| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| COM 11/019 |
Declarations of interest. |
The following Members declared personal interests in the item regarding Grants to Key Voluntary Sectors Bodies - Update and Review of Service Level Agreements on the grounds of membership of the organisations indicated: - Councillor Mrs Anderson (Tonbridge and Malling Citizens Advice) - Councillor Allison (Tonbridge and Malling Citizens Advice) - Councillor N Heslop (Board Member of K College) - Councillor Worrall (Director of Trustees for Age Concern/Age UK; Non-Executive Director of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust) - Councillor Mrs Gale declared a personal interest in the same item on the grounds of working for Maidstone Citizens Advice Bureau |
| COM 11/020 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the notes of the meeting of the Communities Advisory Board held on 26 July 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
| MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CABINET | ||
| COM 11/021 |
Grants to Key Voluntary Sector Bodies - Update and Review of Service Level Agreements Decision Notice D110163MEM |
The report of the Chief Executive set out a number of recent changes to the delivery of key voluntary sector services in the Borough and outlined the need for a review of the Service Level Agreements that covered such services. Significant changes to some of the voluntary sector bodies had occurred over the past year and representatives from Tonbridge and Malling CAB (Angela Newey); Voluntary Action within Kent (Mandy Wynne and Jenny Wilders) and Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Age UK (Gillian Shepherd-Coates) attended the meeting to explain the changes and issues in more detail. The difficulties surrounding geographical boundaries, the provision of outreach services, funding pressures, increased work demands and complexity of cases, transport issues regarding the new Tunbridge Wells Hospital, organisational restructures and mergers were discussed in depth. Members recorded their appreciation to the organisations present for the high standard of service delivery which had been of tangible benefit to residents across the borough and their continuing commitment to the provision of good quality and accessible services. In addition, Members were proud that the Borough Council had not sought to reduce its contribution to the voluntary sector despite the funding pressures being faced and hoped the relationship continued in the future. The contribution of Councillor D Cure to the Tonbridge Volunteer Centre was acknowledged and Members thanked him for his hard work and commitment. A number of additional concerns to be addressed as part of the Service Level Agreement review process were highlighted in paragraph 1.3.1 of the report. Particular reference was made to how grant support given to bodies providing voluntary services to local residents could be ring-fenced to ensure it was not used to cross subsidise services provided in other districts, especially if the amount of grant support provided by other local authorities differed from those provided by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. It was noted that the services provided by the six voluntary sector bodies had been judged to be of vital importance to borough residents and therefore worthy of continuing Borough Council grant support. Changes to the delivery of those services needed to be assessed to ensure that the risk of diminution of those services was minimised. RECOMMENDED: That recent changes to the delivery of key voluntary sector services in the Borough be noted and revised Service Level Agreements be prepared and reported to a meeting of the Communities Advisory Board in March 2012. |
| COM 11/022 |
Vision for Kent - Adoption Decision Notice D110164MEM |
Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Executive which recommended that Vision for Kent, the County Council's Community Strategy, be formally adopted by the Borough Council and its themes and ambitions commended to the Local Strategic Partnership to take forward at the local level. A copy of the final draft document was attached as Annex 1 to the report. Members expressed a lack of confidence in the final draft put forward and believed that further work was necessary to demonstrate how the ambitions could be delivered. It was therefore proposed that the current draft be noted and referred to the Local Strategic Partnership for comment. RECOMMENDED: That the Vision for Kent document be noted and referred to the Tonbridge and Malling Local Strategic Partnership for comment. |
| COM 11/023 |
Armed Forces Community Covenant Decision Notice D110165MEM |
Consideration was given to the adoption of a Community Covenant Pledge to establish the most appropriate way of supporting the Services community in the local area. Members were advised that Royal British Legion Industries in Aylesford had indicated that they were keen to work in partnership with local authorities and supported development of a local covenant. RECOMMENDED: That subject to further discussions with the Royal British Legion Village at Aylesford and other relevant partners, an Armed Forces Community Covenant be developed to pledge support for service personnel in the Borough. |
| COM 11/024 |
New Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change Decision Notice D110166MEM |
The report of the Chief Executive provided an update on the Nottingham Declaration consultation which had taken place and outlined the Borough Council's response and position for the future. It was considered important that any targets or ambitions that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council might be asked to adopt should be relevant to district councils and should be deliverable in terms of any possible financial implications. This point had been emphasised in the response to the consultation. RECOMMENDED: That (1) a further report be submitted to the Communities Advisory Board once the detail of the revised Nottingham Declaration has been produced; and (2) Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council sign up to the new Nottingham Declaration, providing that the points made at 1.2.2 in the report have been adopted. |
| MATTERS SUBMITTED FOR INFORMATION | ||
| COM 11/025 |
Community Enhancement Fund - Decisions made on Round 1 Bids |
Members noted the decisions on grant funding arising from recent meetings of the Community Enhancement Fund Panel. Decisions made at the meeting held on 8 December 2011 were tabled separately for information and noted. |
| COM 11/026 |
West Kent Partnership Meeting 20th October 2011 - Minutes |
The Chief Executive presented the Minutes of the West Kent Partnership meeting held on 20 October 2011. The key issues dealt with at the meeting were set out at paragraph 1.2 of the report. Particular reference was made to the need to address the provision of additional, local transport services to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital and it was noted that the West Kent Partnership would co-ordinate meetings between the Trust and voluntary bodies to ensure that any new services were commissioned as soon as possible. |
| MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE | ||
| COM 11/027 |
Exclusion of Press and Public |
No items were discussed in private. |