Agenda and minutes

Further to Minute No.3 of the meeting held on 26 November 2013, the Partnership received a nomination for the post of Vice-Chair. Councillor Kelly nominated Canon Roger Driver for the post of Vice-Chair.

Agreed:

That Canon Driver be elected as Vice-Chair.

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Canon Roger Driver, Bob Greenhalgh and Steph Prewett.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November, 2012

It was agreed that the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November, 2012 be confirmed as a correct record.

Presentation by Debbie Shelley

The Partnership received a presentation from Debbie Shelly regarding the South Sefton Foodbank.  She explained that the Foodbank was registered with Trussell Trust. They had their logo and signage as well as a manual and computer programme which recorded tonnage and local statistics. The Foodbank would be located at St. Leonard’s Youth and Community Centre.

Regarding organising storage and administration, the room was almost ready and racking had been ordered and would be built by volunteers. Most of the food was still located in the Town Hall and they were hoping to it bring to St. Leonards in the next two weeks. They currently had 2 tonnes of food – but were receiving donations every day. Six distribution centres had been identified:

·     St. Leonard’s Youth & Community Centre

·     Caradoc Mission

·     Linacre Mission

·     Ford Centre – run by volunteers from Litherland Youth Centre

·     L30 Centre

·     Emmanuel Baptist Church Netherton

One centre would be open each day of the week for clients to access food.

All volunteers from the centres would be invited to a training day a month before the Foodbank opened. All relevant agencies would be written to this month and invited to an information day where their packs would be given out, containing signing up forms.  The vouchers were computer generated and numbered, and would be sent out to those agencies wanting to be involved. 

Currently there were boxes in all of the council offices and these were collected by Kenny from Litherland Youth Club. A number of Catholic Churches brought food to St. Leonard’s on a regular basis and aimed to continue. Tesco Metro in the Strand had invited the Foodank in and currently had a trolley for collections. Asda Bootle had offered a week in May for the Foodbank to collect and another later in the year. Additionally, through the Trussell Trust  collections would be undertaken at Tesco Litherland and Tesco Metro the weekend of the 5^th July.  Tesco would match any weight collected by 30%. Ms.Shelly explained that she attended Churches Together in Bootle and the Deanery Synod to ask churches to have food collection boxes and to ask for volunteers.

It would cost around £10k per year to run the Foodbank after startup costs were met.  Other costs included:

·     Insurance

·     Publicity

·     Administration

·     Postage

·     Refreshments for clients

·     Transport Costs

The Foodbank had received funding from Sefton Council and a grant from Tearfund/Cinnamon Trust so far and had bids outstanding with Santander and Postcode Lottery. She concluded by stating that the South Sefton Foodbank aimed to open at the beginning of May 2013. 

Agreed:

That Ms.Shelly be thanked for her presentation.

There were no matters raised from the Minutes of 26 November, 2013.

Update from Head Commissioning and Neighbourhood Co-ordination

Further to Minute No.5 of the meeting of 26 November 2012, the Partnership considered the briefing note of the Steph Prewett, Head of Commissioning and Neighbourhood Co-ordination. Christina Jones, Neighbourhoods Division, explained that the borough had recently experienced an increase in incidents relating to gun and gang activity. Consequently it had been agreed to develop a specific strategic approach to how matter should address the issue in partnership. Until recently the issue was considered within existing mechanisms and approaches. However, given recent changes in circumstances and the escalating nature of these events  a decision was required to develop the approach further and dedicate a targeted focus on these issues.

John Gibson, Anti-social Behaviour Co-ordinator-Neighbourhoods Division, explained aspects of the anti-social behaviour statistics to the Partnership. Sarah Jane Saunders, One Vision Housing, said that she would share OVH’s statistics with Mr.Gibson.

Agreed:

That the report be noted.

Update from Head Commissioning and Neighbourhood Co-ordination

Further to Minute No.5 of the meeting of 26 November 2012, the Partnership considered the briefing note of the Steph Prewett, Head of Commissioning and Neighbourhood Co-ordination. Christina Jones, Neighbourhoods Division, explained that The Welfare Reform Act 2012 received royal assent on the 8th March 2012. The Act, one of the Coalition Government’s flagship bills put into law many of the proposals, as well as the broad vision, contained in the 2010 Welfare Reform White Paper Universal Credit: Welfare that Works. As with that document the Act was primarily concerned with replacing a number of benefits with Universal Credit. It also developed on a number of changes existent in a nascent form in that White Paper, relating to Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Disability Benefits, and Employment and Support Allowance.

Agreed:

That the report be noted.

The Chair asked for an update on digital inclusion for the next meeting of the Partnership.

The next meeting will be held on 3 June 2013 at the Town Hall, Bootle commencing at 14:00.

The next meeting of the Partnership will be held on 3 June 2013, at 14:00, the Town Hall, Bootle.