Leisure, Arts And Communities Committee - 08/03/2004

At a MEETING of the COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 8th March, 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 9th February, 2004 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I GIVING VOICE TO COMMUNITIES: EXTENDING RECOGNITION TO NEIGHBOURHOOD REPRESENTATIVE STRUCTURESIN DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 194-2004 providing the Committee with a progress report on the development of Neighbourhood Representative Structures.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the recognition of Ardler Village Trust and Stobswell Forum as Neighbourhood Representative Structures and recognise the potential for further development,

(b) to note the corresponding increase in the number of Community Councils established in Dundee,

(c) to agree to continued support for the development for new Neighbourhood Representative Structures in targeted neighbourhoods across the City of Dundee,

(d) to instruct the Head of Communities to return to Committee in 12 months time with a report detailing further progress on this strategy.

II FUTURE OF GRASSY BEACH OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE - PROGRESS UPDATE

There was submitted Report No 190-2004 by the Head of Communities updating the Committee on the current and future use of the Grassy Beach Outdoor Centre by Dundee Sailing Club under conditions.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the progress in transferring this resource to Dundee Sailing Club,

(b) to approve the interim lease of the Centre to Dundee Sailing Club at a negotiated rent of 900 per annum to 31st March, 2006 plus running costs,

(c) to note a lease condition requiring Dundee Sailing Club to indicate in writing whether they wish to exercise their option to purchase by 31st March, 2005,

(d) to instruct the Director of Economic Development and the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) to finalise the terms of the lease with Dundee Sailing Club.

III GUIDANCE AND LEARNING - ALLOCATION OF EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND RESOURCES (ESF)

There was submitted Report No 195-2004 by the Head of Communities asking the Committee to note the approval of ESF monies for the delivery of Adult Guidance and Learning for the period April 2004 - March 2005.

The Committee noted the following recommendations:-

(a) the receipt of new funding as set out in paragraph 3.1 of the Report,

(b) the approval of an application submitted by the Communities Department to the Scottish European Social Fund Objective 3 programme, the objectives of which are to promote increased access to Adult Guidance and Learning. This approval covers the period April 2004 - March 2005.

(c) the approval will result in an additional allocation of 86,881 to the Communities Department budget which will be used to extend the existing European Social Fund programme.

IV SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIP - ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND SMALL GRANTS 2003/2004

Councillors Grant and W Dawson declared non-financial interests in the following item being City Council representatives on the Grey Lodge Settlement Association Executive Committee.

There was submitted Report No 192-2004 by the Head of Communities detailing proposals from the SIP Board for the allocation of funding for SIP 1 from Communities Scotland.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the outcome of the SIP decision-making process and agree the proposals contained in Section 8 of the Report,

(b) to approve the SIP 2 Small Grants as detailed in Appendix A,

(c) to approve the SIP 1 Drugs Misuse Grant detailed in Appendix B,

(d) to note SIP 1 Empowering Communities Fund allocations in Appendix C,

(e) to note SIP 2 Empowering Communities Fund allocations in Appendix D,

(f) to authorise the Convener of Communities to approve any further awards in the current financial year to ensure maximum uptake of available Scottish Executive Grants reporting these retrospectively to the April Committee.

V SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIP ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES 2004/2005, PROVISIONAL ALLOCATIONS2005/2006

There was submitted Report No 191-2004 by the Head of Communities noting the allocation of funding for SIP 1 and SIP 2 funding from Communities Scotland and making recommendations for the allocation of SIP 1 and SIP 2 funding for the financial years 2004/2005 and 2005/2006.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to note the outcome of the SIP decision-making process and agreeing the proposals contained in Section 9 of the Report including the transfer of 100,000 from SIP 1 core budget to SIP 1 small grants fund,

(b) to instruct officers to proceed with the implementation of these proposals and conditions contained in Appendices A(1) to A(5) relating to SIP 1 and SIP 2 funding,

(c) to approve the expenditure from SIP 1 Drugs Misuse Fund outlined in Appendix B of the Report,

(d) to approve the expenditure from SIP 2 Drugs Misuse Fund outlined in Appendix C,

(e) to note the expenditure from SIP 2 Small Grants allocation outlined in Appendix D.

VI NATIONAL ADULT LEARNERS' AWARDS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN105-2004 advising that Dundee was to host a ceremony in honour of the winners of the National Adult Learners' Awards. The event would take place in the Caird Hall on 20th May, 2004 and would be televised. Approval was sought to release 1,500 from the Communities Department Adult Education Support Fund to assist the Scottish Adult Learning Partnership to publicise this high profile event.

The Committee approved accordingly.

VII LITERACIES INITIATIVE

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of 10th February, 2003, wherein the Committee agreed additional funding from the Scottish Executive for the Literacies Initiative which the City Council was co-ordinating on behalf of a range of agencies in Dundee. CM Associates assisted the Partnership in preparing the original literacies action plan for the period to 31st March, 2004.

It was recommended that the Committee approve that the management co-ordination of the Literacies Action Plan be put out to tender for the period 2004/2006. There were no financial implications to the City Council arising from these proposals.

The Committee approved the recommendation.

VIII NON-RECURRING REVENUE GRANTS FUNDS VI 2003/2004

There was submitted Report No 174-2004 by the Head of Communities making a recommendation for a grant award from the Non-Recurring Revenue Grants Fund. The grant award would be met from the Department's Revenue Budget 2003/2004.

The Committee approved payment of the recommended grant of 5,000 to Youth Scotland.

IX NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS GRANT FUND VI 2003/2004

There was submitted Report No 175-2004 by the Head of Communities making a recommendation for a grant award from the National Organisations Fund. The grant award would be met from the Department's Revenue Budget 2003/2004.

The Committee approved payment of the recommended grant of 2,000 to the Scottish Community Development Centre.

X HMI FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION OF COMMUNITY LEARNING IN ARDLER, CHARLESTON AND LOCHEE AREAS

There was submitted Report No 237-2004 by the Head of Communities providing members with copies of the follow-up Inspection Report for Community Learning and Development in the Ardler, Charleston and Lochee areas of Dundee.

The Committee noted the contents of the Inspection Report published on 27th February, 2004.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.