Agenda item

Performance Report Q4 (Pac.03.06.2021/6)

Minutes:

The Area Council Manager provided members with an overview of performance for Quarter 4 which included months January to March, 2021 and all contracted services.

 

Members were reminded of the current Area Council priorities and which contracts funded by the Area Council supported them and their respective contract or grant timescales.

 

An overview of performance was provided with the knowledge that contracts had remained flexed due to the pandemic, it was noted that during the period, 4 businesses had been involved in clean and tidy activities, 2 young people had engaged in the design/contribution of their local environment and 19 people felt they had the opportunity to influence the design and maintenance of their local area.  An apprentice that had been recruited through the Twiggs contract had unfortunately not worked out but that was back out for recruitment, and 13 young people had volunteered with Twiggs supporting litter picking.

 

The number of Community groups supported in the quarter was 41 mostly due to the work of Twiggs and Age UK, with 1 new Community groups created which was not a concern due to the restrictions in place during the quarter.

 

Adults volunteering had seen an upsurge with 138 in total for the year and 33 for the quarter with 22 of those being new.  The CAB and DIAL service had seen an increase in requests for advice and support with 191 in total for the quarter with 23 referred for health and advice.

 

In terms of the Local Economy 3 full time jobs had been created within the Twiggs contract since April 2020, local spend across all contracts was at 95% and the volunteer hours created in the quarter equated to £1918.42 with 37 people receiving training through the Twiggs contract.  Members noted that it was positive what had been achieved during the pandemic with the flexed contracts.

 

Members heard how the Age UK contract had changed the way in which it contacted people due to the pandemic and had maintained 148 contacts in the quarter and working with 25 existing service users and 3 new regular ones whilst supporting 14 new group participants.  Additional service users had been reached in the Thurgpland, Wortley and Howbrook areas as a result of a successful collaboration with Wortley Golf Club providing 244 meals.  There were 21 active volunteers and 2 who were being processed in order to carry out support to the services for instance by telephone and to go on socially distanced walks with those able to participate.  Advice and support had been given to 20 new service users with a total estimated gains of £28,565.77 which was an increase from £14,397.68 during the previous quarter. 

 

Members were updated on a number of Groups that were planning to restart such as the Men in Sheds Group that had maintained contact throughout the pandemic and planned a relaunch as and when it was safe to do so.  The Community Car Share Scheme had not been in use but the Dial a Ride service had resumed to take people to medical appointments and shopping but under restrictions.  U3A Groups were gradually restarting and a SOPPA zoom meeting had been held in March over zoom to continue to provide a means of communication and referrals throughout the pandemic.

 

Activities at home would continue until a time when service users could start to attend meetings and events face to face with a view to maintaining some provisions for those who were housebound.  Plans for when restrictions began to ease had begun such as walking activities and it remained an intention to reach out to smaller communities to include them in future activities. 

 

An update was provided on the Twiggs contract and the rise in groups coming forward, a total of 41 had received support, 5 businesses had connected with the Team, 21 individual projects had been initiated such as clearing of footpaths from around the Penistone area, an upsurge in litter picks had been seen and work had commenced with schools with tree planting.  Members were informed that with the success of the Tool Bank, they would look into developing an initiative across the 5 Area Councils that Twiggs had a contract with.

 

With regards to the DIAL information and advice services, members were informed that 120 residents had accessed it in the quarter resulting in £21,096 in unclaimed benefits being generated with a projected total outstanding amount of £24,960.  This meant that for every £1 invested from the Penistone Working Together Fund the project had brought £40 into the area. 

 

The CAB debt advice service had also seen an upsurge in people accessing the service with 51 clients seen in the quarter of which 80 issues had been dealt with across a wide variety of issues including benefits, universal credit, unemployment and housing issues.  Clients had been able to claim £8,819 in benefits resulting in an investment return for every £1 spent on the project, £4 of benefits were gained.  They had seen an increase in people with disability and long term health conditions and 10 volunteers had been supporting the project.  During the quarter clients had been assisted with £6,900 of debts which was low due to Government advice of pursuing debts being put on hold, but this was predicted to increase once restrictions were lifted. 

 

An update was provided on the work carried out by the Penistone Area Team including the Community Development Officers continued mapping exercise on Community Groups and venues across the Penistone Wards to help re-establish contact to support groups in the pandemic recovery steps. 

 

The Neighbourhood Engagement Officer had been providing specific covid support to businesses and venues for re-opening during the roadmap out of the pandemic and carried out work to promote engagement around the vaccination programme. 

 

The Area Team had been administering the Supporting Younger People’s Grant Fund to provide advice and support for potential applicants, and continued their support to volunteer litter pickers and collaborating with both Twiggs and Neighbourhood Services to ensure a smooth process for any enquiries and work had been carried out to promote the Great British Spring Clean which was to be held 28th May to 13th June, 2021 and Volunteers Week to be held 1st to 7th June, 2021.

 

Members raised concerns as to whether post the pandemic people would re-engage with groups such as Men in Sheds, it was felt there would be a reasonable amount of anxiety of people attending groups again plus the loss of mobility and confidence for people to go out but that Age UK would provide support to people in order to get Groups up and running again. 

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Supporting documents:

 

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