Agenda item

The Area Council Manager provided members with an overview of performance for Quarter 1 and all contracted Services.

Members attention was brought to the comparison chart for the years 2020/21 2021/22 to 2022/23 showing a positive move in the right direction following the pandemic in all areas.

Members heard how the Clean, Green and Tidy service had seen a significant increase in volunteers and that all targets were being reached and in particular targets on work with groups and parishes were being exceeded.  13 individual projects based on requests had been completed, 18 social action initiatives had been led, 27 activities working with businesses and 250 whips had been planted at Hood Green.  Activities with schools remained on hold but further work had been planned for the summer holidays including activities were possible.  A number of staffing changes had taken place during the quarter but a Team Leader and Apprentice remained.  Members raised concerns around the lack of communication on where and when works would be carried out in the area.  The Area Council Manager informed members that this would be raised with the Twiggs Team.  

Members were informed that the report on the Age UK contracts covered only April until the end of May 2022 due to the contract ending.  For Lot 1 during the quarter there had been 26 active volunteers, 4 new service users and 40 existing service users and 71 people using the community car scheme which was a substantial increase.  Information and advice had provided 7.25 hours of advice.

All community activities in Lot 2 were up and running with 23 new participants.  Councillors had been invited to attend some of the groups to have a drink and chat with some of the service users.  Men in sheds was going well and had links with Penistone Theatre Group and taken part in projects with Twiggs and the IKIC Centre. 

Lot 3 had seen a site identified on Cubley Hill for a bench as part of the Take a Seat Campaign with others soon to follow.

Members were informed that the newly commissioned contract which commenced on 1^st June, 2022 would be reported into the Quarter 2 performance report. Borough wide AGE UK Love Later Life events would be taking place week commencing 26^th September, 2022 with members invited to attend events for the Penistone area including  a walk around Wentworth Castle Gardens and a quiz and lunch event in Crow Edge on the 30^th September.   Planning had commenced into the winter warmth events with sloppy slippers.  Members requested that 3 smaller events in both of the Penistone Areas would be more advantageous than the 2 larger more central events in order to reach those in the outlying villages who would not normally be able to attend.

Barnsley Citizen’s Advice Bureau had supported 58 clients in the quarter and £394 of debt managed and £9,029 of benefits claimed.  Conversations had taken place around holding drop in sessions alongside the offer of a phone and web service.  The demand for help with the increase of energy costs had not shown within the quarter but it was expected to come through in the future.

The DIAL contract which was due to end in December, 2022 had resumed face to face appointments on Tuesday mornings alongside phone and web appointment and had dealt with 57 issues within the quarter.  Members were informed that whilst the numbers were significantly lower than quarter 1 in 2021/22 which were 170 they were still above target.  The majority of issues were around blue badges, PIP and benefit appeals.  Members heard how there was a shortage of qualified information and advice support workers and that there had been a drive to recruit more to the posts. 

Members were informed that 3 of the first round of projects funded under the Supporting Young People Grant Fund had concluded including the Penistone FM, Girl Guides and the Leisure Centre. Three projects remained active including the Ad Astra, Penistone Grammar School and Angel Voices.  The Penistone Grammar School – Mind for the Future project had resulted in a significant decrease in pupil referrals to the CAMHS service which was hailed as a big success.

Councillor Barnard temporarily left the meeting and Councillor Greenhough was elected as temporary Chair.

Angel Voices had carried out a number of outdoor events during the summer months which had resulted in improved mental health and wellbeing for the people who had taken part.  A total of £1196 had been raised through the concerts held with money being returned to Cawthorne Hall, St Johns Church in Penistone and Springvale where the concerts had been held. 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.