Reps Reports July 2007
Economy Delivery Group | Environmental Delivery Group | Sustainable Development Advisory Group | Older Peoples Partnership Board
Looking to the Future - how do we get there?
The June 21st meeting of the Bristol Partnership was all about the future: what it holds for us and how we can get there. This was the second 'new style' partnership meeting: not so much a committee, more a workshop, not so much about details, much more about broad pictures and strategies, as befits a local strategic partnership. These meetings are open to all, not just 'partners', and are intended to become places to explore particular and more far reaching subjects than, perhaps, have previously been addressed.
The focus for the 21st June was 'managing change and growth in Bristol'. Over the coming months, the Partnership will be conducting a review of the current community strategy, and will participate in a consultation over Bristol's 'Development Framework'. Our discussion on 21st June was part of this process.
In order to stimulate discussion, to make the issues 'real' rather than a paper exercise, four representatives of the various partners were invited to provoke and challenge the meeting. I was one of the four, and I have included here my three provocations.
I had three minutes to present three challenges or provocations.
Consolidation
Consideration
Cohesion
Consolidation
We need to allow ideas and projects to take root. Yes, of course our society IS changing and it always be. Change is a feature of the human condition and we all have to recognise and accept it.
However, the mechanical nature of the public sector tends to force us to move from one piece of work to the next without being able to embed new thinking, new ways of doing things, into the communities that matter, the communities that are affected most. Allowing new ideas to bed down, to become a natural feature of the landscape is something we can never achieve if we are forever chasing targets without really reflecting on the power these projects have to bring about lasting improvement. 'Serial Innovation', always looking for the next bright shiny thing, benefits no one in the long run.
Consideration
We need to consider and accept our diverse approaches to working across the various sectors. We are working between two worlds. For example, the community and voluntary sector and the public sector operate in two very different ways. On the one hand we have the mechanical, public sector: with its need for outputs and targets, its constant mediation between central government and the people, and its need to demonstrate effective and accountable use of public funds.
On the other we have the communities that the public sector is set up to serve, who operate on an organic, generational and relational basis, where people come together to react to particular situations and needs, and who work in a much more ad hoc manner, over a longer term than the public sector, and without the monkey of central government so much on their backs.
These are two dramatic extremes, both valid in their own way. And each needs to understand and endeavour to work with the other on the other's terms: there is a tendency for the VCS and the Public sector to lock horns. This is because neither fully considers the others point of view of the other. We need to consider each other's point of view more effectively if we are to manage change. We need to learn each other's languages. After all, bilingualism is considered a valuable skill!
Cohesion
Bristol is a city of striking extremes. The briefing paper that accompanied the meeting described parts of Bristol as and 'attractive urban environment', and certainly Bristol is a beautiful city in many ways. But at the same time, not all residents feel at home in these areas, do not not feel that they have a right to be there. Bristol's positive change needs to be available and open to everyone who lives in the city, from Southmead to Stockwood, Knowle West to Westbury, from Barton Hill to Bishopsworth. A balanced and sustainable city needs everyone to work together, drawing upon the experiences and attitudes of everyone. This reinforces the need for greater consideration of others, coming to a greater understanding of what makes us all tick, and also the need for consolidation, so that when we discover what works, we ensure that it becomes part of the fabric of the city.
An 'outcomes paper' will be issued shortly that summarises the discussions at the meeting and I hope my provocations helped start things off. Ultimately, of course, change (i.e. improvement) can only come about through vision, commitment and patience from all stakeholders.
The next partnership meeting, on September 25th, will be focusing on Neighbourhood Management. Maybe I'll see you there. In the meantime, as your rep on the partnership I am very happy to talk!
Simon Bale, July 2007
Concern about Economy Delivery Group decisions
Halina Pasiecznik (Bristol Partnership member) and member of the Economy Delivery Group (EDG) has raised recently raised concerns to the (then) chair of the Bristol Partnership Barbara Janke about the accuracy of minutes taken at the EDG.
At their meeting on 20th February 2007 members of the EDG agreed to establish an Enterprise sub-group to progress this important area of work and to focus on the key strategic enterprise issues, ensuring that the enterprise goals of the Community Strategy are implemented. The published minutes of the February EDG meeting did not mention this decision.
In the letter Halina express concerns that the minutes contained no record of the decision (by vote) of the EDG members. In her letter Halina said "In the paperwork for the EDG meeting on 1st May 2007, it was surprising to find that the Enterprise sub-group was not an agenda item, and, even more strangely, that the minutes of the February meeting did not record the voting and decision taken to establish the group. Instead, the minutes state, ‘a proposal has been brought forward for an Enterprise Group’ ".
This inaccuracy in the minutes was raised at the May EDG meeting, which resulted in a long (one hour) discussion. The letter continued “Despite this (discussion), Ashy McKay was adamant that the EDG would have to wait until the next meeting for the minutes to be amended before the decision was taken forward! When asked directly whether, when accurate minutes were presented, she would try to overturn the decision, Ashy McKay agreed that she would. She again raised minute taking resources (not an insurmountable problem) and later, the fact that Bristol City Council were the lead agency on the Bristol Partnership. When asked whether she thought that this meant that the council had a right of veto on decisions made by the EDG, she did not disagree”.
A response to Halina’s letter from senior council officer Helen Ball, states that she “will be setting up a meeting to address and resolve the issues re the above group which you have raised by letter”.
Voscur will update on the outcome of this meeting in the next newsletter and on the Bristol Partnership webpage.
We love our Parks 5% more!
Satisfaction levels with parks have shown a 5% increase! This is due to more capital investment, closer control of subcontractor’s activities and in particular more ‘parkies’ (or in council speak ‘an increase in a permanent working presence).
Household waste collection is above target, and plastic recycling has increased ninefold. The council are focussing on fly tipping reduction and abandoned vehicles, as both are currently below target.
The recent Environmental Delivery Group meeting also reported on the Green Capital Momentum Group (see article below), which has members drawn from across the Bristol Partnership to maintain links and generate enthusiasm for The Green Pledge (featured in Voscur’s May Newsletter). 26 organisations have now signed up to The Green Pledge (Voscur being one of them).
The meeting was chaired by Jim Florey of the Environment Agency, who has recently been appointed to the post. This appointment is timely, as it allows further discussion and clarification of the membership of the Environmental Delivery Group, a matter that has needed to be dealt with for some time.
Mike Timmins, Voscur Rep to Environment Delivery Group
Green Capital gaining momentum
Following the successful launch of the Bristol Partnerships ‘Green Capital’ scheme in April, as the Voscur newsletter goes to press the first meeting of the panel initiated to take forward proposals is expected to take place. Voscur’s Sustainable Development Advisory Group (SDAG) Rep, Katja Lawler, has raised questions about the status of the ‘Green Capital Momentum Group’ and whether this new group will replace the role of the SDAG, which has not met for many months. Voscur is one of 26 public; private; and voluntary, community & social enterprise sector organisations that has pledged to step up activities to reduce their impact on the environment and the impact of climate change. For more information on the Green Capital pledge visit www.bristolpartnership.org/greencapital
New Older Peoples Partnership Board formed
The first meeting of the new Older Peoples Project Board (OPPB) has taken place and was attended by the new Voscur rep to the OPPB, Debbie Clark (Bristol Care and Repair). Deputy Voscur Rep to the OPPB will be Anthony Lewis from Manor Farm Action Group. To contact Debbie you can email her at debbiec@briscar.demon.co.uk or call 0117 954 2222.