The Chairman welcomed Mr. Michael Eveling as a new Member of the Board, representing the Probation Service.

Congratulations were extended to Jan Godfrey on being awarded the MBE.

Introductions were then given round the table.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2009.  (Copies of the presentations as referred to in the minutes are as previously circulated and are not reproduced here.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2009 were confirmed as a correct record.

Updates were given on the following matters:

a)     Project Rainbow, Watton (Minute 8/09 – It was likely that a request for assistance with finding a venue for this project would come forward for the Board’s consideration in September.

b)     Skills Road Map (Minute 10/09) – Members were invited to let Mark Fretwell know if they had any questions or required further information on the presentation received at the 9^th June Board meeting, which he would then take forward to Lucy Walker.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from David Ovenden, William Nunn, Trevor Holden, and Valerie Jenkins.

To note whether the Chairman proposes to accept any items of urgent business.

Pride in Breckland Project

Rob Walker was pleased to advise that Richard Wills had been appointed as the new Pride Coordinator and had commenced work.  A Project Board meeting was arranged for 12 August and members could expect to see a lot of new activity from now on.

The position was noted.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests they may have in any of the following items on the agenda.

A declaration of personal interest was made by Tim Swaine as a representative of Keystone Development Trust which had interests in projects in relation to agenda item 7 (project funding).

To receive a joint presentation by Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service and Breckland Council.

A joint presentation was given on the topic of community safety in Breckland.

Headline issues in Breckland were:

-        Night time economy

-        Criminal damage

-        Anti social behaviour

-        Non-dwelling burglaries (rural areas)

-        Road safety

-        Home safety (fire – over 65s)

Also an issue was that of perception versus reality, as identified from the Place Survey 2009, notwithstanding the fact that Breckland was a relatively safe place to live.

A joint approach to community safety was proposed between Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service and Breckland Council, who all had a shared agenda and a strong record of working together. 

Community safety had wider impacts, including health and wellbeing and economic prosperity (from business crime), and was best addressed through a joined-up approach.

Notable successes included the introduction of Respect Zones in Dereham, Attleborough and Swaffham, work to overcome anti social behaviour in Toftwood, Dereham, reductions in road traffic causalities, Operation Dampen Spirits (action against arson), and the Civic Pride campaign.

A number of ways to improve community safety through joint working to reduce crime and anti social behaviour were to be taken forward as follows:

o       Integrated service teams

o       Monthly tasking and coordinating process

o       Joint assessment of emerging issues at district level

o       Joint forward planning for anticipated trends

o       All agencies working together to target common issues

o       Information sharing

o       Pooling of resources

o       Avoiding duplication

o       Streamlined partnership arrangements

There was Partnership support for integrating service teams, streamlining arrangements and through a commitment of resource to targeted projects.  It was also the view that two stand alone CDRPs would give greater benefit, and to link the LSP more closely to the CDRP, where often agencies were represented by the same people and topics were also often similar.

In this way, it was felt improvements could be realised from:

• Efficiency savings and improved services
• Faster action before a problem had a bigger impact
• Joint communications – celebration of success
• Effective use of joint resources
• Reductions in crime and anti social behaviour
• Reduced administration and bureaucracy

Specific community safety projects included:

Ø      Key Stage 4 Road Safety

Ø      Joined-up School and Youth Engagement programme

Ø      Kickz Dereham

Ø      Copcards (Watton)

Ø      Pride Community Rangers

Recommendations would be brought to the next meeting of the Board and Partners were asked to identify the commitment they could make to the delivery of the community safety agenda in Breckland.

There was general support from members for the more integrated approach being proposed.  Specifically, it was felt that having individual CDRP would help to give a better local focus and the importance of positive communications was also highlighted – Breckland was a good and safe place to be and it was important that there should be good, factual reporting of issues in the media.

The position was noted and a report would be submitted to the next meeting with firm recommendations on the way forward, including the issue of communications.<1>

To receive a presentation by Steve James, Policy & Performance Manager, Breckland Council.

Steve James presented the results of the Place Survey undertaken by Mori over the period September to December 2008.  This was a bi-annual survey of people’s satisfaction with the Council in respect of both national and non-national performance indicators.

A copy of the presentation slides is appended for members’ information.

There was much information available that could be used to decide what action was needed and from there, to look at what capacity the LSP had to design interventions collectively.

That view was endorsed and it was also felt important for members to have a clear understanding of the LSP’s current position and what it was delivering through the thematic groups, to look to see how these fitted with the findings of the Place Survey and then to consider how to allocate resources effectively to fill the gaps.

Following discussion it was agreed that MF be tasked to review :

i)        Current governance arrangements

ii)      Past delivery

iii)    Current projects

iv)    Propose structure for moving forward

To receive the attached report from Mark Fretwell, Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer.

It was agreed that two late applications could be accepted.

      RESOLVED that

(1)         the report be noted for information and planning purposes;

(2)         the following members be nominated to a sub-group to review and shortlist applications for report back to the Board at its September meeting:

                                          David Seaton

                                          Lucy Walker

                                          Jan Godfrey

                                          Rob Walker

                                          Brian Horner or Linda Rogers

                                          Paul Elliott or Debbie Bartlett

To receive an update from Mark Fretwell, Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer.

Mark Fretwell reported on the successful outcome of the bid for Migration Impacts Funding.

Funding of £220,000 had been awarded for year 1 and £30,000 for year 2 (not guaranteed) for Breckland.  There was also a good allocation across the County as follows:  Norfolk County Council £183,000, King’s Lynn £85,000 and Norfolk Constabulary £100,000.

There was a need now to coordinate how the funding was used to ensure there was no duplication of schemes.

It was noted there was the possibility of pooling funding to maximise its potential use and Mark Fretwell explained that the funding was not ring-fenced.

It was further noted that West Norfolk had made an independent bid and the results of bids by voluntary sector organisations was not yet known.

To receive the attached report and application from Mark Fretwell, Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer.

Details of the submitted bid were as circulated with the agenda and the decision was expected in the next week.

If the bid was successful, a request for some additional match funding would be submitted for the Board’s consideration.

The scheme was felt to be a good pilot project for the district and it was noted that some agencies were already interested in adding funding.

To receive the attached report by Mark Fretwell, Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer.

It was noted that this bid related to future bidding rounds, the first round having already been completed and targeted.

RESOLVED that the Economic Project Group meeting on 13 August be asked to focus on the Future Jobs Fund and complete a supporting job creation bid to the Investing in Communities Partnership Board for approval and inclusion, thus ensuring that consistent and high quality proposals are put forward that would to contribute to LAA Indicator 152.

To receive an update on Partnership finances by Mark Fretwell, Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer.

Mark Fretwell reported no change to the position reported at the last meeting.

To agree items for inclusion on the next or a future agenda.

The following items for future agenda were noted:

10 September:

• Community Safety report
• Place Survey – Report back on further investigations and coordination regarding neighbourhood and anti social behaviour issues
• Project Funding Shortlist

5 December:

• Healthy Town Update

To note that the next meeting of the LSP Board will be held on Thursday 10 September 2009 at 2.00 pm in the Anglia Room, Elizabeth House, Breckland Council.

The arrangements for the next meeting on 10 September were confirmed.

A timetable of future meetings was noted as follows:

14 January 2010

11 March 2010

20 May 2010

15 July 2010

16 September 2010

18 November 2010

A suggestion was made to explore having a public annual meeting to help promote the work of the Partnership.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.”

The appropriateness of this item to the Board was questioned, as it was felt Strategic Partnerships did not fall within the remit of the Local Government Act. It was agreed to clarify the matter for future meetings.

In the meantime, it was agreed that, given that personal information was involved, it was appropriate to consider the following item in confidence.

To receive the attached report by Rob Walker, Sustainable Communities Manager, Breckland Council.

RESOLVED that

(1)         the Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer post be funded for an additional year (March 2010-2011); and

(2)         it be agreed that Breckland Council continues to act as host employer for the Breckland Partnership (LSP) Officer post.