Issue - meetings

That the progress in implementing the Communities First programme in Flintshire be noted. 

The Enterprise and Regeneration Manager introduced a report to provide a summary of the progress made in implementing the programme in Flintshire and an update on the future direction of the programme. 

            The Communities First programme was launched by Welsh Government in 2001 and supported activity in 52 clusters of deprived neighbourhoods across Wales including two in Flintshire (the East Cluster in Deeside and the West Cluster incorporating parts of Mold, Holywell and Flint).  Each cluster prepared an annual delivery plan and community involvement plan which summarised the projects to be delivered and how local people would be engaged in the work of the programme.  There were a number of significant changes expected to the Communities First programme in 2016/17 which included a review of the structure for the Communities First team and the launch by Welsh Government of a Communities 4 Work (C4W) programme across all 52 clusters in Wales.  The Team currently operated across three offices but it was intended to reduce this to one with the savings used for project delivery which would continue across all areas.  The fourth change was to increase the integration of Communities First, Flying Start, Families First and Supporting People to increase joint planning and commissioning in the future. 

            The Lead Officer East Cluster provided a detailed presentation which covered the following areas:-

·         Communities First

·         Learning activities

·         Health activities

·         Prosperous communities

·         Job clubs

·         Jobs, skills & training events

·         Local labour market initiative

·         Financial literacy

·         Business entrepreneur network

·         What’s next

The Lift Mentor then provided additional information on the Lift initiative, which covered the following areas:

·         What is Lift?

·         How we work

·         Contact details

Councillor Paul Cunningham thanked the team for their presentation.  He welcomed the excellent work that Communities First was doing and referred in particular to the work being undertaken in the area of Dementia Support and the dementia friendly areas of Flint and Buckley.  He spoke of a play that he had seen recently on the issue of dementia which he thought was excellent and commented on the work of Communities First in Flint to encourage those with dementia to come forward and seek advice and help.

Councillor Paul Shotton congratulated the team for their work and in recognising the work of Communities First, spoke of evidence of their work in his ward.  He welcomed the introduction of the Dragon’s Den and Business Entrepreneur Initiatives which he felt was an exciting project and added that he had also seen the play on the issue of dementia.  He commended the work of the team on the Lift initiative which he felt would provide exciting opportunities and chances for local residents.  On the forthcoming jobs fair to be held later this month, he spoke of a previous event that had been extremely well attended and had been worthwhile for many.  He sought clarification on how the profile of local industry was introduced into high schools in Communities First areas. 

In response, the Cluster Manager East spoke of the initiatives with local schools and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91