STIRLING ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
NOTE OF MEETING
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Present: / ApologiesJohn Rogers (Chair) / Stirling University / Rosaleen Brown / Job Centre Plus
Lesley Gallagher / Stirling Community Planning Partnership / Tony Moulsdale / Stirling Business Panel Executive
Ken Thomson / Forth Valley College / Pamela Brown / Raploch URC
Rachel Nunn / Going Carbon Neutral Stirling / Zoe Kemp / Scottish Natural Heritage
Joe Hind / Going Carbon Neutral Stirling / Des Friel / Stirling Council
Tracey Lees / Scottish Enterprise / Les Goodfellow / Stirling Council
Valerie Ormiston / Skills Development Scotland / Rebecca Maxwell / Stirling Council,
Christine MacLean / Stirling Council / Katy Oliver / Stirling Council,
Cllr Scott Farmer / Stirling Council / Andy Kennedy / Stirling Council,
Cllr Corrie McChord / Stirling Council / Deborah Murray / Stirling Council,
Susan Cunningham / Stirling Council / Tony Cain / Stirling Council,
Alasdair Tollemache / Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise
Mike Cairns / TACTRAN
Gail McLaughlin (Clerk) / Stirling Community Planning Partnership
1 Welcome and Introductions
John welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained that there was a Managers meeting in the Council so therefore there was a number of apologies. He welcomed Alistair Tollemache in his new role as Chief Executive of Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise.
2 Note of Last Meeting
The note of the March meeting was accepted as a true record. The following matters arising were raised:
3 Matters Arising
Joe Hind asked if he could get an update on the Local Development Plan, as this was not in the agenda.
John explained that this was not possible for this meeting but this would be updated for the next meeting.
A member of the audit team observed the meeting in March for the Best Value audit of Stirling Council, John met with them on behalf of the Partnership just over a week ago on delivering Economic Actions; the report would be received in due course. Further work had been commissioned by Stirling Council to examine the Council and Partners role in Economic Development, looking at ongoing recessionary pressures reductions in public expenditure and the potential of the economic impact of reductions in jobs and incomes. John is to arrange to meet with the team who are conducting this work and he will have an opportunity to talk about what the partnership are doing, he is looking forward to receiving both of the reports in due course as they should be helpful to the partnership in continuing to guide the work.
Item 3a Advice Services Review update
Lesley advised that the meeting is progressing, and the partners are in the process of identifying priorities. The main task is to identify and scope out the Key Priorities at the next meeting on 25th June. This will enable them to get onto the next step and keep making progress.
Rachel asked what areas were in the review report.
Lesley replied that that the main areas were financial advice, welfare rights, and housing advice. Lesley agreed to send Rachel a copy of the consultant’s report.
Item 4.0 Housing – issues for Economic Partnership
This will be covered at a future meeting.
4 Stirling Ignition: skill portal (presentation) by Ken Thomson
John introduced Ken Thomson’s Stirling Ignition Portal and said that it was a very tangible and much anticipated output from the Action Plan. The launch of Stirling Ignition, Skills Portal would give access to learning skills development and through this activity, a key piece of the infrastructure is now in place.
Ken explained why and how the portal was started and designed and that they had used real people as case studies who told their stories, but they had changed the names so that they could not be identified. People of Stirling could identify themselves with one of the stories, and they could click on to links within the story and this would link them to other information or other sites, which might be of help to anyone wanting to find out how they can improve their lives, whether it is by further education or working skills.
There are sections listing partners, latest news, an events calendar etc. and these have links to various areas and companies offering help and advice. The way it is designed it can also be used at events and keep it running as a backdrop, to get peoples attention.
The College would be happy to keep the portal running, but there would be a small cost to maintain. Partners need to decide how this is will be met.
There were a number of suggestions as to whether the portal could be developed to accommodate a range of broader opportunities within the economic strategy and could include a sector approach, as there are significant learning opportunities in Stirling that could be accessed and help build the supply of skilled labour that would be attractive to the businesses and to help small business grow. How is this captured and how is the portal to be taken forward to include all other opportunities? This portal is an opportunity for people with little IT knowledge to gain access to the information, or even business start up. There needs to be a big push by everyone to make people aware of the portal.
The site is to be launched soon - http://ign.noticez.com/
Action: - If you are interested in contributing to the case studies, please advise Ken for discussion and the note at the next meeting.
5 More Choices More Chances: overview of progress
This will be covered at the next meeting, as Des Friel is not at the meeting.
6 Poverty/ Financial Inclusion Update
(a) Tackling Poverty Framework
Christine said she was happy to take questions on the papers that had been circulated with the agenda.
Rachel commented on the Poverty Framework and raised the issue of alternative ways to address affordable transport in rural areas.
John said this was an issue that more would come from the audit work, as there are specific questions about providing excess economic opportunities for rural communities.
There are a number of approaches that can be taken to the issue, one being improving affordable access to transport and improving the supply of jobs within the location. This is raised regularly at Area Community Planning. Business advice clinics have been taken in to the rural communities.
Micro-renewables is a business opportunity and these technologies should be looked at these to see if there are any opportunities for job creation.
Cllr Farmer – Partners are taking a Quality Poverty Proofing approach in terms of policy development and just because transport is not mentioned, it does not mean to say that it would not be taken into consideration.
The commitment is to focus on people wherever they are in Stirling it is not just about specific communities, the approach is to poverty proof all that partners do, as we develop specific actions that build in inclusion and access.
Cllr Farmer, advised that the key point is to try to avoid the tick box approach or having a set criteria to follow. Policy Poverty Proofing in developing policy is to make sure that all consequences have been considered. This can be difficult and challenging, but needs to be done.
It was agreed that the Policy Poverty Proofing papers should be a Partnership approach and not solely a Stirling Council action.
The Chair is happy to lend endorsement to the paper and recommend that it be a Partnership Document and process, he will take forward to the Executive Delivery Group who have the power of recommendation for adoption across the Partnership.
(b) Tackling Poverty Conference report
Christine updated and discussed the paper of the “One Stirling?” report, which as been circulated with the agenda. Once the report is finalised it will be circulated to all attendees and across the CPP..
John added that this report was the basis for the actions being taken. The report itself does not deliver the actions, so it is important that we take it back to the Tackling Poverty Sub Group for implementing. The poverty is only going to get worse over the next few years.
Awareness needs to be raised of the challenges and issues. There is a lot of work still to be done and there is a need to prioritise actions. Key Actions need to be collated and try to keep them to the minimum and concentrate on getting them completed. If each partner concentrated on one or two Key Actions then more of them would get attention.
Stirling needs to balance the polarity of wealth distribution, but whatever changes are make at the bottom does not necessarily change the polarity, as there may be changes at the top as well. There is an opportunity by supporting the development of community and social enterprise to redistribute, jobs, skills and opportunities; the partnership should be supporting the development
It is helpful to recognise the opportunities supporting those who wish to engage in community activities. We cannot force people to engage in the community, as it may not be their thing, although they may contribute in other ways, but we can offer examples of involved activity that may involve others.
There has to be a plan to sell and communicate the values and good practice across the Council area.
The Action Plan is there to communicate confidence and to spread the message of what is happening. It is good that we have a structured framework so that we get the right message across and we are consistent in the values we communicate.
The report will be finished in a couple of weeks as it has to go through the council process so if anyone has any comments please get them to Christine ASAP.
Cllr McChord highlighted the fact that money-lending companies are trading on poverty and are even advertising by using sponsorship even if you watch football on TV. It would be preferable to see these shops/businesses disappear from the streets of Stirling, but there is a risk that if these are not easily accessible then it may drive them underground. One solution is to educate children at an early stage in terms of the legitimate moneylenders.
7 Update on Cornton & Cultenhove Masterplanning
Deferred to the next meeting
8 Update from Multicultural Partnership
The Executive Delivery Group had been invited to meet representatives of the Partnership, a number attended the meeting, and it was a very lively and useful debate. It reported on the outcomes of some work that has been funded by CPP to help the different cultural communities within Stirling assess the issues they face, the things they thought were positive about Stirling and the needs for improvement. Actions were taken from this. The meeting challenged the CCP with those issues.
There was a range of actions for the Partnership including i.e. gather together the data of Community Planning Partners to see if employment characteristics reflect Stirling’s demographic view with regard to ethnic minority communities. Examine diversity within the work place as a basis to see if we need to rethink some of the priorities.
9 Action Plan Progress Reporting
(a) Quarterly Status and evidence
(b) Report from Theme Leads meetings
Christine discussed and explained what had been happening with some of the actions. Christine explained the process for progress reports for the Theme Leads should go to the relevant Lead and she would gather the information from the Leads themselves.
10 AOB
Alasdair Tollemache - Communities Job Fund
Communities Job Fund was launched in March and it is a one-year programme; for Third Sector Organisations. SVF was to bring the fund to the Sectors’ attentions.
Tracey questioned if there were any updates on the renewables presentation, and she also offered a presentation from Scottish Enterprise on their Low Carbon Action Plan. John said that it was himself and Rebecca that had been tasked with this and unfortunately they have not got very far with it yet, they have noted a number of issues that they need to progress. He said that they were keen to schedule a series of presentations using Scottish Enterprise intelligence and analysis. .
Val said that they were also looking at renewables and it may be possible that maybe one her managers dealing in this are could be included in any future discussions.
John advised that 2014 was a significant year for Stirling with quite a few events such as Bannockburn Celebrations, Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup, the 2nd year of the Homecoming he would like a discussion on this with Rebecca at the next meeting. .
Rachel asked if there were any updates on the French Barracks – John replied that they are still working on it they are working to see if they can achieve a solution on securing the capital needed for the building.
11 Date of Next Meeting:
Wednesday 24 August 2011 @ 3pm in The Wallace Room