Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned; and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 9 March 2017 as a true and correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 March 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.

To consider any applications from members of the public to speak at the meeting.

The Committee noted that there were no applications for public speaking on this occasion.

The Committee to consider the Executive and Cabinet Member decisions within the remit of the Resilient Communities Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee considered the Executive and Cabinet Member decisions within the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary, taken since the last meeting of the Committee.

The Committee discussed decision number PH23/2017 ‘Blackpool Playing Pitch Strategy’, noting that the new playing pitch would be located at, and managed by, the Blackpool and the Fylde College. Members questioned whether increased use at the new pitch would result in a reduction in use of the Council-owned pitches, which would therefore result in a reduction of income to the authority. Councillor Kirkland explained that the strategy was based on demand, so whilst the new pitches would generate additional income for the College, there would continue to be a high demand for use of Council-owned pitches.

Upon further questioning regarding the Playing Pitch Strategy, Councillor Kirkland explained that there was an intention to increase the availability of 3G artificial pitches, which could be used throughout the winter. Members raised concerns relating to injuries associated with artificial pitches and Councillor Kirkland advised that there were measures in place to reduce the risk of injury amongst players.

To provide an update to the Resilient Communities Scrutiny Committee on the work of the Community Engagement Team and specifically the Volunteering Strategy.

Dr Rajpura, Director of Public Health presented a report in relation to current community engagement activity. He explained that the Community Engagement team had recently moved directorates in response to a changing landscape across the Public, Voluntary and Community Sectors and followed the successful allocation of £300,000 in the Fylde Coast Vanguard (NHS) for Community Engagement. He advised that the move would allow a greater synergy between the Vanguard work, the Fairness Commission (the management of which was also governed by Public Health) and the Council’s Community Engagement work that would enable a more seamless approach, which in the long term would reduce duplication and ensure things were joined up across all partner organisations.

The Committee was advised that the Fairness Commission was the primary vehicle for community engagement across the town and Dr Rajpura provided details of the membership of the Fairness Commission Board. He noted that the Board contained a number of Voluntary Sector Leaders, as well as the Chief Executive of Blackpool Council, Chief Executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, Chief Superintendent of Police, a GP representing Primary Care and the Director of Public Health as Chairman.

Ms Bennett, Fairness Commission Manager/Community Engagement, provided the Committee with details of a number of recent community engagement activities, which included:

·         The establishment of the Grange Park Community Farm

·         ‘Easter Buddies’, which was a network of coffee mornings that took place across the town during Easter. The events were designed to connect people and combat social isolation and loneliness.

·         A Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector Showcase Event held in March 2017, where over 50 Voluntary and Community Organisations showcased their activities.

·         A Kindness Convention and Acts of Kindness Campaign, which would be launched in June at the Winter Gardens. The purpose of the Campaign and the Event would be to explore what communities could do to support and help each other.

The Committee was also provided with details of the Community Orientated Primary Care Project that had now been introduced as part of the Vanguard work and was intended to provide a huge amount of qualitative data from the participants. It was explained to Members that a group had been formed from 12-15 people who were brought together from the Community and encouraged to work with mixed agencies over several weeks to share what would make the greatest difference to their health and wellbeing, working in a similar way to a ‘People’s Jury’.

It was noted that the first of the programmes ran in the Central West area of Blackpool and had been considered a success. There were plans in place to roll the programme out across five other neighbourhood areas in Blackpool over the course of the next 12 months, which would ensure that the solutions were being designed alongside the communities involved. Upon questioning from the Committee, Dr Rajpura advised that the six neighbourhood areas had been devised by the Clinical Commissioning Group and split amongst GP surgery areas.

The Committee discussed methods to encourage residents to volunteer and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To inform the Committee of the work undertaken by Children’s Services on a day to day basis and to update on the progress and implementation of developments within the areas.

The Committee agreed to defer the item to its next meeting, due to the meeting falling within the General Election period of heightened sensitivity.

The Committee to consider the Workplan, together with any suggestions that Members may wish to make for scrutiny review.

The Chairman presented the workplan to the Committee and highlighted the Implementation of Recommendations’ table.

The Committee agreed:

1.         To approve the Scrutiny Workplan.

2.         To note the ‘Implementation of Recommendations’ table.

To note the date and time of the next meeting of the Committee as Thursday, 8 June 2017, commencing at 6pm, subject to approval at Annual Council.

The Committee noted the date and time of the next meeting would be agreed at Annual Council on 15 May 2017.