Minutes of the Meeting of the Community Empowerment Fund Steering Group held on

Monday 11^th November 2002

at Halton Voluntary Action, Sefton House, Runcorn

Present

Andy Guile, Bill Edwards,Peter Cowley, Christine Heesom, Nora Rimmer, Michael Gelling, Sarah Yeomans, Ann Culverhouse, Liz Hindley

Also attending

Roger O’Hara, Mark Clarke

In attendance

Joe Devaney, Debbie Dalby, Alison Gleave, Ben McCall

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Sue Endacott and Sauren Ghosh.

2. Minutes of the meeting of 23^rd September 2002

The minutes of the meeting of the 23^rd September 2002 were accepted as a true record.

3. Matters arising

There were no matters arising that were not already included on the agenda.

4. Mapping Exercise

Joe Devaney reported that the mapping exercise documents were in the printers and would go out in the next 2 or 3 days. The return date for completed forms was 29^th November and he indicated that some follow up work would be needed in early December for those groups who had failed to submit the form. Volunteers might well be needed for this exercise.

5. Presentation “Statutory Funding Sources – What is available and how to get it” – Roger O’Hara and Mark Clarke, Southern Training, Liverpool

Roger and Mark gave a presentation on how groups might access funding from statutory resources and how they could build on the profiles of needs and answers for individual groups. They stressed that they were not consultants and would be interested in doing some funding empowerment work with groups in Halton as a pilot project.

A brief discussion was held after the presentation and on behalf of the meeting the Chair thanked Roger and Mark for a useful and interesting presentation.

6. Halton Strategic Partnership

a) Report on Board Meeting of 16^th October 2002

Debbie Dalby reported on the Board meeting of the 16^th October 2002. She said that there was still much work to be done to ensure that the Partnership was fully receptive to the sector. She felt that how we talk to the Partnership and how we engage local people to do the same was an issue which needed to be developed. She indicated that the Area Panels could be difficult for the volunteer sector to engage with but that the Partnership was committed to developing the panels.

Mike Gelling indicated that only 48 people in total had attended his area panel this year, besides officers and councillors. He said there were real problems around transport and access to buildings and that as constituted he felt that they were not able to contribute effectively on the sectors behalf to the Partnership.

Bill Edwards said that community involvement in his area panel was progressing and that the community had elected representatives (including councillors) to discuss proposals and details.

Debbie Dalby was anxious that the sector used the area panels structured to its advantage by being aware of the issues and by getting network members to shadow each panel so that a quick response could be made.

The Chair, Andy Guile, asked all members of the steering group to put some thought into this issue and it was agreed that it would be a major item for discussion on the next agenda.

b) Draft Community Engagement Strategy

Ben McCall and Mike Gelling both broadly welcomed this strategy but had concerns over some of the detail. They both felt that the discussion making process could be clearer and that the difference between consultation and involvement should be explained. It was agreed that as the document was open ended that further discussion would continue around the engagement strategy.

7. Network development proposals

a) Black and Racial Minorities

It was agreed that subject to matching funding from the NRF consultancy proposals from Alison Navaro to develop the One Stop Network at a cost of £3,500 plus expenses be agreed.

b) Disability Forum

The steering group discussed a letter from George Ross about the Disability Forum and a funding request.

It was agreed that more work needed to be done on this matter and that a meeting be set up in order to avoid any duplication. It was agreed that the principal of the letter be accepted but that a meeting be set up with George to discuss disability and setting up a database around disabled groups and how best to progress empowerment of disabled people through a forum.

8. Staffing report

Debbie Dalby reported that Alan Gough had now left to take up employment with Sefton Borough Council and that as an interim measure Alison Gleave had been appointed to work with smaller groups. Nora Rimmer asked that such appointments be discussed with the steering group or the Chair. This was agreed.

9. Website

Ben McCall reported that rapid progress would be made in the next month. Work on the website had been delayed because of the radio station and the full development of the logo.

10. Full Network Meeting – 13^th November 2002

The Chair urged all members to attend the full network meeting on Wednesday 13^th November.

11. Brook Chambers

Ann Culverhouse expressed concerns about the long term future of the building. It was agreed that the sub group, which had been set up at the last meeting, would meet up urgently with Debbie Dalby to determine the long term future of the building.

12. Youth Participation Project

Ben McCall reported that he had met with Andy Guile. Andy said that the Chief Executive of the YMCA was now taking up the project. The meeting felt that there needed to be some evidence of delivery soon and it was agreed that the YMCA would be invited to make a presentation on the project at the next meeting.

13. Other relevant business

Joe Devaney reported that a sub regional network was being established comprising the 6 Greater Merseyside boroughs. This would discuss best practice, the latest issue from Government, problems and ways of developing relationships with the statutory sector across Greater Merseyside. It was agreed that the steering group would sign up to this and that the Chair and Joe Devaney would attend.

14. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 16^th December 2002 at 6.00 pm at Halton Voluntary Action.