Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

David Anstey

Niall Bolger -       Beverley Taylor substituted

John Brown

Eugenia Cronin

Dave Grant

The Chair will consider the admission of any items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items of Urgent Business will be considered under Item 15 below).

No items of urgent business were raised.

Members of the Board must declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests with respect to agenda items and must not take part in any decision required with respect to these items.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2009 as a correct record.

The Chair requested that progress be chased in relation to a number of outstanding issues:

·      Convening a meeting with officers from sheltered housing to discuss Community Transport Scheme.

·      Contacting partners to establish ‘partner leads’ for priorities under the Greenest Borough Strategy (GBS).

·      Obtaining information in relation to NI 175 from Transport for London.

RESOLVED:

·      That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

To appoint a Chair for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

·  That Cllr Brian Haley be appointed as Chair of the Better Places Partnership Board for the ensuing municipal year.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

·      That Cenk Orhan be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Better Places Partnership Board for the ensuing municipal year.

To appoint a representative from the Better Places Partnership to the Haringey Strategic Partnership for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

·      That Cllr Brian Haley be appointed as the representative from the Better Places Partnership Board to the Haringey Strategic Partnership Board for the ensuing municipal year.

A presentation will be made.

The Board received a presentation from the Haringey branch of the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), a national environmental charity helping to deliver Parkforce outcomes in Haringey through a programme of environmental conservation volunteering and community outreach work.

BTCV aims to create and enhance wildlife habitats and organises events and activities in parks and green spaces in the borough to benefit local communities. Outdoor education sessions for primary school children are run at Railway Fields, a local Green Flag nature reserve managed by the Trust as well as activities organised for children in school holidays, conservation volunteering and organised walks. Activities undertaken by the BTCV contribute to the achievement of outcomes under the Sustainable Community Strategy, the strategic aims of the Better Places Partnership (BPP) and a number of Local Area Agreement (LAA) targets such as NI 18: adult participation in active recreation.

Confirmation was provided that activities run by the group cover the entire borough, based on the four Parkforce areas, with promotion via posters, website, attendance at events etc. Board members suggested that the HAVCO membership list could be used as part of the publicity campaign to promote the Trust’s activities within the borough.

RESOLVED:

·      That the presentation be noted.

The Board received a report setting out proposals to develop a Haringey Climate Change Alliance (CCA) in line with other London boroughs and outlining potential structure, functions and membership arrangements. The main objective of the Alliance would be to co-ordinate activity across the climate change agenda including reductions in CO₂ emissions and the efficient management of environmental resources. This would be achieved through engaging with businesses, public sector bodies, community and voluntary sector bodies through providing support, advice and signposting for example providing environmental audits, training sessions etc.

The Alliance was proposed to be operated as a council led organisation, sitting under the BPP. The Board considered that it would be more valuable for the Alliance to be led by voluntary or private sector representatives to ensure sign up from organisations not required to meet the same stringent statutory responsibilities as the council in relation to issues such as reducing CO₂ emissions. In addition, the Board stressed the importance of assigning clear targets and outcomes to the Alliance and promoting the benefits of sign up by organisations, including emphasising ‘quick wins’ and having ‘low carbon heros’ to promote the agenda.

Concerns were expressed regarding the proposal for the Alliance to be sited under the BBP and whether alignment with the HSP would complicate governance arrangements. It was suggested that Leeds could be used as a research case study as an example where the local CCA was operated as part of the local Strategic Partnership, to inform the development of the Alliance at Haringey.

RESOLVED:

·      That feedback from the Board be integrated into the proposed development of a Haringey Climate Change Alliance.

The Board received a progress report on actions agreed at the last Board meeting with the objective of strengthening the partnership and improving focus on delivery of the GBS.

In relation to structuring meetings of the BPP Board to facilitate monitoring of delivery against the GBS, the agenda for meetings now included consideration of strategic items and updates on delivery of the strategy.

The Board noted the progress made in relation to identifying theme leads from partner organisations for each of the seven GBS priorities.

An update was provided in relation to administration of the Greenest Borough innovation fund. Following the distribution of application forms to partners, a total of 12 applications for funding were received by the closing date. A briefing workshop and other promotional work had been undertaken through HAVCO to encourage bids from the third sector, through providing guidance and advice for prospective applicants.

The next stage of the process would be the shortlisting of bids by a panel comprised of selected BPP partners. There was agreement for BPP members to contact Beverley Taylor, Assistant Director (frontline services) with expressions of interest in being a member of the selection panel, with the aim of establishing the panel by the end of July. It was requested that the panel include one of the BPP community representatives.

The potential for linking together projects covering a similar subject area was considered, as several bids had been submitted around engaging with the community and food sustainability.

Concerns were expressed regarding equity of access to the fund, especially in relation to the Federation of Residents’ Associations and Sustainable Haringey. Confirmation was provided that the fund was specifically for the BPP, with all prospective projects sponsored or delivered via the partners with the aim of developing the capacity of the partnership. Additionally, Sustainable Haringey was not eligible for membership of the BPP by virtue of being classified a non-constitutional body.

RESOLVED:

·      That the progress made in taking forward the agreed actions in developing the partnership be noted.

·      That the process for determining success of the Greenest Borough Innovation fund applications be agreed. 

Presentations will be made on progress with respect to the following Greenest Borough Strategy Priorities:

• Managing Environmental Resources Efficiently
• Raising Awareness and Involvement  

The Board received two presentations setting out progress with respect to Priority 3 – Managing Environmental Resources Efficiently and Priority 7 – Raising Awareness and Involvement of the GBS.

The Board were advised that the Managing Environmental Resources Efficiently priority covered a broad range of issues including climate change, energy, waste and recycling, sustainable food and water and land quality. Performance under this priority was monitored through a number of indicators including recycling rates, waste reduction targets etc. It was recognised that a number of key challenges for the borough requiring effective partnership working were positioned under priority 3 and involving key projects such as developing strategies for sustainable food and water, covering areas including conservation and flooding, and approaches for addressing issues such as climate change.

The Board were advised that priority 7 was an overarching priority, focused around raising awareness and involvement and promoting a change in behaviour and education for the next generation. Events organised included the Haringey Green Fair, Going Green conference, an environmental education programme and outdoor publicity campaign.

RESOLVED:

·      That the two presentations be noted.  

The Board received a report setting out governance arrangements being developed for delivering the Greenest Borough Strategy (GBS), progress in implementing these arrangements and how future reporting to the BPP would be undertaken.

The Board were advised that each priority under the strategy was sponsored by a senior manager within the council and would be underpined by a priority board of key officers reporting into the main programme board. Progress in delivering the strategy would then be reported up to the BPP Board.

In future, priority boards would be undertaking activity mapping exercises to allow progress against targets to be monitored and a summary report produced on a quarterly basis for the BPP.  A road map setting out future events would also be produced and reported to the Board.

RESOLVED:

·      That the report be noted.

The Board received a report setting out the membership and terms of reference for the BPP Board for 2009/10. It was agreed that any comments from Board members be forwarded to the Assistant Director’s office.

RESOLVED:

·      That the proposed terms of reference for the Board for the new municipal year be agreed.

·      That Board membership for the new municipal year be confirmed.

·      That the Board note that proposals for continued development of the partnership may result in further proposals for changes to the membership at future meetings.

The Board received a report updating on performance against LAA targets that fall under the remit of the BPP and the programme of projects in receipt of Area Based Grant (ABG) funding managed by the theme board.

The Board queried whether proxy measures could be utilised to allow quarterly monitoring of indicators that were reported on an annual basis, including at least one from each priority area and where downwards performance trends had been observed.

RESOLVED:

·      That the report be noted.

·      That consideration be given to reporting appropriate proxy measures for annual reported indicators as part of the performance management highlight report received by the BPP.

To consider any new items of Urgent Business admitted under Item 2 above.  

There were no new items of urgent business.

To raise any items of AOB.

No items of any other business were raised.

Members of the Board are asked to note the future meeting dates set out below:

• 20 October 2009  
• 1 December 2009
• 18 February 2010

The following future meeting dates were noted:

·      20 October 2009

·      1 December 2009

·      18 February 2010