Agenda and minutes

Welcome from the Chair

The Chairman welcomed members particularly David Anstey to his first meeting and Jim Nolan who was deputising for John Gilbert. Nicola Reilly, on work experience with EFDC Democratic Services, was also welcomed. The apologies were read out.  A message from Councillor Ann Haigh thanking the LSP for a £100 donation towards banners for the Multi-Faith Forum was read out by the Chairman.

Papers:Minutes and Matters Arising                                                                5 mins

Review of minutes of last Board meeting and outstanding actions.

LSP Manager

Minutes of the last meeting (18^th March 2010) were agreed as a true record.

JH reported on matters arising.  He brought to members’ attention, action reference BO-12/17-12, pointing out that the placement of links to the One Epping Forest website had been patchy and requesting that partners follow this up.

Paper: coalition-programme                                                                              30 mins
Discussion of the proposals in ‘The Coalition: Our Programme for Government.’

LSP Manager

JH spoke on the ‘The Coalition: Our Programme for Government.’ paper contained in the meeting pack.  He said that a review of the document was included the agenda because of the role of the LSP being strategic, anticipating and planning for change, looking for efficiencies and lobbying on behalf of the area. Given the size of the document with over 350 themes only those key ones related to the LSP role were highlighted and these have been listed in appendix 1.   It is a wide ranging programme with many of the proposals having a significant impact on this area.  JH suggested a mini Task and Finish team be set up to look at opportunities for doing new things through the LSP or doing differently what we currently do.  The key message, however, was that ‘the deficit reduction programme takes precedence over any of the other measures in this agreement’ and partners would need to work closely together to manage reductions effectively.

Paper: Final Consult SCS report                                                                       20 mins

Report from on proposals for completion and agreement of new SCS.  Copies of the draft strategy will be published on the One Epping Forest website on Friday 11 June

Deputy Chief Executive EFDC

The final consultation on the Community Strategy is now underway, it contains 11 objectives. This is down from the original 50 in the previous Strategy, a reduction which was agreed at the LSP Board Away Day in February 2010. The final draft has been circulated to stakeholders, parish councils, LSP members and others, with feedback requested by 2 Aug 2010. The final strategy will be presented to Council and Cabinet in September 2010 for endorsement.

CT noted that the Strategy document was excellent and very easy to read.

DM thanked JH for his hard work on production of the document.

Oral report on discussions, key activities and decisions                                  20mins

from the four Theme Groups.                                                                                                   

Julie Chandler    Children’s Partnership

John Gilbert        Safer Communities Partnership

Anne Grigg         Sustainable Communities

Pam Hall            Healthier Communities

5.1 Children’s Partnership.

JC reported that the EFCP group was working well and participants are very engaged and proactive. Group members are now monitoring all PRG projects more closely. A proposal to redirect some PRG funding was agreed by the EFCP, however, this was rejected by County and negotiations are ongoing.

All projects are working well. EFCP is seeking clarification on available funding; this will be covered in agenda item 6.

JC agreed that EFCP would make best use of available funding.

DC noted that the current expectation is for projects that have been started to continue to receive funding while Performance Rewards Grant cuts of 50% were being examined for projects not yet underway.

5.2 Safer Communities Partnership.

JN tabled a paper with the latest crime statistics and highlights of recent activity from the SCP.  2009/10 overall crime statistics are down. The Safe & Sound project is due for launch at the end of June 2010; it is designed to improve independence and safety of older people.

A 6 month cross border post has been created covering Epping and bordering London boroughs; it coordinates the crime prevention activities of these areas.

Crucial Crew is running for 2 weeks from 7 June 2010. Reality Roadshow (similar to Crucial Crew but for year 9’s) will take place on 1 July 2010.

The Farmers’ Neighbourhood Action Panel (FNAP) has been established to tackle crime in rural farming communities within the district. The scheme is working very well.

Domestic violence has been targeted due to the World Cup. Posters have been put up in men’s toilets highlighting the problem.

BS asked how much liaison there is with schools outside the area in respect of activities such as Crucial Crew. JN replied that there is very little since most districts bordering Epping Forest run their own programmes. AG attended the Crucial Crew event and reported that it was excellent and thanked everyone involved. DC added her praise for Crucial Crew, the children react very well to the event scenarios.

5.3 Sustainable Communities

AG reported on the last meeting of the SC Theme Group.

The recently formed Transport Task and Finish group reported to the SC Theme Group. The terms of reference have been agreed and the Chairman was elected. The next meeting will focus on the services provided by local taxi firms.

EFDC has signed up to the Nottingham declaration on the environment.

A presentation was given by Sarah Creitzman entitled ‘Meeting the Carbon Challenge’ and covered the impact of climate change and what is expected of local authorities. EFDC is undertaking a number of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint, including smart meters, installation of insulation and solar powered pay and display parking meters.

Development of the M11 Corridor Economic Partnership is underway.

5.4 Healthier Communities

PH gave an update on the progress of the Healthier Communities Theme Group. A very positive meeting was held 2 weeks ago. The HC Theme Group will be focusing on three main themes, intervention, influencing and information.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Paper:Steering Group minutes (paper to follow)                                              20mins

LSP Manager

Arrangements for AGM     

Stakeholder Conference Proposals        

         Proposals for Website Development      

LAA Project Update

JH reviewed the previously circulated Steering Group minutes which included proposal website improvement and the next stakeholder conference. The Future Jobs Fund (FJF) now has 80 people employed by 25 employers across the district, the first of which will complete their 6 month placement this month.The second phase of the FJF will employee 95 young people for 6 months. The young people employed in the first phase of the FJF have been of a consistently high quality.

DC noted that the FJF has been very useful, with most young people on the scheme being highly qualified including graduates and they were making an excellent contribution to the organisations they were working with..

BS noted that it is very important that young people finishing their FJF term may well be unemployed and they will still need help and support. This was agreed.

It was noted that the FJF bid would not have been successful without the LSP and the West Essex Partnership (WEP).

The WEP, with support from County, has set up the primary prize scheme. Funding is provided by the LSP for 6 awards in 40 primary schools participating this year. These awards are given to those pupils that are deemed to have shown the most improvement. The prizewinners in the EF district will attend a prize giving at Epping Forest College on 14 July 2010

JH gave an update on a communication received from County relating to PRG funding. The communication stated that PRG funding from central government will now be reduced by 50% and that County had forward funded PRG projects. This leaves ECC with a potential funding gap.  Currently however, £11m had been spent, including all the money for our local projects and the money used to pay for One Epping Forest running costs.   The money the County had earmarked for other projects amounts to £26m and with anticipated income of £13m in total from PRG then a significant gap exists.  The County partnership has asked the local partners look at modeling cuts of 50% and75% in the PRG budget for all the money spent over the last 2 years.  As our projects had already spent at least 42% of their money, this would be very difficult in Epping Forest but many of the county-wide projects were underspent.  Officers are in discussion with ECC on how this process can be managed in a fair and transparent way.  However, PRG projects not started locally have been put on hold.  Partners have been asked to assess the impact of ceasing projects immediately but to continue with existing projects until further guidance is received.

DC gave an update from the recent County Chairs meeting. The Portfolio holder at County has said money already spent will not be clawed back from projects. It is unlikely however that any new projects will be funded. Discussions will take place with County to clarify and finalise the situation but there was a clear understanding that a 50% cut, if implemented, would result  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

There was no other business.

Business

We will cut red tape by introducing a ‘one-in, one-out’ rule whereby no new regulation is brought in without other regulation being cut.

We will review IR 35, as part of a wholesale review of all small business taxation, and seek to replace it with simpler measures that prevent tax avoidance but do not place undue administrative burdens or uncertainty on the self-employed, or restrict labour market flexibility.

We will find a practical way to make small business rate relief automatic.

We will seek to ensure a level playing field between small and large retailers by enabling councils to take competition issues into account when drawing up their local plans to shape the direction and type of new retail development.

We will make it easier for people to set up new enterprises by cutting the time it takes to start a new business. Our ambition is to make the UK one of the fastest countries in the world to start up a new business. We will reduce the number of forms needed to register a new business, and move towards a ‘one-click’ registration model.

We will end the ban on social tenants starting businesses in their own homes.

We will promote small business procurement, in particular by introducing an aspiration that 25% of government contracts should be awarded to small and medium-sized businesses and by publishing government tenders in full online and free of charge.

We will reinstate an Operating and Financial Review to ensure that directors’ social and environmental duties have to be covered in company reporting, and investigate further ways of improving corporate accountability and transparency.

We will ensure that Post Offices are allowed to offer a wide range of services in order to sustain the network, and we will look at the case for developing new sources of revenue, such as the creation of a Post Office Bank.

We will support the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships – joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local authorities themselves to promote local economic development – to replace Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). These may take the form of the existing RDAs in areas where they are popular.

Civil Liberties

We will extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.

We will further regulate CCTV.

We will establish a Commission to investigate the creation of a British Bill of Rights that incorporates and builds on all our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, ensures that these rights continue to be enshrined in British law, and protects and extends British liberties. We will seek to promote a better understanding of the true scope of these obligations and liberties.

Communities and Local Government

The Government believes that it is time for a fundamental shift of power from Westminster to people. We will promote decentralisation and democratic engagement, and we will end the era of top-down government by giving new powers to local councils, communities, neighbourhoods  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.