverty Working Group with a view to tackling all aspects of poverty across the County, had been outlined for both urban and rural Communities First and non-Communities First areas.

The Programme Manager, Rhys Burton advised Members that the Communities First offices were situated on Marsh Road in Rhyl and invited Members to visit them at their base.

The Chair offered to assist the Co-operative Group to access facilities and resources at the Community Centre on the Bruton Park Estate in Rhyl.

Although Members wished officers well for their work in the Communities First areas and, supported their endeavours to engage with hard to reach groups, some Members did register concerns.  The concerns were despite funding from various local, regional, national and European organisations having been invested in the same communities over an extended period of time, very little progress seemed to have been achieved in the delivery of better outcomes for the residents or the communities.

Following the in-depth discussion, the Committee:

RESOLVED that subject to the above observations:

(a)  To receive the report, and

(b)  That, in the future, Members should provide assistance to the Communities First Programme and Communities for Work project in identifying further links with Council programmes where routes into employment may be provided for residents not presently in employment.