Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

None reported.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor Mrs M Sartin declared a personal interest by virtue of being one of the Council’s Member representatives on the Epping Forest Local Strategic Partnership. She declared that her interest was not prejudicial and she would remain in the meeting.

Attached.

In relation to the LSP network meeting to be held in November 2006 in Newmarket, it was clarified that this was likely to include a presentation on the consultation document on the future role of LSPs. Provisional notification had only been received at this stage. Further details would be reported to Members when made available.

Attached.

Noted.

Aidan Thomas and David Butler of the Epping Forest LSP to report.

The Panel are asked to bring to the meeting their copy of the consultation document -  LSPs: Shaping their future for consideration. A copy of the Epping Forest LSP response to this paper is attached.

The Panel are also asked to bring to the meeting their pack on the local partnership which was circulated under separate cover.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting David Butler, the Chairman of the Epping Forest LSP.

The Panel received  apologies for absence  from Aidan Thomas, the former Chairman of the local partnership and  Marina Sherriff, the Community Strategy and Partnership Manager.

A letter from Mr Thomas in view of his unavailability addressed to the Panel highlighting the achievements of the LSP and expectations for the future was circulated for consideration.

During the discussion that followed, it was reported that:

(a) the Partnership was borne out of the LGA 2000 and groupings of Local Community Agencies.  Both the Joint Chief Executive (Community) and David Butler had been involved in this process at this early stage during their long involvement in partnership working. The LSP was made up of action groups including the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership which cascaded downwards under the LSP Board.

(b)        the Partnership had always been aware of its non statutory status and always worked to this. The Partnership did not have the ability to take powers away from the constituent agencies who had responsibility for service provision. The Partnership had business involvement  and was looking to attract more contributions from such sources in the future.

(c)        Harlow  which was an Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Area had been requested to set up a Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and received a significant amount of government funding in support of the initiative and had a performance framework. The District LSP  had one paid employer – Marina Sherriff, who was funding through contributions through Voluntary Action Epping Forest.  The constituent agencies all made regular contributions which paid for events and strategies. David Butler and the Epping Forest College in his capacity as Principal of the college carried out a large amount of  research on behalf of the organisation. 

The Panel thought that the Pack on the District LSP circulated was helpful.

(d)        Mr Butler referred to his work with the Life Long Learner Action Group. This group predated the LSP and was drawn from providers and stakeholders of education and training. The District Partnership focused on training/retraining adults for employment.

(e)        the Membership of the Partnerships working groups differed depending on their agenda. Participating groups volunteered their time.

(f)            services for adult learners in the District was an issue of great concern. Given this, concern was expressed that the Workers Education Action Group and the ‘U3A’ had no representatives on the partnership. Mr Butler confirmed that these groups had been invited to join and undertook to send a further invitation to the groups.

(g)        steps were being taken to better coordinate the work of  Childrens Young Peoples Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) and  the Life Long Learning Action Group to see how the CYPSP could be incorporated into the LSP agenda. The Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee was to consider a presentation from the CYPSP which would offer an opportunity to see how this could be pursued.

(h)        having identified  the need for a vocational Training Centre in Waltham Abbey, steps had been  taken  to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Next meetings - 27 September 2006 7.30 CR2 and 25 October 2006 7.30 CR1

Noted that the next meeting had been arranged for 27 September 2006 at 7.30 in CR1.

It was noted that the Chairman of the Partnership Groups would be invited to this next meeting.