GLOUCESTER PARTNERSHIP
STRATEGIC AND EXECUTIVE JOINT BOARD MEETING
Thursday 12th January 2012
DRAFT MINUTES
Present:
Strategic Group Members
Paul James (Chair, Cllr)
Gloucester City Council
Richard Burge
Gloucestershire Police Constabulary
Steve Elway
Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust
Andrew Gravells (Cllr)
Gloucestershire County Council/ Gloucester City Council
Ashley Green
Gloucester City Homes
Julian Wain
Gloucester City Council
Penny Liddicot
GL Communities/VCS Rep
John Henry Looney
Sustainable Direction/Chamber of Commerce Rep
Sarrah Macey
Gloucester City Council
Chris Oldershaw
GHURC & Marketing Gloucester
Sally Pickering
GAVCA
Mike Skinner
Gloucestershire College
Martin Shields
Gloucester City Council
Supt Gary Thompson
Gloucestershire Police Constabulary
Mick Thorpe
Gloucester City Council
Kathy Williams (Cllr)
Cabinet Member (Communities)
Philip Williams
Gloucestershire County Council
Alice Walsh
NHS Gloucestershire
LSP Officers
Sadie Neal
Lorna Robinson
Jennie Sutton
Tim Watton
Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester
Apologies
Bill Crowther
Nigel Riglar
Sue Morgan
Gloucestershire Police Authority
Gloucestershire County Council
NHS Gloucestershire
City
City
City
City
Council
Council
Council
Council (Item 4, Planning)
ACTIONS FROM MEETING:
1
WHO
To contact Lorna R if any partner would like to give
a short presentation at the Launch Event on 12th
February.
Lorna to speak with Jo Styles regarding coordination
of Olympics related activities.
Martin to look for findings of Open Space Survey
ALL
3
To amend the wording in the City Vision, p6, in the
first objective.
Lorna Robinson
4
For all to sign up to the City Vision.
ALL
2
Lorna Robinson
Martin Shields
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Minutes of Gloucester Partnership Strategic & Executive Joint meeting 12.1.12
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6
1.
Tim Watton to send Lorna the population figures
relating to areas of deprivation.
Lorna to combine responses for consultation.
Circulate a list of meeting dates, please note amend:
October 2012 date is now Wed 17th 2-4pm.
Tim Watton
Lorna Robinson
ALL / Lorna Robinson
Introductions, minutes and matters arising
The Chair welcomed all present and introductions followed.
The minutes were read and agreed after one alteration. Andrew Gravells (AG) requested at the
end of item 6, para 5, to include ‘and Podsmead’ (as well as Kingsholm and Wotton).
2.
Gloucester Deprivation Report
Martin Shields (MS) summarised the Deprivation Report, (earlier distributed) which was a snapshot
of the City at the time it was written.
It was said that the indices of deprivation figures would not improve by doing small projects and
that larger or more coordinated work needed to take place. MS explained that Gloucester’s UK
ranking was mid table, but that some wards (Podsmead, Kingsholm & Wotton, Matson &
Robinswood and Westgate) are rankled in the top 10% most deprived wards in the UK.
Although crime is decreasing, the City Vision found that there is still fear of crime.
The disturbances in August have initiated a reaction from the City Council and partners and an
action plan to tackle this work has been drafted.
The report also highlights that Gloucester has 17 large and 141 smaller City parks, yet the
perception of some communities is that green space is lacking or inaccessible.
The City Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee are keen to know what is being done about
deprivation and supports the work being done with partners.
MS highlighted a project from Coventry City Council around improving the financial situation of the
City and its residents through large scale employment support, jobs creation and business start up
support, highlighting that large projects have the biggest benefits to residents.
Martin requested that discussion be opened up to attendees around the table, concluding that
senior peers should collectively try to address the problems highlighted in the report.
Andrew Gravells (AG) thanked Martin for the Report, it being clearly set-out with good ideas, but
said the issues within it belonged to everyone.
AG thought that although income was key to deprivation it was also affected by low self esteem
and a resident’s confidence to speak out on issues; and those who do not have these abilities are
often overlooked.
Sally Pickering (SP) said that the focus should be on Fuel Poverty & insulating buildings. This
would tackle residents’ quality of life whilst reducing their outgoings as well as tackling a green
agenda.
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SP promoted the VCS as a vehicle for delivering projects which tackle deprivation but did warn that
some parts of the sector were feeling the strain in the current climate.
Chris Oldershaw (CO) said it was a good report, but projects should be set up with the right people
involved. Ashley Green (AGr) said all projects should be set up through the City Vision, setting up
one central task force.
John Henry Looney (J-HL) said that businesses were keen to work with the Partnership and
explained a project whereby young people would be given meaningful workplaces in businesses on
the edge of deprived wards. Businesses are often resource-stretched but they could encourage key
retired workers to return as tutors to increase the skills of those NEETs who live in the vicinity.
This would be apprentice training. It would also be a community arrangement and could address
age-related cohesion issues.
Penny Liddicot (PL) said that she facilitated Job Clubs in her local communities so was familiar with
the relevant groups concerned. Money Advice is also delivered locally. PL also seconded that the
VCS was presently struggling.
Alice Walsh (AW) said deprivation was not just economic related but included mental health.
Whatever is set up should be coordinated and need to work with the communities, so they can
have a say as to what they want & need. Perhaps to focus on one deprived area to start with.
Steve Elway (SE) said that all partners were doing similar things. A coordinated approach could be
set up this year connected to the Olympics. A difference could be made if they could afford to set
up projects around the City.
Ashley Green (AGr) said that 70% of residents in GCH neighbourhoods were on benefits. Credit
Unions for example, had been well received and should be promoted further.
AG wanted to bottle the enthusiasm from partners around the table. He added however, that the
indices for Gloucester City were not good, and from reception class pupils suffering obesity to final
year pupils suffering from poor exam results, Gloucester children’s start in life was often poor.
Fuel poverty was an important issue. GL Communities were doing good work, such as the Dig Deep
project.
Chris Oldershaw (CO) agreed the Report was great. Are there any links to other LSP areas who
have achieved Best Practise projects in this area?
MS said that, despite researching successful LSP projects ie: Coventry, whose project focussed on
household income & businesses, no action plans had been found and finding information had been
very difficult.
It was considered unfortunate that there was no representation at the meeting by Glos’shire 1st,
since they were a key agency in the City Vision and helping to tackle deprivation.
AW said that Plymouth or Portsmouth had examples of good projects where local people helped
shape their own services. She suggested that we could invite someone up to speak on the project?
But AGr said that it is what is happening now that is worth knowing. For example, SAT energy
ratings had been improved in neighbourhoods from 42 to 70.
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All such projects should be known about and coordinated through the City Vision.
PL said that there had been a Neigh’hood Management Pathfinder in Gloucester until 2009 and that
best practise could still be used from this program. She also updated the group on the Community
Researchers project. Residents have been trained to understand the problems within the areas of
the City and how to research within communities to help find solutions. Their first pilot areas will be
Podsmead and Matson (set up by PCT, GL Communities; Glos City C, GCH).
AG was concerned about concentrating in just one area, saying that millions had been spent on
one specific area with only marginal improvements made. AG would like to take inspiration from
another project elsewhere in the Country.
Julian Wain (JW) said that Gloucestershire First and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was key
to getting it right. They have tried to look elsewhere for innovative projects, and Gloucester Works
is an example of having searched for good ideas elsewhere.
He thought that AG was right to warn about project scale. Any project needed to sit under the City
Vision. And any project ideas needed to be carried all the way through to delivery.
J-HL had met with Diane Savoury (Glos’shire 1st) very recently. Diane had indicated her keenness
to be involved in the LSP. J-HL was very keen to get started on something as soon as possible
targeting some smaller projects that are easily delivered first, in order to build reputation.
3.
Final City Vision document
Lorna Robinson (LR) explained that the City Vision document had been updated as a result of
responses from the consultation. It has also been in front of the Council’s Scrutiny Committee and
was due in front of Full Cabinet that evening. If any other amendments are needed at this stage,
please email LR with these asap.
The future Vision, a short sentence, was shown, with 5 key aims ‘sitting under’ this Vision. There
were now only two themes, Your Prosperity & Your Community, with the former Your Environment
section now merged into the existing sections; not missing but included, with an economic flavour,
it was described.
AGr asked if the objectives and the aims to deliver came from residents. LR responded that it was
similar but the wording had been re-interpreted.
Invitations for 9th February City Vision launch had been sent out. There was an appeal to those
present to nominate themselves to give a short presentation on the 9th and to sign the pledge.
Action :
To contact Lorna if a Partner would like to give a short presentation at the Launch
With regards to the City Vision Action Planning, this had deliberately been only partially completed.
It was hoped that, at the Launch, more actions would be conceived and developed by attendees
and Partners.
SE suggested that the Olympics will be a good link this year to provide projects and would be a
good opportunity for a joint working approach across a number of neighbourhoods.
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AGr proposed a mini Olympics for children. SE said the Olympics launch would be on March 31st.
Jo Styles at the City Council is leading on the Olympics and is aware of contacts related to this
theme.
AG thought that Aspire need to identify who are accessing local events and sports-related activities
rather than just provide the numbers of those involved.
PL commented that the football and music event that went out to Parry Hall was a big success and
attendees didn’t want the organisers to leave. More events such as this were needed and to not
forget open spaces such as Parry Fields.
AG asked what had become of the survey undertaken around Open Space and was keen to know
why the findings from this had not yet been made available? MS to follow up on this.
A ‘quick win’ could make a change to a locality. Could Jo Styles coordinate an Olympic-related
project?
ACTION : Lorna to speak with Jo Styles regarding coordination of Olympics related activities.
Martin Shields to find out about Open Space Survey.
Lorna stated that the consultation also raised the importance of the evening economy to residents.
A short summary on the framework of The Marmot Report was provided to attendees. Briefly
described, its focus is on health & social inequalities, taking a whole life approach to these
concerns. It was recommended that elements of the Marmot Framework could be used for delivery
of outcomes in the Community section of the City Vision.
The Scrutiny committee had been mainly concerned with the Key Facts and Issues. And, aside
from minor grammatical tweaks, the City Vision document was complete. Lorna requested Partners
to sign up to the document.
Phil Williams (PW) wondered whether, in the light of 2 major reports, including one from Mary
Portas, that the focus on re-establishing empty City Centre shops with retail business was
realizable.
Mick Thorpe (MT) agreed that the City Centre was underperforming and there had been a change
of use of former retail business space at the periphery.
LR agreed that the retail-related objective could be altered to include the wording…’Creating a City
centre which has a strong retail offer and a diverse mix of uses…’.
CO said there is a City Centre Action Plan, but to have a better ‘buy-in’ from Traders would greatly
improve matters. Presently, there was little quality retail in the City Centre.
It was asked it the City Plan would be ready before summer?
ACTION :
Lorna to amend the wording on p6 in the first objective.
For all to sign up to the City Vision.
PW advised that the County Council were active in Gloucester but it had been left out of the Action
Plan because the activities weren’t specific only to Gloucester and included the whole County.
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SP found that the Marmot Framework paper gave no mention to the VCS under relevant partners.
LR said the paper was put together at short notice and omitting the VCS was not intentional.
There were other relevant partners that had also been missed off but at this stage it was just to
show the links through to the City Vision.
Mike Skinner (MSk) said the approach should be high level and to send out to the relevant partners
such as Sue Cochran (NHS), Gloucester College, Andrew Gravells & Steve Elway.
4.
Joint Core Strategy
Tim Watton introduced the Joint Core Strategy (JSC), describing it as housing-based, from 2011 –
2031. The regional structures will disappear and it had not been easy creating a Vision between
the 3 authorities.
Tim explained the different scenarios A – D.
2021 – 2031 would concentrate on Cheltenham and Gloucester and whether to use existing
infrastructure and adjoin the cities or not.
Called a ‘natural change’, the population of working age persons in Gloucester would differ greatly
from what would occur in Tewkesbury and Cheltenham.
AG asked why the population figures did not reveal the links to the areas of deprivation; since it
would be more informative to know this before considering an informed response to the Strategy.
He was concerned already by the heavy traffic on the Abbeymead Avenue and would be very
alarmed if more development took place behind this area.
Traffic congestion also has implications for emergency services and public transport, delaying their
arrival times.
TW said the figures were available & agreed to make them available.
ACTION :
Tim Watton to send Lorna the population figures relating to areas of deprivation.
Lorna to pull together a consultation response from today’s discussion.
Discussions regarding the detail of the JSC followed, and put simply, it was projected that if
Gloucester does not compete more in the economy, then the younger population would not remain
in the City.
The consultation paper did not include employment areas and it was not looking at ‘land’ available
to business and industry.
PL enquired how Gloucester residents could compete for jobs; every time their aspirations were
raised they moved away?
MSk thought that local people needed to become more skilled and that urban extensions needed to
be well-planned. There would be big problems ahead with less money to deal with them.
JW added that although the figures in the JCS may not turn out to be exact, the trends will be.
Development will be necessary, the question is where.
5.
Any Other Business
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Minutes of Gloucester Partnership Strategic & Executive Joint meeting 12.1.12
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Amended date for diaries: 17th October Strategic Group replaces current date,
Next meeting, April>>>>
SE recommended that partners should work through Lorna to get together on ideas around the
Olympic theme. SE agreed to be lead.
ACTION:
Lorna to make up a delivery template re Olympic-related activity; to be set up by
partners.
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Minutes of Gloucester Partnership Strategic & Executive Joint meeting 12.1.12
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