Agendas, reports and minutes

Note of Meeting of the Chief Officers’ Group held in the Small Hall, Smithton Church, Murray Road, Smithton, Inverness on Friday 11 November 2016 at 3.30 pm.
 
Present: 
 
Representing the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA):
Mr M Ferguson

Representing the Highland Council (HC):
Ms M Morris
Mr B Alexander
Ms A Clark

Representing Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE):
Mr J Gibbs

Representing the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI):
Ms M Wylie

Representing High Life Highland (HLH):
Mr J Martin

Representing NHS Highland (NHSH):
Ms E Mead

Representing Police Scotland (PS):
T/Supt Colin Gough

Representing Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS):
Mr J MacDonald

Representing the Scottish Government (SG):
Ms D Mackinnon

Representing Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH):
Mr G Hogg

Representing Skills Development Scotland (SDS):
Ms S Campbell

Representing University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI):
Ms I Peterson

Supporting the Chief Officers Group:
Ms E Johnston
Mr P Mascarenhas
 
In attendance:

Mr J Robertson, Programme Manager, City Region Deal, Highland Council
Miss M Murray, Committee Administrator, Highland Council

Ms M Morris in the Chair

Business
 
1. Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr G Moir, Mr S Barron, Mr S Black, Mr D Yule, Mr D Oxley, Mr I Murray, Ms C Steer and T/Ch Supt Philip MacRae.
 
2. Chief Officers’ Group – Note of Meeting

The Note of Meeting of the Chief Officers’ Group on 11 August 2016 had been circulated and was APPROVED.

In relation to item 5ii, the schedule for providing support to the Board and COG over the next five year period, Mr J MacDonald explained that the Head of Service Delivery in the North area had advised that the SFRS was not in a position to chair the Board in year four.  The issue was not specific to Highland, there being 32 CPPs and SFRS being a national organisation with a Board of 12 Members.

With regard to year two, T/Supt C Gough explained that discussions had taken place at a senior level within Police Scotland and he undertook to seek an update and report back to partners.

In relation to year three, Mr J Gibbs emphasised that the HIE Chair would be an Executive Director, not a Non-Executive Director.

Mr G Hogg highlighted that SNH, whilst not a statutory partner, was likely to be in a similar position in terms of Board Member attendance at the Community Planning Board and that he would continue to represent SNH at both the COG and the Board.

The Group NOTED the position and AGREED that further discussions take place regarding the chairing of the Board in years two and four, with any proposals to be considered by the Board.
 
3. Community Planning Board – Minutes of Meeting

The draft Minutes of the Community Planning Board on 7 October 2016 had been circulated and were NOTED.

In relation to item 3 and whether Fort Augustus should come within the boundary of Inverness or Lochaber District Partnership, the Group NOTED that the Leader of the Council and the Chair of NHS Highland Board were meeting in early December to discuss the matter.
 
4. Redesigning for Community Action

Partners reflected on the learning, opportunities and potential next steps arising from the Redesigning for Community Action event that had preceded the COG.

Following discussion, the Group:-

i. NOTED that there were three key areas for the COG arising from the event, namely, the development of a community gateway; community access to small grants; and Community Partnerships;
ii. AGREED, given that there was already a significant workstream underway in relation to Community Partnerships, to establish a subgroup to focus on the development of a community gateway and community access to small grants, with representation as follows:-

Mr B Alexander, Highland Council
Mr M Ferguson, Cairngorms National Park Authority
A representative of HIE
A representative of HLH; and

iii. AGREED, given the need for a community driven approach, that it would be helpful for the Highland Third Sector Interface to lead the subgroup and that discussions take place with the Chief Officer in that regard.

Discussion also having taken place regarding the relationship between the COG, the Board and Community Partnerships, the Group AGREED that the COG would suggest a number of items for the Board agenda for the time being, to be discussed in consultation with the Chair.
 
5. Development of Local Outcomes Improvement Plan

Ms A Clark, Acting Head of Policy, Highland Council, on behalf of the subgroup tasked with taking forward the development of the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, gave an update on progress and tabled a proposed process and timetable.

Following discussion, the Group AGREED:-

i. the proposed process and timetable for developing the Highland Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, subject to partners’ comments; and
ii. that, in accordance with the timetable, partners identify a small number of high level outcome focused priorities and submit them to Ms A Clark by 9 December 2016.
 
6. City Region Deal Update

Mr J Robertson, Programme Manager, City Region Deal, Highland Council, gave a verbal update on the City Region Deal and tabled a handout setting out the various projects.  It was highlighted that further information could be found on Twitter @cityregiondeal and on the City Region Deal website: www.highland.gov.uk/cityregiondeal

Following discussion, the Group:-

i. NOTED the position;
ii. AGREED that clarification be sought from the Inverness Castle Project Lead regarding SNH representation on the project group(s);
iii. AGREED that a further update and fuller discussion on the City Region Deal take place at a future meeting of the COG.
 
7. New arrangements for CPP Chief Officers’ Group and Board

Given the new duties contained in Part 2 of the Community Empowerment Act, the Group was asked to consider the membership of the Chief Officers’ Group and Board going forward.  Ms A Clark, Acting Head of Policy, Highland Council, tabled a list of the named bodies currently represented as well as those not currently involved.

Following discussion, the Group AGREED:-

i. to recommend to the Board that a formal invitation to take part in Community Planning be extended to the named bodies not currently involved, namely:-

• Historic Environment Scotland
• Regional College Boards
• SEPA
• sportscotland
• HITRANS
• Visit Scotland

ii. that, whereas individual Regional College  representation was necessary at Community Partnership level, it be recommended that one representative from the FE Regional Board be invited to participate  at COG/Board level to represent the sector as a whole;
iii. that discussions were required regarding the role of the Highland Third Sector Interface in the CPP and third sector/community group representation on the COG/Board.
 
8. Community Partnership Toolkit

Ms A Clark, Acting Head of Policy, Highland Council, tabled a short paper which explained that a suite of documents was being developed to support Community Partnerships.  The paper summarised the proposed content of the toolkit and provided an outline of the planning framework, which was designed to provide a consistent format for Partnerships to develop their locality, children and adult plans.

Following discussion, the Group:-

i. NOTED that, subject to approval by the strategy group, it was necessary to seek formal approval of a change to what had previously been agreed in relation to local Community Learning and Development Plans in that localities could now choose which of the SHANARRI indicators were relevant to them;
ii. NOTED that a presentation on the Place Standard tool by Irene Beautyman, Programme Manager, The Improvement Service, would be arranged in early 2017, either as part of the COG or separately to allow wider participation; and
iii. AGREED the proposed toolkit and that a report be presented to the Board on 16 December 2016.
 
9. Future Agenda Items – Community Planning Board

The Group AGREED the following list of items for the Community Planning Board on 16 December 2016:-

• Feedback from Community Partnership Chairs
• LOIP Development Plan
• New arrangements for CPP Chief Officers’ Group and Board
• Community Partnership Toolkit
• Breakthrough Achievement Update:-

           i) Employment of Care Leavers
           ii) Recruitment of Retained Firefighters
           iii) Campaign to reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness

•  Quarterly Progress Reports (Q2 2016/17) for all CPP themes

  It was further AGREED to recommend that:-

i. Active Highland Strategy Update be deferred to the next Board;
ii. the majority of the meeting should be devoted to Community Partnerships;
iii. Quarterly Progress Reports be placed at the end of the agenda and officer introductions take place on an exception basis; and
iv. further discussions take place outwith the meeting regarding the arrangements for supporting the Board going forward and the identification of a lead officer within NHS Highland.
 
10. Future Agenda Items – Chief Officers’ Group

The Group AGREED the following list of items for future meetings of the Chief Officers’ Group:-

• Presentation: Modern Apprenticeship Expansion
• Potential impacts of the vote to leave the European Union and any contingency plans partners may have in response
• Improving access for older people to reduce isolation, promote inclusion and maintain good health and wellbeing (transport as part of the solution, report from Older People’s Improvement Group and consider HITRANS as a member of the CPP)
• Regional Skills Assessment and School Leaver Destinations
• Development of Community Gateway/Community Access to Small Grants

11. Future Meeting Dates

The Group NOTED that meeting dates for 2017 would be arranged in early course and electronic invitations issued.

The meeting ended at 5.10 pm.