Cllr Winship, panel chairman, to give an oral report from the panel's question and answer session held on 26 March 2012 with the Cabinet Members for Community, and Strategic Partnerships and Projects.

Cllr Winship, panel chairman, highlighted points from the notes below from the panel's cabinet member question and answer session on 26 March 2012. She thought that it had been useful and informative, although the panel could probably ask some deeper questions in the future.

Notes

In presentation and discussion with Cllr Diana Edwards the following points were made.

• additional £5 million funding available allocated to the LAG’s throughout the country with the highest spend levels.  Our rate of spend described as exemplary, but total spend average and under continual review, and there may be additional opportunities to secure further funding in the future. 
• LAG was developing a portfolio of “back-up projects” which could be launched if further funds become available.  Team under pressure from Defra to spend the majority of the remaining funds in the 2012/2013 financial year, the year the project ends
• Criteria were not very flexible, however, St Briavels Village Hall accommodated many functions. Bids being made all the time, and that, bids were initially prioritised into high and low categories.
• LAG Executive has a minimum of six members; the Council was one such member and did not have the overall say.
• Forest of Dean Partnership meeting due to be held in Westbury on Severn in May.  This reflected a new approach in which meeting venues would rotate and the host would be the Chair.  Note taking would also rotate.  The Forest of Dean District Council was embracing the concept of Asset Basement Community Development (A,B,C,D).  The aim of this was to identify the strengths in a community and whether to build them or connect them with other elements of the community.  This differs from the current approach in Local Government which is to focus on what is missing. 
• The FODDC was working with the Barnwood Trust which was part of a growing group of organisations embracing the same approach (know as a Community Practice) and we were one of five learning sites within that group.
• the meaning of assets referred to individuals and groups rather than buildings.  The aim was to contact enthusiastic local people in the community who normally got things done, and offer to match fund projects that the community judge to be important in an effort to build stronger communities.   There was a long list of partners, which included, Two Rivers, Federation of Small Businesses, NHS, Police and Youth Services The Forest Volunteer Action Forum.

In presentation and discussion with Cllr Hale the following points were made.

• The Cabinet role covered Health and Well-being Housing Advice, Private Sector Housing and Leisure.  The three Community Engagement Officers were Lena Maller, Kate Wyatt and Debbie Powell each had their area in the district to focus on, working together with partnership groups, organisations and parish councils and other groups to improve quality of life for local communities.  However, the main aim was to build a bridge between the council and the community. 
• Other areas of work that he covered were with the Housing Team, the Safe at Home Team,and the Street Wardens. 
• Councillor Robinson’s role was for Strategic Housing linked to his Planning role while Councillor Hale focused on Housing Advice and Private Sector Housing.
• Since 2002 the Council had published two homelessness prevention strategies. The Homeless Prevention Strategy report was withdrawn to allow the Strategic Housing Manager to re-evaluate and condense it before Cabinet considered the proposals. He said that adoption of the strategy was not time-limited and that the Cabinet Housing Support Group would be involved in the re-evaluation process.  He also confirmed that the report would be on the Cabinet agenda in May.

• The group then asked if in the future the two-week diary could cover Working Groups, Portfolio Support Groups plus any meeting that would be relevant to members.

Cllr Di Martin, chairman of the Private Sector Housing Renewal Loans Inquiry, reported that the Strategic Housing Manager was arranging a date for the panel to receive evidence from a health professional.