Agenda item

Committee received a presentation to brief them on the Building Resilience Programme being undertaken by Bolsover Partnership. The Partnership Strategy & Policy Manager, the Consultant Programme Manager and the Building Resilience Project Manager delivered the presentation.

 

The presentation explained some of the work carried out already and detailed the next steps for the Programme, divided into ‘Phase 1’ and ‘Phase 2’. Committee was informed of how in2014/15, an influx of migrants from Europe into the NG20 area increased community tensions in Shirebrook. In response, Bolsover Partnership formed ‘Shirebrook Forward NG20’, a partnership of a wide range of sectors and services, community groups and key statutory partners. The partnership submitted an application for resources to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Controlling Migration Fund, and were awarded £1.26m to begin the Building Resilience Programme.

 

The Partnership Strategy and Policy Manager presented the section of the presentation relating to Bolsover Partnership’s structure in relation to the Programme. She explained how the Partnership was split up into various bodies, like an Executive Board which ratifies decisions rather than making them, and a Commissioning Group where stakeholders decide what to commission for the coming year.

 

The Consultant Programme Manager presented the section of the presentation which explained Phase 1 of the Programme.

 

Phase 1 – Intended Outcomes and Current Position:

 

Healthy Workforce Programme (DCC and Public Health) – Completed

·         Improved wellbeing of employees

 

Improve Access & Quality of Private Sector Housing (BDC and Environmental Health) – Extended until March 2020

 

·         Reduction in unlicensed HMOs

·         Better working relationships in Private Sector Housing

 

Market Square Enlivenment (BDC Economic Development) – Extended until March 2020

 

·         Reduced incidents of ASB in the Shirebrook Market Square

·         Improved business relationships

 

Migrant Community Access (Shirebrook Contact Centre) – Extended until March 2020

 

·         Improved access to public services

·         Crisis situations are reduced through earlier intervention

 

A1 & A2 Community Resilience (Shirebrook Academy & Project Team) – Completed

 

·         Increased trust and understanding of communities’ diversity

·         Improved relations between public services and the community

·         EAL GCSE results at or above school average

 

Additional GP resources (Shires Health Care) – Extended until March 2020

 

·         Improved access to Health Services for both migrants and resident community

 

Social Norms & UK Laws/Vehicles (Derbyshire Constabulary and BDC Streetscene) – Completed

 

·         Reduction in traffic offences

·         Improved awareness of vehicle safety

·         Reduction in litter

·         Increased pride of place

 

The Consultant Programme Manager added to these points by explaining that a person had been employed to work within Sports Direct to ensure the wellbeing of its staff. Additional resources had also been allocated to the Shires Health Care and Shirebrook Contact Centre plans because of demand.

 

The Consultant Programme Manager presented the ‘Our Approaches to Sustainability’ section of the presentation. This included:

 

·         Securing additional funding

·         Measuring impact

·         Sharing learning and good practice

·         How learning from Phase 1 informed Phase 2 of the programme

·         Embedding learning

 

The Consultant Programme Manager also presented the ‘Securing Additional Funding’ section of the presentation. This included:

 

·         Funding secured independently by community groups (Community Action Grants, Polish Embassy)

·         BDC Environmental Health secured funding from Rogue Landlords Fund to produce an HMO electronic database to hold all information relating to HMOs and to streamline and enhance our proactive approach to HMO enforcement

·         BDC Economic Development secured £324,000 funding from Business Rates Pooling Fund to include more shops in the shop front repair scheme

·         £207,361 secured through Phase 2 of the Controlling Migration Fund

 

Committee was also presented with the ‘Measuring Impact’ section of the presentation. This included:

 

·         Quantitative data

·         Social Return on Investment calculation

·         HACT calculator

·         Interim Evaluation (Report – October 2018)

·         Final Evaluation – in-progress (Report – December 2019)

 

The Consultant Programme Manager added to this and explained how the quantitative data collected was in areas like number of GP appointments and number of HMOs. She also added that for the two Programme evaluations, the purpose for them was to find out what the outcomes of the Programme for the community had been (Interim), and what the return had been in terms of funds spent and community benefits gained (Final).

 

The Consultant Programme Manager concluded her part of the presentation with the following section on ‘Sharing Learning and Good Practice’:

 

• MHCLG – delivered a workshop at their conference in London in 2017 to share our approach to commissioning and performance management. MHCLG have adopted this approach nationally across the Controlling Migration Fund programme
• Visit from Lord Bourne in December 2017 to understand our approach to tackling issues and areas of best practice
• Rotherham Borough Council – shared delivery approaches and learning with Mahara Haque, co-ordinator of CMF Project - Stronger Communities in February 2018
• Presentations and input from Boston Borough and Nottingham City Councils which helped shape our programme
• Ongoing dialogue/visits with MHCLG to share learning
• Bi-annual reports to MHCLG and wider partners

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager delivered his part of the presentation, which included describing Phase 2 of the Programme and four case studies. The first part he delivered was ‘Embedding Resilience’, which explained how Phase 2 would build upon certain aspects of Phase 1. This included:

 

·         Phase 1 – Teaching Assistant in Shirebrook Academy. Phase 2 – Teaching Assistant in local Primary Schools (Brookfield/Model Village/Park Federation) (intention to mainstream post)

·         Phase 1 – Planting 50 trees, setting up events in Rainbow Park and working with residents. Phase 2 – Installation of new Multi Use Game Area in Rainbow Park

·         Phase 1 – Improved looks of shop fronts. Phase 2 – Business Forum Co-ordinator

·         Phase 1 – 1,500 inspections to privately rented properties. Phase 2 – Landlord Forum Co-ordinator

·         Phase 1 – 22 community events. Phase 2 – 3 community events

·         Phase 1 – Partnership approach (public services & Local authority & community groups & private sector). Phase 2 – Up-to-date ‘Welcome Pack’ for new arrivals in area

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager explained that the plan for a Teaching Assistant in local Primary Schools would target the schools with the highest percentages of migrant students. He added that although funding for the Programme would eventually end, the Welcome Packs for new arrivals in the area would continue to be available from the Council Contact Centre and the Police.

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager also delivered a part called ‘Embedding Learning’, which identified the following areas to improve community cohesion:

 

·         Sustainable Community Groups – Partners for authorities

·         Volunteering opportunities – Increase the participation of minor communities

·         Language classes (not only English) provision – Key first step to improve relations

·         Inclusive community events – Music, food and activities. Impulse to integrate

·         Outreach workers – Essential to react at early stage to prevent from escalation

·         Partnership approach – Regular, robust communication between all involved partners

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager added that robust Sustainable Community Groups allow migrant workers a point of contact if they are concerned about their working conditions. He also explained how for Volunteering, migrants are encouraged to get involved in it so they can integrate and learn English.

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager concluded the presentation with four case studies where the Programme had been successful:

 

·         Migrant resident involved in local Police – A Romanian woman with a background in Graphic Design worked at Sports Direct in Shirebrook. She enrolled on the Building Resilience Programme as a volunteer, and eventually joined the Police as a Police Support Volunteer

·         Volunteering Programme – This programme has facilitated local volunteer drop in sessions by working with local organisations including the Freedom Project, Brook Christian Centre, Shirebrook Library, The Lighthouse Home and the Community Drop-In session at the Adult Education Centre. Volunteering has been successful in improving community cohesion

·         Free community boxing & fitness scheme – ‘Oz-Box’ is a scheme for non-contact boxing and fitness that originally came into the community to overcome issues with those involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. The Building Resilience Programme booked a number of people from various different communities to attend the sessions in Shirebrook

·         Language tester session – Members of Pear Tree Residents’ Group in Shirebrook approached the NG20 Community Development Worker with a request for a Polish language session to help them integrate with their Polish neighbours. A session was delivered by a Teaching Assistant from Shirebrook Academy (arranged and funded by the Project Team)

 

The Building Resilience Project Manager added that 53% of day workers at Sports Direct don’t stay there for more than a year, so it was particularly important to approach their staff with guidance because of the high staff turnover.

 

The Chair thanked the three officers for their presentation and invited the Committee to ask questions.

 

A Member enquired if Parish Councils will be able to receive copies ofthe Welcome Pack for new arrivals in the area. The Building Resilience Project Manager explained that the Packs were currently in draft and would be circulated to a number of bodies (including Parish Councils) upon completion in September 2020. The Partnership Strategy and Policy Manager added that when the Welcome Packs are distributed, the areas of highest migrant concentration would be targeted.

 

A Member referred to the mention of “Bi-annual reports to MHCLG and wider partners” in the ‘Sharing Learning and Good Practice’ section of the presentation, and enquired if these are circulated to Members. The Partnership Strategy and Policy Manager explained that one of the reports would be circulated to Members soon.

 

The Chair referred to the Landlord Co-ordinator and Business Co-ordinator posts mentioned in the presentation, and enquired if the Business post was a contact with the Council and when the Landlord post would be appointed. The Consultant Programme Manager explained that the Business Co-ordinator post would be a contract with East Midlands Chamber, and the person in the post would be expected to engage with businesses and organise events. The Building Resilience Project Manager added that for the Landlord Co-ordinator post, he was in discussions with Environmental Health and the post would be filled by September 2020.

 

A Member enquired how many residents had utilised the Oz Box facility in Shirebrook. The Building Resilience Project Manager explained that 427 people had joined the weekly classes in total, and classes were attended by migrants and people local to the area at the same time. He added that the sessions could be coming to an end in Shirebrook soon.

 

The Chair enquired why Oz Box might be ending in Shirebrook. The Building Resilience Project Manager explained that funding had not been found to continue the sessions. He added, however, that other ways to run the sessions were being explored, and if they did come to an end, provisions had been made to address areas Oz Box helped people with (like drug abuse) via other methods.

 

The Chair thanked the Partnership Strategy & Policy Manager, the Consultant Programme Manager and the Building Resilience Project Manager for attending. The three officers left the meeting.

 

Moved and seconded

RESOLVED that the presentation on the Building Resilience Programme be noted.