Agenda item

The Area Manager introduced the item, which had been deferred at the last meeting.  Members noted the current commissions, and committed expenditure.  It was acknowledged that £106,080 remained unallocated in the current financial year, in addition to that unallocated in 2016/17.

A number of potential development ideas were discussed.  These included the provision of universal youth activities locally; extending the Fire Cadets programme; commissioning an extension to the One Stop Shop to provide careers advice; undertaking additional environmental maintenance work to replace that lost due to central reprioritisation to gateway areas; piloting a scheme to provide small household jobs on a subscription basis through an extension to the Tidy Team; hosting a conference to identify gaps in health and wellbeing provision in the area; and developing a support pack for veterans returning to the area, amongst others.

The merits of each were discussed, and the following were suggested as areas for the Area Team to progress, with a view to considering proposals in more detail at a future meeting:-

1) To re-commission the Summer Holiday Internship for 2016;

2) To hold a small, focused health conference to consider provision in the area and identify any gaps;

3) To support the production of a support pack for veterans returning to the area, should other grant finance not be forthcoming;

4) To extend youth provision in the area, potentially funding an extension to the Fire and Rescue Service Cadet scheme;

5) To re-commission the One Stop Shop;

6) To provide signage to highlight that areas were maintained by volunteers, and to alert residents that fixed penalty notices had been issued in that area.

RESOLVED that the proposals above be developed with a view to more in depth discussion at a future meeting of South Area Council.