Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Communities First Programme Manager presented an update on the new Communities First Programme in Flintshire, following Welsh Government (WG) approval of the revised two cluster bid approved by the Cabinet on 12 June 2012.

The Communities First Programme Manager reported that the required changes had been made to the programme and that a larger population would be served with the £1.7 million funding, without any reduction in staffing.   One of the priority areas would be to help young people aged 16-24 not in education, training or employment including through “Academy” models.

Councillor N. Matthews asked about support for areas previously included in Communities First which were no longer included.  The Communties First Programme Manager said that exit funding had been applied for in those areas and that the communities had been encouraged to establish local partnerships to look at alternative resources and this had proved successful in the Rural North area.

The Director of Environment said that if Flintshire had not accepted the WG’s position on some of the areas contained within the Council’s original bid and amended proposals accordingly, it would have been likely that the bid would not have been successful.

The Leader of the Council pointed out that Flintshire had to adhere to specific criteria imposed by WG.  He added that the WG was about to release Key Performance Indicators for Communities First for the first time.

Councillor V. Gay said that her area had lost out in this project.  She expressed concern that the report showed “NONE” under the Equality Impact Category.  The Director of Environment said that Councillor Gay was right to raise this issue and that the Equality Impact category should be completed more fully in future in these circumstances.

Councillor P.J. Curtis made a number of observations in support of the comments made by the Communities First Programme Manager and the enabling role undertaken by Communities First in the communities that were no longer within the Communities First areas.  

The Chairman thanked the Communities First Programme Manager for the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.