Community Planning Board Agenda and Papers

Transcription

ABERDEENSHIRE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD
WEDNESDAY, 26 NOVEMBER, 2014, at 1.00 P.M.
Your attendance is requested at a meeting of the ABERDEENSHIRE COMMUNITY PLANNING
BOARD to be held in COMMITTEE ROOM 1, WOODHILL HOUSE, ABERDEEN on WEDNESDAY,
26 NOVEMBER, 2014, at 1.00 P.M. (with a sandwich lunch being available from 12.30 p.m.).
18 November, 2014
To:
Director of Business Services
Councillors J N Gifford, M C Kitts-Hayes, N J Smith and J J Strathdee.
Contact Person:-
Kirsty Macleod
Tel: 01224 665103
Email:- Kirsty.macleod@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Community Planning Partnership Board
26 November 2014
1.00pm
Committee Room 1, Woodhill House
Aberdeen
Networking lunch from 12.30pm onwards
AGENDA
Welcome, Introductions, Apologies and Declaration of Members’ Interest.
1.
Action Sheet and Minute of Board Meeting of 24 September 2014
2.
City Deals Fund Aberdeen City and Shire – Presentation by S. Archer
3.
Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan
4.
SOA Focus: Economic Recovery and Growth
5.
SOA Focus: Transport
6.
SOA Focus: Safer Communities and Reducing Reoffending
7.
Serious and Organised Crime – Presentation by S. Scott
8.
Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy
9.
Improvement Plan Monitoring
10.
Community Planning Partnership Budgets 2015/16
11.
Total Place: Update (report to follow)
INFORMATION:
12.
Financial Monitoring Report 2014/15
13.
CPP Benchmarking Framework
14.
Local Strategic Assessments 2015
15.
What Works Scotland: Update
16.
2014-2020 European Social Fund Allocation
Please note, that whilst lead partners author the SOA Focus Reports, all partners
are expected to contribute to discussions around each SOA Priority.
PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY – GUIDANCE FOR BOARD MEMBERS
What is the duty?
In making decisions on the attached reports, Board Members are reminded of their
legal duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need
to:(i)
(ii)
(iii)
eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation;
advance equality of opportunity between those who share a protected
characteristic and persons who do not share it; and
foster good relations between those who share a protected
characteristic and persons who do not share it.
The “protected characteristics” under the legislation are: age; disability; gender
reassignment; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual
orientation; and (in relation to point (i) above only) marriage and civil partnership.
How can Board Members discharge the duty?
To ‘have due regard’ means that in making decisions, Board Members must
consciously consider the need to do the three things set out above. This requires a
conscious approach and state of mind. The duty must influence the final decision.
However, it is not a duty to achieve a particular result (e.g. to eliminate unlawful
racial discrimination or to promote good relations between persons of different racial
groups). It is a duty to have due regard to the need to achieve these goals.
How much regard is ‘due’ will depend upon the circumstances and in particular on
the relevance of the needs to the decision in question. The greater the relevance
and potential impact that a decision may have on people with protected
characteristics, the higher the regard required by the duty.
What does this mean for CP Board decisions?
Board Members are directed to the section in reports headed ‘Equalities, Staffing
and Financial Implications’. This will indicate whether or not an Equality Impact
Assessment (EIA) has been carried out as part of the development of the proposals
and, if so, what the outcome of that assessment is.
An EIA will be appended to a report where it is likely that the action recommended in
the report could have a differential impact (either positive or negative) upon people
from different protected groups. The report author will have assessed whether or not
an EIA is required. If one is not required, the report author will explain why that is.
Where an EIA is provided, Board Members should consider its contents and take
those into account when reaching their decision. Board Members should also be
satisfied that the assessment is sufficiently robust and that they have enough of an
understanding of the issues to be able to discharge their legal duty satisfactorily.
For more detailed guidance please refer to the following link:http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/EqualityAct/psed_technical_guid
ance_scotland.doc
Engagement with Transport Scotland to resolve issues related to the retention period
EW
stipulated in the conditions of the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Support Scheme
funding.
Recommend that the Community Safety Partnership consider a focus on road safety for their CSm/IW
next Citizen’s Panel Community Safety Survey
9
Submit response to National Community Planning Senior Officers Group re progress on
SOA Development Priorities
Circulation of further detail on the Local Community Planning Group budgets
11
12
Report back on the three Improvement Plan actions which were given an extended deadline
of November 2014
11
10
Publicise the performance indicators highlighted as being of most interest to the public
2(ii)
EW
EW
EW
EW
To research the introduction of a performance indicator related to serious organised crime,
counter-terrorism and preventing radicalisation.
2(i)
FA
CSm
Members commented on the absence of speed awareness courses in Scotland – share this
information with CSP.
Amend the performance indicator on accidental dwelling fires per 100,000 of the population
to per 10,000 of the population (in line with Fire & Rescue Scotland)
Lead
Action
2(i)
Agenda
Item
2(i)
Aberdeenshire Community Planning Board - Action Sheet from 24 Sept 2014
Y–
Agenda
Items 10 &
12
Y–
Agenda
Item 9
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Completed
Item: 1
Page: 1
Item: 1
Page: 2
ABERDEENSHIRE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD
WOODHILL HOUSE, ABERDEEN
24 SEPTEMBER, 2014
Present:
Councillors J N Gifford (Chair), G Blackett, A Evison and M C Kitts-Hayes; Mr
D Murray, NESTRANS; Mr A Coldwells, Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug
Partnership, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership; Mr D
McCrindle, Scottish Enterprise; Mr M Salter, ACSEF; Mr R Bisset, NHS
Grampian; Ms L Smith, Skills Development Scotland; Mr D Hekelaar,
Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action; Mr J Loveday, Federation of Rural
Partnerships, Chief Superintendent M McLaren, Police Scotland; Mr D Rout,
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; Ms F Osowska, Scottish Government.
Apologies:
Councillors N Smith and J J Strathdee; Mr R Johnson, Director of Communities.
Officers:
Ms E Wood, Strategic Development Officer (Community Planning); Ms F
Ainsworth, Partnership Analyst; Mr A Macleod, Housing Strategy and
Community Planning Manager; Mr I Wallace, Community Planning Support
Officer; Mr A Stewart, Health and Transport Action Plan Programme Manager;
Mr A Griffiths, Head of Primary Education and Curriculum Development, Mr R.
Walkinshaw, Building and Facilities Manager, and Ms K Macleod, Committee
Officer.
DECLARATION OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
No interests were declared in respect of the Declaration of Members’ Interests as required by
the Code of Conduct for Members.
PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY
In making decisions on the following items of business, the Board agreed, in terms of Section
149 of the Equality Act, 2010:(1)
to have due regard to the need to:(a)
(b)
(c)
(2)
eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation;
advance equality of opportunity between those who share a protected
characteristic and persons who do not share it; and
foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and
persons who do not share it.
where an Equality Impact Assessment was provided, to consider its contents and take
those into account when reaching their decision.
1. MINUTE OF BOARD MEETING OF 11 JUNE, 2014
There had been circulated and was approved the Minute of Meeting of the Community
Planning Board of 11 June, 2014.
2. (i) SINGLE OUTCOME AGREEMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14
There had been circulated a report dated 20 August, 2014, by the Partnership Analyst, which
provided the Board with the annual report on Aberdeenshire Community Planning
Partnership’s performance in delivering the Single Outcome Agreement.
Item: 1
Page: 3
The Partnership Analyst introduced the report and explained that progress was measured by
a number of performance indicators which had been approved by the Board and Scottish
Government when the 2013-2023 Single Outcome Agreement was published. Indicators
which had demonstrated particularly positive or negative performance were highlighted in the
areas of early years, economic growth and transport, employment, health inequalities, older
people, safer communities, and stronger communities. The covering report also advised that
the Community Planning Executive had recommended the removal of 11 indicators which did
not have an identified data source, until a data source or replacement indicator could be found.
During discussion members raised concerns about availability of affordable housing;
considered the effects of a growing economy if not matched by infrastructure; stressed the
importance of officer awareness of community action plans; and were provided with further
information on the issue of delayed discharge. Members also queried the data on public
satisfaction with local public services as this conflicted with the findings of other reputation
trackers.
The Police representative requested that the Board considered introducing a performance
indicator related to serious organised crime, counter-terrorism and preventing radicalisation,
in response to the UK terrorism threat level being raised. He also advised the board on
research undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership to analyse the causes of the high
number of serious and fatal road collisions in Aberdeenshire. This research identified factors
including the proportion of country rounds, higher than average household access to a vehicle
and cumulative distances travelled. Members also commented on the absence of speed
awareness courses in Scotland.
The Community Planning Board agreed:(1)
to approve the draft 2013/14 annual report for the Single Outcome Agreement;
(2)
to approve the removal/replacement of indicators with no current data source;
(3)
to amend the performance indicator on accidental dwelling fires per 100,000 of the
population, to per 10,000 of the population, in order to standardise with the Scottish
Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Plan; and
(4)
to look into introducing a performance indicator related to serious organised crime,
counter-terrorism and preventing radicalisation.
2. (ii) COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR SINGLE OUTCOME AGREEMENT ANNUAL
REPORT 2013-14
There had been circulated a report dated September 2014, by the Strategic Development
Officer (Community Planning), which asked the Board to consider the key messages and
specific performance indicators that should be publicised by Community Planning Partners
following approval of the Single Outcome Agreement Annual Report 2013-14.
Following discussion, the Community Planning Board agreed to publicise those performance
indicators which were highlighted as being of most interest to the public, as detailed in the
report, with the addition of the following indicators:



Number of affordable homes developed;
Number of bed days lost to delayed discharge; and
Number of persons killed or seriously injured in road collisions.
Item: 1
Page: 4
3. PROGRAMME OF SCRUTINY FOR PARTNERSHIP PRIORITIES 2014/15
Officer (Community Planning), which reminded the Board that during the past year the
Community Planning Partnership Executive and Board had dedicated time on their agenda to
scrutinising the priorities set in the Single Outcome Agreement using an agreed template. The
report proposed that the Executive and Board continue to scrutinise each priority on an annual
cycle and detailed a draft programme.
the draft programme of scrutiny of the priorities as set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement; and
(2)
to note and endorse the continuing use of the current format that was used to
encourage a culture of “support and challenge” and meet expectations in terms of
performance management, prevention and resource shift.
4. GETTING IT RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD
There had been circulated a report dated 8 September, 2014, by the Housing Strategy and
Community Planning Manager, on proposed arrangements for Getting it Right for Every Child
(GIRFEC) in Aberdeenshire from 2014-2017.
The report explained that over the last 18 months the Children and Young People (Scotland)
Act and the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act had passed into legislation. As a
result, Councils, Health Boards and other partners had reviewed their approach to GIRFEC.
The proposed arrangements for GIRFEC in Aberdeenshire were detailed in the appendix to
the report and section 4, which concerned the role of the Community Planning Partnership,
was highlighted as being of particular interest to the Board.
to receive, on an annual basis (or more frequently as required), an update on Getting
it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) arrangements and implementation;
(2)
that the annual update would include a multi-agency update from the GIRFEC
Leadership Group and a single-agency update from each of the community planning
partners; and
(3)
to ensure that partner business/service plans for children were aligned with each other
and with the forthcoming Integrated Children’s Services Plan for 2015-18.
5. TOTAL PLACE FRASERBURGH: DEVELOPING AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
With reference to the Minute of Meeting of 11 June, 2014, (Item 4), when the Board had agreed
that a Total Place pilot should be progressed in Fraserburgh, there had been circulated a joint
report dated September 2014, by the Banff and Buchan Area Manager, the Housing Strategy
and Community Planning Manager, and the Strategic Development Officer (Community
Planning), which provided the Board with a progress update on the Total Place pilot.
The report explained that the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) had agreed
to support the proposed pilot as this would complement planned service improvement work in
Peterhead and Huntly. The only concern expressed related to the current capacity of ADP
staff.
A small group of relevant partner representatives had met on 27 August, 2014 to discuss the
focus of the project, anticipated benefits and outcomes, measuring project success,
Item: 1
Page: 5
management structure and project support, partner involvement, resources, and next steps.
In order to move forward with the pilot, an implementation and resourcing plan required to be
drafted and would be reported to the Board in due course.
The Community Planning Board agreed to note the progress on the Total Place pilot in
Aberdeenshire.
6. LOCAL COMMUNITY PLANS: 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORTS
There had been circulated a report dated 12 September, 2014, by the Strategic Development
Officer (Community Planning), which explained that the six Local Community Plans had been
endorsed by the Board on 25 September, 2013 (Item 7). The plans were reviewed annually
to account for any emerging priorities and an annual report was produced for each area to
showcase achievements and report on progress. Each area had produced a short annual
report for wide circulation and more detailed case studies to provide in-depth information for
board members.
The Community Planning Board reviewed, and agreed to endorse, the six Local Community
Plan Annual Reports for 2013-14 and the associated case study information for each area.
7. COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFER
There had been circulated a report dated 12 September, 2014, by the Director of Business
Services, which provided the Board with information on the Council’s Community Asset
Transfer Policy; explained that there had been a total of 13 transfers since the policy had been
approved in June 2011; and encouraged Partners to consider how a similar approach could
be used to transfer assets they no longer required to a community or voluntary organisation.
Following discussion, the Community Planning Board agreed to note the Council’s approach
to Community Asset Transfer and the extent to which a similar approach to physical assets
no longer required for core service delivery purposes could be adopted by Partners.
8. REFRESHED GRAMPIAN HEALTH AND TRANSPORT ACTION PLAN
There had been circulated a report dated 6 August, 2014, by the Health and Transport Action
Plan Programme Manager, which presented the refreshed Grampian Health and Transport
Action Plan to the Board.
The Health and Transport Action Plan Programme Manager introduced the report and
explained that the Plan had been refreshed in response to financial, social and political
changes since its approval in 2008. The purpose of the Plan was to enable providers of
transport, health and social care services to work together in a more co-ordinated manner in
order to improve outcomes and efficiency of service delivery, both in reducing the adverse
impacts of transport choices on public health and in improving access to health and social
care.
During discussion members raised concerns about challenges facing the Scottish Ambulance
Service and their capacity to respond to emergencies. Members also asked questions on
delivering the plan in practice, accountability and progress reporting arrangements.
The Community Planning Board agreed to endorse the refreshed Grampian Health and
Transport Action Plan (HTAP) and accept ownership and responsibility for delivery of the Plan
to enshrine the work into collaborative working practices, along with the Community Planning
Boards in Moray and Aberdeen City.
Item: 1
Page: 6
9. LOW CARBON VEHICLE SCHEME – OPTIONS FOR FUTURE VEHICLE USE
There had been circulated a report dated 11 August, 2014, by the Community Planning
Support Officer, which provided the board with background information on electric vehicles
which had been purchased using gap funding from the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement
Support Scheme and detailed the options available to the Board for the future use or disposal
of the vehicles, together with an individual Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat
(SWOT) analysis for each option.
The Community Planning Board agreed:(1) to note the various options provided in the options report;
(2) that they wished to take the least costly option and dispose of the electric vehicles as
soon as practical, following engagement with Transport Scotland to resolve issues
related to the retention period stipulated in the conditions of the Low Carbon Vehicle
Procurement Support Scheme funding; and
(3) to endorse the continuation of the Shared Mail Run pilot.
10. ABERDEENSHIRE CITIZENS’ PANEL – ANNUAL CONSULTATION PLAN
There had been circulated a report dated 20 August, 2014, by the Community Planning
Support Officer, which explained that the Aberdeenshire Citizens’ Panel undertook four
surveys per year, with topics determined annually in advance. It was proposed that the next
programme of surveys would commence in November 2014, with further surveys occurring in
February, May and August, 2015. Following consultation with partnership stakeholders a
number of potential topics had been nominated. The draft Annual Consultation Plan was
provided as an appendix to the report for the Board’s consideration.
to recommend that the Community Safety Partnership considered a focus on road
safety for their next Citizen’s Panel Community Safety Survey, in light of poor
performance on road casualties identified in the Single Outcome Agreement Annual
Report.; and
(2)
to endorse the draft Annual Consultation Plan for the Aberdeenshire Citizens’ Panel
for the forthcoming year, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.
11. IMPROVEMENT PLAN MONITORING
Officer (Community Planning), which updated the Board on progress made against actions
agreed in the Community Planning Partnership’s Improvement Plan 2014/15 and sought
agreement to extend the deadline for three actions that had passed their deadline or were
about to do so.
A letter from the Chair of the National Community Planning Group (NCPG), was included as
an appendix to the report and provided an update on the National Community Planning Group
meeting of 10 June, 2014 and indicated the group’s intention to consider what further national
leadership could be provided to support Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) at its
meeting on 18 November, 2014. A further letter had been circulated, from the National
Community Planning Senior Officers Group, which requested a progress update from
Community Planning Partnerships and input on whether specific further support would assist
ongoing development work, in order to advise the NCPG.
The Community Planning Board agreed:-
Item: 1
Page: 7
(1)
to note the Improvement Plan for 2014/15;
(2)
to an extension of deadlines to November, 2014 for the three actions showing as ‘red’
or ‘amber’;
(3)
to note the information from the recent National Community Planning Group meeting;
and
(4) to note the letter and request for a response from the National Community Planning
Senior Officers Group.
12. FINANCIAL MONITORING REPORT 2014/15
There had been circulated a report dated September, 2014, by the Strategic Development
Officer (Community Planning), which provided the Board with budget monitoring information
for the Community Planning budget and Local Community Planning Group budgets 2014/15
as at the end of August 2014.
With regards to the Community Planning budget it was highlighted that there was an
unallocated sum of £19,004 which was due to a carry-over from 2013/14 and approximately
£6,000 remaining unallocated for 2014/15. As previously agreed, a Communications Intern
would be funded and candidates had been shortlisted. An allocation for potential citizens’
panel focus groups had been provisionally agreed and the Our Aberdeenshire website had
recently been upgraded at low cost.
Local Community Planning Group budgets were still being allocated and it was expected more
details would be available in the next financial monitoring report.
The Community Planning Board noted the budget monitoring report for 2014/15 as at the end
of August, 2014 for the Community Planning budget and Local Community Planning budgets.
13. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN THE NORTH EAST OF SCOTLAND
There had been circulated, as a late item, an update on issues related to recruitment and
retention in the North East of Scotland. The Board noted the update and requested that the
item be circulated again to Board members following the meeting.
14. WHAT WORKS SCOTLAND
There had been circulated a report dated September, 2014, by the Strategic Development
Officer (Community Planning), which explained that What Works Scotland was a new initiative
which aimed to improve the way local areas used evidence to make decisions about public
service development and reform. Aberdeenshire Council, as the lead partner in the
Community Planning Partnership, had submitted an expression of interest to take part as a
case study area and had been successful in being selected. Detailed information on the
initiative and Aberdeenshire’s expression of interest were included in an appendix to the
report.
The Community Planning Board noted Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership’s
involvement in the national What Works Scotland initiative.
Item: 3
Page: 1
ABERDEENSHIRE COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD – 26 NOVEMBER 2014
ABERDEEN CITY AND SHIRE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN –
APPROVED BY SCOTTISH MINISTERS
1
Recommendations
The Board is recommended to:
1.1
Note the approval of the Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan
by Scottish Ministers, the contribution it makes to meeting a range of Single
Outcome Agreement objectives and the process for review.
2
Background
2.1
The Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan (SDP) is a strategic
plan covering the areas of Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council
(except that part within the Cairngorms National Park) and looks forward over
the next 20 years. The preparation of the plan is a statutory requirement and
replaces the requirement to prepare a structure plan. The plan addresses the
development needs of the area, with a particular focus on housing,
employment, transport and energy.
2.2
The plan is prepared on behalf of the two partner councils by the Aberdeen City
and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority (SDPA). The SDPA was
formed in 2008 and is made up of six Councillors from Aberdeen City Council
and six from Aberdeenshire Council and is serviced by a small dedicated team.
It meets at least quarterly and Audit Scotland is responsible for auditing its
accounts.
2.3
The current SDP was approved by Scottish Ministers on 28 March 2014 and
came into force with immediate effect. The plan is available online
(http://www.aberdeencityandshiresdpa.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=1111&sID=149) with hard
copies available for circulation at the meeting.
2.4
The new plan updates the Aberdeen City and Shire Structure Plan (2009),
retaining its strategy and growth aspirations. Both councils prepare Local
Development Plans as one of the main mechanisms to implement the SDP,
although a range of other actions are included in the Action Programme
published in June 2014. There are close links with Nestrans and ACSEF in
terms of plan preparation and implementation.
2.5
The SDP is a positive plan for the future of the area, identifying the need for a
significant expansion of housing and employment land which have now been
delivered through the Local Development Plans in terms of site allocations. This
has enabled significant take-up of employment land over recent years
(particularly in and around Aberdeen) as well as record levels of house building
predicted from 2015 onwards. Indeed, the area now has one of the healthiest
supplies of effective development land anywhere in Scotland, with significant
investment in supporting infrastructure planned over the next few years.
Item: 3
Page: 2
2.6
The timing of the recession starting in 2008 had a negative impact on the area
because the availability of development and mortgage finance has meant that
the supply of new homes has not kept up with the needs of the economy which
has grown four times faster than the Scottish average since that time. However,
with this situation easing, it is now anticipated that building will reach levels not
seen since at least 1980.
Review and Replacement
2.7
The legislation requires the submission of a replacement plan to Scottish
Ministers within four years of the approval of the last one, giving a submission
target of March 2018. As a consequence, the process of preparing a
replacement plan will start in earnest during 2015, with a timetable and process
being agreed by the SDPA at its meeting in March 2015. Most of the
consultation and engagement with communities, stakeholders and partners is
anticipated during 2016, with a ‘Proposed Plan’ published during 2017 for
objections prior to submission.
2.8
Although the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership considered the
Main Issues Report for the last plan in November 2011 and encouraged
partners to engage in the plan preparation process, it is important that the links
between the two planning processes are further strengthened. This has been
highlighted by the Scottish Government with its publication of Scottish Planning
Policy
(para
12
and
page
8
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0045/00453827.pdf) and its response to
‘Review of Strategic Development Plans in Scotland’ (Action 12 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0045/00454434.pdf). The Royal Town
Planning Institute in Scotland is also currently researching the link between
community planning and development planning, with a view to identifying ways
in which this relationship can be strengthened.
2.9
The period to 2040 covered by the next plan will be critical for the future of the
area and it is important that the SDP plays its role in shaping that future for the
benefit of both current and future generations.
2.10
Over the next few months officers will consider further how the links between
community planning and the SDP can most effectively be enhanced in
Aberdeenshire as well as in Aberdeen City – seeking to better integrate the
plans but also the respective processes.
3
Equalities, Staffing and Financial Implications
3.1
None arising from this report.
David Jennings, SDP Manager
Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority
17 November 2014
Item: 4
Page: 1
SOA FOCUS: ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND GROWTH
1
Recommendations:
1.1
Discuss the progress made by ACSEF in delivering the outcomes set out in the
Single Outcome Agreement.
1.2
Support activity by demonstrating how each partner is contributing towards the
“economic recovery and growth” priority.
1.3
Challenge performance as part of the partnership’s governance role to be
satisfied that we are collectively doing as much as we can to improve outcomes,
plan preventatively and join up resources.
2
Background / Discussion
2.1
During the previous year the Community Planning Partnership Executive and
Board has dedicated time on its agenda to scrutinising the priorities set in the
Single Outcome Agreement. At its last meeting the Board agreed a forward
programme of “support and challenge” of its priorities stretching through to
summer 2015.
2.2
The template in appendix 1 has been completed by members of ACSEF is
framed around the themes of prevention, resources, place and performance.
2.3
Board members are asked to show how their organisation is contributing towards
the long-term outcome “Aberdeenshire will be recognised as a great place to live,
work, invest with opportunity for all” as well as the specific themes highlighted in
the template.
2.4
In light of Community Planning Partnerships being held responsible for improving
outcomes for each of their priority areas, Board members are encouraged to
challenge progress to date.
3
3.1
The recent agreement on joint resourcing and community planning partnerships
published as part of the Scottish budget for 2014/15 places further emphasis
on partners demonstrating how they can pool their shared resources – budgets,
staff, buildings, information – to deliver improvements for their shared priorities.
3.2
This report does not require an equalities impact assessment because its
recommendations do not have a differential impact on people with protected
characteristics.
Jamie Bell, Business Networks and Communications, Scottish Enterprise and Sophie
Humphries, Strategic Development Officer (Community Planning)
14 November 2014
Overall, current modelling projects that over 90% of Aberdeenshire premises will be “passed by fibre” at the conclusion of the programme
Aberdeenshire Council has committed £16m to provide acceptable and affordable broadband to those at the “poor” end of the service spectrum within the
Scottish Government’s ‘Rest of Scotland, Step Change 2015’ programme. The first publicly funded fibre optic cable street cabinet in Scotland was
commissioned in Kirkton of Skene in April and since then a further 77 cabinets have been sited in Aberdeenshire. As at the end of September, an
additional 22,000 premises in Aberdeenshire have been given access to a fibre optic cable enabled broadband service. Solutions for those premises in
Aberdeenshire which won’t receive a fibre enabled service will start to be delivered in spring 2015.
Digital Connectivity –Access to high speed broadband is vital for continued economic growth, social inclusion and cohesion and cost effective service
provision for public and private sector organisations. It is truly cross-cutting which impacts all communities and will have significant impacts on delivery of
services such as education, healthcare and welfare.
Examples of these with relevance to Aberdeenshire are provided below:
ACSEF has a set of agreed priorities and major projects for 2014/15 underpinned by a focus on place.
Subsequent 5-year Economic Action Plans have set out the priority actions to be delivered to achieve the region’s economic growth target. The ACSEF
strategy is currently being refreshed to review economic priorities along with the development of a performance plan to monitor and track progress.
The Economic Manifesto for Aberdeen City and Shire published by ACSEF sets out three elements: an ambitious Vision for 2025; two overarching aims
of Quality of Life and Economic Growth; and seven Strategic Priorities which will help deliver the vision.
The Scottish Government Economic Strategy sets out high level targets for increasing sustainable economic growth. Economic growth and getting people
into employment is a key preventative measure to prevent the health and social problems associated with unemployment and poverty. It should also be
viewed as an opportunity as by investing in the opportunities and needs of Aberdeenshire’s economy this will prevent the risks associated with economic
downturn and decline.
PREVENTION – How is the partnership taking shifting towards preventative planning? Are resources being shifted?
Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (ACSEF)
LEAD PARTNERSHIP:
Economic Recovery & Growth
SOA PRIORITY:
Item: 4
Page: 2
Food & Drink Strategy – ACSEF has recognised the importance of food & drink as a key sector for the region and particularly for Aberdeenshire. In
understanding the opportunities and barriers to further growth ACSEF has funded the development of the Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray
In addition, a number of collaborative projects are being worked on in conjunction with the Area Tourism Partnership, Banffshire Coast Tourism
Partnership and VistAberdeen. These include for example, the World Host Customer Service Programme; helping the region become one of the most
welcoming tourist destinations, and an innovative online training programme for front facing staff to help develop their destination knowledge at a regional
level across Aberdeen City and Shire.
Through Scottish Enterprise support to the Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms destination several projects have recently been successfully
delivered. The 2nd Food and Fiddle Fortnight took place Oct 2014. It is recognised that the Deeside Way is a valuable asset to the area and work has
been done to look at the business development opportunities afforded by a completed Deeside Way from Aberdeen to Ballater. A Deeside
Accommodation Development Support Programme has been followed up with workshops delivered to businesses to help improve their skills and quality
offering to visitors.
Area Tourism Partnership – The Area Tourism Partnership for the region is established and now driving forward its strategy. The partnership
consists of all tourism sectors, including private businesses, the relevant public agencies and the Destination Management Organisations in the region
(including Banffshire Coast, and Royal Deeside & Cairngorms.). It provides visible leadership, acting as a champion for tourism businesses, with key
goals in delivering the strategy by bringing all the parties involved in visitors' journey together, to ensure that Aberdeen City and Shire reaches its
potential as a tourism destination. Key actions planned for delivery include Achievement of ‘World Host’ status for AC&S (2016) with Customer Service
training programme already held, AC&S Tourism Awards (January 2015), Area Tourism Conference (January 2015) and production of Hotel
Investment brochure (2015).
Balmacassie Commercial Park in Ellon is well established and will be added to by the recently announced eight hectare Enerfield site, to the north of
Foveran. The low carbon Energetica Industry Park in Peterhead will soon undergo first phase development whilst Peterhead Power Station was named as
one of two preferred bidders for the UK Government’s Carbon Capture and Storage project – potentially seeing £1billion of investment. At the south end of
the ‘corridor’ there has been huge investment in business park developments around Aberdeen Airport and further investment in the Aberdeen Science &
Energy Parks.
Provision of business space is vital to build upon our buoyant energy sector and secure increased investment for the future.
Energetica – Delivery of the Energetica masterplan is a major strand of several ACSEF priorities, particularly anchoring the offshore energy supply chain
and supporting place promotion for the region. Energetica aims to extend opportunities for business growth on the corridor north of the City to Peterhead,
and establish the region as a leader in future energy technologies, to provide jobs and investment for the future. The project has the potential to create
hundreds of new jobs and £750 million of investment.
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Company Growth - Scottish Enterprise currently account manages 124 companies in Aberdeenshire across a number of sectors, representing about
39% of the region’s total account managed companies. This involves working intensively with the senior management team of a company to agree
objectives across business functions e.g. exporting, investment, human resources, strategic development, to develop and grow their companies which
will, in turn, lead to opportunities to expand and subsequently increase future employment levels. Scottish Enterprise is actively growing its company
growth portfolio and increasing the amount of account managers to deliver this. Aberdeenshire Council’s business support staff give advice and
Transport – An integrated transport network remains an important priority for ACSEF, as it is a key enabler in terms of ensuring sustainable economic
growth. Key projects to promote an integrated, sustainable transport network, particularly in order to reduce congestion, are consistently highlighted as a
major priority for the region. These are delivered in partnership with Nestrans. Key infrastructure projects, including the AWPR, Balmedie-Tipperty
dualling, and Inveramsay Bridge improvements, together with rail network enhancements will take place over the next few years and provide the region
with fit for purpose infrastructure that will allow companies to grow and provide jobs for the future. Under this theme ACSEF has this year developed a
stronger focus on the region’s ports and harbours in the context of a wider strategic review of Scotland’s ports linked to the demands arising from the
energy sector in particular.
Housing – Ensuring affordable housing available to facilitate economic growth has been identified as a key issue as lack of suitable housing is causing
problems in terms of attracting and retaining talent in the region. There are clearly wider social impacts resulting from this issue.
The working group brought together with representatives from ACSEF together with officers from both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council’s
Housing teams will look to develop innovative solutions to the challenges currently faced. Discussions with colleagues from the Scottish Government have
taken place and will be ongoing. ACSEF has agreed funding support to undertake a Housing Needs Study to identify need and demand for key housing
relative to the private sector. The aim of the research is to provide ACSEF with potential models for the supply of housing to meet current and emerging
needs of employing organisations in the private sector.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Placemaking initiative “Be Part of the Picture” has been established to promote the area’s strengths and sense of place. It
looks to share information on what Aberdeenshire has to offer, and aims to help in attracting new visitors and businesses to Aberdeenshire, which
ultimately benefits everyone.
Skills and Talent Attraction – Ensuring a consistent stream of talent for local businesses and inward investors is of paramount importance to future
growth in the region. There are two aspects to talent attraction; attracting new talent from the UK or overseas and retaining and maximising the
potential of indigenous talent, including creating pathways for young people from school to jobs. Led by Skills Development Scotland Regional Skills
Assessments have been prepared for the region in 2014, primarily to inform the single outcome agreements for the new regional college structure in
Scotland. ACSEF has played a key role in inputting to and helping shape the RSA for AC&S. Based on these findings ACSEF has now agreed to
develop a Regional Skills Strategy.
Food & Drink Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2020. The work is currently underway and being led by Grampian Food Forum and Aberdeenshire
Council. A draft strategy is expected early in 2015.
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In a wider strategic sense there is recognition that the lack of consistent place promotion messaging is detrimental to the overall work of ACSEF and its
public and private sector partners. This is an important issue in portraying a positive perception of the region and in attracting greater levels of inward
ACSEF and its partners will support Aberdeenshire Council with the delivery of their Placemaking initiative, “Be part of the picture”, where relevant.
The attractiveness of place is critical in attracting and retaining the talent to support the area’s economic growth ambitions – with the place promotion
agenda essentially underpinning the work of ACSEF at present. Constraints around infrastructure in rural areas, particularly around lack of broadband
availability, with the subsequent restrictions on growth opportunities and social inclusion, have been identified as a key priority for the partnership.
Whilst Aberdeenshire scores above the national average for employment rates and being a good place to live, there is recognition that there are significant
differences in wealth and opportunity across the area.
PLACE – To what extent is the partnership focussing on place?
The private sector currently contributes through in-kind support. The aim of ACSEF is to create the right conditions for growth that will attract private sector
investment. Specific projects that form part of the ACSEF action plan will attract private sector funding e.g. Energetica.
Alongside the contributions made by the partners to the ACSEF budget, there is over £70million of additional funding forecast to projects which will support
of delivery of the Economic Action Plan for Aberdeen City and Shire.
ACSEF is funded by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, along with Scottish Enterprise. The partners’ funding provides support to both strategy
and project development to facilitate joined-up working in economic development across the region. Other partners provide support through research
initiatives and events that contribute directly to the work of the partnership e.g. Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
RESOURCES – To what extent is the partnership and its members jointly resourcing the shared outcomes?
Internationalisation – locally both the oil and gas and food and drink sectors have significant experience of international working, gained over many
years and it is recognised that this is an important area of focus from which other sectors can benefit. ACSEF is developing an approach to stimulating
greater internationalisation opportunities for companies across a range of sectors, including not just exporting, but also developing an international
mindset and building on global value chains.
support to developing businesses and liaise with colleagues in Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise to ensure coverage of businesses that
provide additionality to the Aberdeenshire economy.
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For the SOA specifically, the following performance information is provided:
As part of its overall strategy review and update, ACSEF is also refreshing its Performance Framework, with Key Performance Indicators. These will
include monitoring the performance of the Area Tourism Partnership. The Energetica project has recently developed an agreed set of performance
measures which are currently being informed by data provision and tracking information.
PERFORMANCE – How is the partnership performing in delivering the outcomes and plan set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement?
A key element of Energetica is the promotion of Aberdeenshire’s coastal scenery and wildlife, for example the second Energetica Wildlife and Walking
Festival held in May 2014. The festival was supported by local business throughout the area.
More specifically, ACSEF partners will support the delivery of Economic Development and Regeneration Strategies, by assisting in scaling up and
developing relevant economic and employment opportunities that align with the focus on growth – for example, by working with Fraserburgh Harbour to
upgrade the electricity supply at the harbour and environs potentially benefiting over 40 companies. In a tourism context there has been significant support
to the area’s two destination management organisations – Royal Deeside and Banffshire Coast – supportive place promoting initiatives.
investment to the region as a whole. In response ACSEF is currently developing a set of consistent economic promotion messages along with funding
support to the creation of a Regional Statistics Guide and Regional Image Bank.
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GVA per head at the regional Aberdeen City & Shire
level is £31,754 (2012 – latest), the highest in the
country and well above Scottish (£20,013) and UK
(£21,674) averages. Since 2001 in AC&S GVA per head
(current prices) has increased from £20,319.In real price
terms this equates to a 10 year annual average growth
rate of 1.6% per annum.
Economic Growth, as measured by the Gross Value
Added (GVA) measure, is only available publicly from
official Government figures at a regional level. Overall
GVA growth rates fluctuate over the time period, but
since 2002 the increase in growth averages at 2.6%
p.a., above both Scottish and UK averages. It is also
higher than ACSEF’s long term economic growth
target of 2.5% p.a. Although the recession did have an
impact on GVA in 2008/09 in AC&S, the region
bounced back quickly. In 2012 there has been a dropoff in growth, with some potential links to North Sea
production levels. Any trends will continue to be
monitored over time.
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Alongside Economic Growth the ACSEF economic manifesto and plan includes a vision of the area as being one of the most interesting and enjoyable
locations in the UK in which to visit, live, work and grow up. In short: having a high quality of life. ACSEF monitors this ambition in several ways.
The strong entrepreneurial environment is reinforced
by figures for Aberdeenshire where business
formations per 10,000 working population have
increased from 53 to 77 (2009-12) – the second
highest rate in Scotland behind Aberdeen City (84).
Aberdeen City and Shire has the highest business
birth rate (80 per 10,000 working population)
compared to Scotland (53) and UK (69). This has
increased from 55 in 2009.
The tightness of the labour market in Aberdeenshire is further
reinforced by the lowest unemployment rates in the country,
including youth unemployment.
Actual levels of employment have also increased in
Aberdeenshire since 2005 by 11.5% from 118,800 to 132,500.
This is despite a slight fall in 2014 by 2,000. This compares to
Scotland-wide employment that increased by 2.8% over the
same period.
Regionally, Aberdeen City & Shire has the highest employment
rate in the country at 77.0% (2014 figures just released) and
well above national averages (Scotland – 71.5%; UK – 71.6%).
At a local authority area level Aberdeenshire has the third
highest rate in Scotland (only behind Orkney and Shetland)
reflective of a buoyant economy and employment opportunities
in the area’s key sectors. Since 2005 Aberdeenshire’s
employment rate has remained consistently around 80%.
Item: 4
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1=
Very
Poor
2
3
4
5
6
7=
Very
Good
2014
2012
The % of Aberdeenshire Citizens’ Panel respondents who
rated their quality of life
Quality of Life Ranking
2012
1
2
3
4
5
Quality of Life
Ranking 2011
2
1
4
6
9

Labour market
The Bank of Scotland Quality of Life index was produced for 12 ‘rural’ defined local authority areas across Scotland and quantifies living standards by
ranking performance of areas across several indicators:
Aberdeenshire
Shetland Islands
Orkney Islands
East Lothian
Scottish Borders
Local Authority
Bank of Scotland Quality of Life Rural Survey
The Bank of Scotland’s annual Rural Areas’ Quality of Life Survey found that in 2012 Aberdeenshire had the best quality of life of any rural local
authority area in Scotland (see below). Aberdeenshire has claimed top position for the 4 th time since 2006.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
2014 Aberdeen City & Shire Quality of Life Surveys
Both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, through their respective Citizens’ Panels, tracked what its residents defined as most relevant and
important to their quality of life. In Aberdeenshire panellists indicated overall high positive ratings of their quality of life – an increase from 2 years ago (see
below). Improved perceptions of broadband speeds and connections, access to parks and open spaces and choice of restaurants and bars were recorded
in the survey. However, indicators which panellists selected as being ‘worse’ than two years ago included maintenance of roads, levels of traffic
congestion, availability of affordable housing and cost of living.
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




Housing
Environment
Safety/Security
Health
Education
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Item: 5
Page: 1
SOA FOCUS: TRANSPORT
1
Recommendations:
1.1
Discuss the progress made by NESTRANS and partners in delivering the
outcomes set out in the Single Outcome Agreement.
1.2
“transport” priority.
1.3
2
2.1
summer 2015.
2.2
The template in appendix 1 is framed around the themes of prevention,
resources, place and performance.
2.3
the long-term outcome “businesses and individuals have access to an integrated
transport network” as well as the specific themes highlighted in the template.
2.4
3
3.1
3.2
characteristics.
Kirsty Chalmers, Transport Executive (Strategy and Delivery), NESTRANS, and
Sophie Humphries, Strategic Development Officer (Community Planning)
Aberdeenshire Council
06 November 2014




Aberdeenshire Council continues to operate a range of supported bus services, DRT and community transport services
providing vital links for the communities and people that they serve and helping to improve accessibility and prevent social
exclusion.
Through its Road Asset Management Plan, Aberdeenshire Council continues to make considerable investment in preventative
road resurfacing and dressing programmes. Funding is also allocated on an annual basis in the Nestrans budget for strategic
prioritised maintenance.
In 2013/14 Nestrans has also invested in road safety improvements with phase 2 of the bend improvement strategy on the A947
and localised surfacing, drainage and lining measures to improve safety and prevent accidents. These improvements have
been delivered by Aberdeenshire Council with funding from Nestrans.
Continued investment in cycling and walking infrastructure by both Nestrans and Aberdeenshire Council and promotion through
the Getabout brand promotes the benefits of and encourages increased levels of active and sustainable travel. As part of wider
initiatives to encourage more active lifestyles, this work helps to reduce levels of obesity and related illnesses later in life. It also
works to encourage mode shift away from single occupancy car use, therefore helping to reduce emissions from transport which
also impact upon health. Projects include Peterhead cycle demonstration town improvements and core path improvements on
the Formartine and Buchan Way. Getabout events have also been held in various towns and schools across Aberdeenshire
over the last year five years.
PREVENTION – How is the partnership shifting towards preventative planning? Are resources being shifted?
Many of the actions being taken forward through the Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy and Aberdeenshire’s Local Transport
Strategy are focussed on prevention. Transport is an enabler rather than an end in itself and therefore actions to improve the
transport infrastructure contribute to prevention in other areas. Actions that are currently being taken forward with a particular focus
on prevention include:
Nestrans
LEAD PARTNERSHIP:
Transport
SOA PRIORITY:
Item: 5
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Nestrans are currently developing a regional Active Travel Action Plan. This is currently out for consultation and sets the long
term vision for the development of a strategic active travel network across the north east as well as supporting policies for the
development of cycling and walking.
The Nestrans Health and Transport Action Plan has also been re-freshed and re-published in July 2014. This sets the
framework for actions to improve the links between transport and public health and social care and improve access to
healthcare facilities.
Transportation and Health Information Centre (THInC) – the THInC helpline officially opened on 31st January 2013 and
continues to provide assistance on transport options to health appointments across Grampian and Moray. The hub continues to
be promoted on all NHS appointment letters with the primary aim of improving access to health services and preventing missed
appointments as a result of transport difficulties.
Health and Transport
A Health and Transport Action Plan Co-ordinator post is jointly funded by Nestrans and NHS Grampian with the objective of taking
forward and delivering the regional Health and Transport Action Plan. This action plan is split into two key strands; transport and
public health (e.g. pollution from road traffic); and access to health and social care. The Transport to Health Information Hub falls
within the access to health and social care strand and is jointly funded by Nestrans, NHS Grampian, Scottish Ambulance Service,
Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils and Hitrans.
Getabout
The Getabout partnership is a partnership of Nestrans, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen University, RGU,
Aberdeen College, NHS Grampian and the Energy Savings Trust. Getabout is funded by Nestrans and supported by all partners to
deliver sustainable transport improvements and promote the benefits of cycling and walking with the aim of encouraging mode shift
reducing congestion, improving air quality and increasing levels of physical activity.
Regional Transport Strategy
Nestrans continues to work in partnership with both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils and wider partners to deliver the
Regional Transport Strategy and sets its budgets in discussion with the two councils.



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Peterhead Cycle demonstration town which aims to increase the number of cycle trips in the area for both recreational and utility
purposes helping to stimulate interest in Peterhead as a cycle friendly area. It is intended that the outcome of these efforts will
improve the health of the local population by increasing physical activity and create an area where cycling is normalised. The
initiative aims to ensure the completion of dedicated cycle links between the wider residential areas, the town centre and other key
destinations. It involves both infrastructure improvements to enhance the cycle network and also marketing and promotion
initiatives.
ARI Bus Leaflet – In October 2014 Nestrans, in conjunction with NHS Grampian re-launched its ‘Access to Foresterhill Health
Campus by Bus’ leaflet. The purpose of this leaflet is to highlight how well the hospital is served by bus and encourage staff,
patients and visitors to the hospital to travel by bus and help to ease congestion at the site. The leaflet has been distributed to a
wide range of locations across the north east, including GPs surgeries, healthcare facilities and local Council offices.
The RTS supports the delivery of the Strategic Development Plan which sets the spatial strategy for development across the North
East to 2035. The RTS works to increase rail and bus patronage and increase levels of cycling and walking to reduce congestion
and improve the attractiveness of towns and villages across the region. Projects that are specifically focussed on place include:
Aberdeen City and Shire Joint Bus Stop Information Initiative – Aberdeenshire Council, with funding from Nestrans and in
association with Aberdeen City Council, manage the production and posting of at-stop bus timetable information across both
Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City as well as the upgrade of at-stop infrastructure to facilitate this. In 2013/14 this programme of
improvements has continued with the replacement or provision of bus timetable display cases and ensuring standardised region
wide DDA compliant timetable information is displayed.
Cycling Development Officer – In October 2014 Nestrans appointed a Cycling Development Officer. This post is funded by
Nestrans with support from Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity. The role of the Cycling Development Officer is to work with
both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils as well as cycling organisations to develop cycling initiatives across the north east.
Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme – Nestrans continues to operate its sustainable travel grant scheme which provides up to
£10,000 match funding to support sustainable transport initiatives and is available to any organisation based in Aberdeen and
Aberdeenshire.
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PERFORMANCE – How is the partnership performing in delivering the outcomes set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement?
The most recent data available for the SOA monitoring indicators is provided below. Much of the information is sourced from the
Scottish Household Survey which is carried out every two years and as a result, it can take time to receive updates to data.
Laurencekirk junction – Nestrans has commissioned consultants to undertake a study and prepare a robust evidence case for
any proposed scheme to improve access to / from the A90 trunk road in the vicinity of Laurencekirk. The study is being undertaken
in partnership with Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire and Angus Councils and Tactran (the Regional Transport Partnership for
Tayside and Central region). Part funding of £100,000 for the study has been committed by Transport Scotland.
Public transport provision – Aberdeenshire Council continues to run six local bus area forums to engage with local communities
on bus issues. The Council has recently updated its passenger transport strategy, including its public transport policy statement
which sets out its objectives for passenger transport services in the area. Aberdeenshire Council spends approximately £18.5
million per year on the contracted provision of supported passenger services, school transport services and social work transport
services with some 800+ contracts in place at any one time with a variety of operators delivering these contracts using a range of
taxis, minibuses, buses and coaches. Many of the contracts for supported passenger services cover the more rural areas and times
of the day when services are not commercially viable (e.g. evenings and weekends). The Council also continues to provide and
maintain passenger transport facilities and information systems, support concessionary travel schemes and administer ticketing
initiatives. Work is currently underway to expand real time information provision into Aberdeenshire which will have significant
benefits across the region in terms of providing passengers with the information on when their bus is expected at their stop.
Many of the Getabout events that are held are designed to support wider local events, for example the Aden Bike Challenge,
Portsoy Boat Festival or Bike Week within schools and are therefore very much focussed on engaging with local communities.
Integrated Travel Towns – Aberdeenshire Council have identified the Towns of Peterhead, Huntly, Portlethen, Fraserburgh,
Inverurie and Ellon as Integrated Travel Towns and aim to develop these as hubs for walking, cycling and public transport. Funding
for cycling improvements in these towns has been awarded through the Sustrans Community Links project and will be delivered
between 2014-16.
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
The number of passengers per year through Aberdeenshire rail stations has increased by 40% at Stonehaven, 254% at
Inverurie, 35% at Huntly, 72% at Insch and 161% at Portlethen between 2004/05 and 2012/13 and by 64% at Laurencekirk
between 2009/10 and 2012/13. The average growth across Scotland over the same time period is 47%.
Aberdeenshire has the highest rate of car ownership in Scotland with around 84% of households having access to at least
one vehicle.
Road traffic levels in Aberdeenshire have increased by 9% since 2000 and although saw a slight decrease after 2006 during
Nestrans also produces an annual monitoring report which monitors 51 transport indicators. The bullet points below highlight some
of the trends that are relevant to the SOA outcomes for Aberdeenshire.
Performance
Target
2006/07
2008/09
2010/11
2011/12
2013/14
2015/16
2022/23
Medium term outcome: Improved transport infrastructure
EC10
% of people who find local services fairly or very
85%
81%
84%
convenient – doctors surgery (Scottish
Data
(2007/08)
(2009/10)
(2011/12)
Household Survey)
expected
November
EC11
55%
58%
64%
2014
convenient – hospital outpatient (Scottish
(2007/08)
(2009/10)
(2011/12)
Household Survey)
EC12
70%
73%
79%
80%
convenient – public transport (Scottish
80%
(2007/08)
(2009/10)
2012
(target)
Household Survey)
EC13
% of driver journeys delayed due to congestion
13%
12%
13%
13%
10%
(Scottish Household Survey)
(2007/08)
(2009/10)
(2011/12)
(2011/12)
Medium term outcome: Options have been developed to expand the DRT and supported bus network across Aberdeenshire to support
employment and training opportunities
EC14
% of bus users very or fairly satisfied with the
90%
89%
90% or
quality of public transport (North East Bus
92%
(2012)
(2013)
above
Satisfaction Survey)
Medium term outcome: Condition of the local and strategic road network within Aberdeenshire has been improved by the deployment of Asset
Management techniques
Short term outcome: Condition of the local and strategic road network within Aberdeenshire has not worsened as compared to 2011
EC15
% of road network that should be considered for
26.7%
24.7%
24.3%
26%
27%
maintenance treatment (Aberdeenshire Council)
(2009/2011) (2010/12)
(2011/13)
(2012/13)
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

The proportion of children walking to school has remained relatively static at around 42% between 2008 and 2013 whilst the
proportion of children cycling has increased from 3.1% in 2008 to 3.9% in 2013 (the national average is 44% for walking and
3.5% for cycling).
Mode split travel to work – In 2012, around 79% of people in Aberdeenshire were travelling to work by car either as a car
driver or passenger with 10% walking, 1% cycling and 4% using public transport. Although there is evidence that the
number of people cycling is increasing, the proportions themselves have only fluctuated marginally since 2005/06.
the recession, has stabilised at 2.7 million vehicle kilometres in 2012.
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A90 at Laurencekirk – Nestrans has appointed consultants to examine the options for improving access to Laurencekirk and
develop a robust evidence case for a preferred solution. This work is ongoing.
Strategic and local road safety improvements on the key routes across Aberdeenshire – the A947 route action work is
continuing with Nestrans having funded phase 2 of the bend improvement strategy and contributions towards localised surfacing
works, improved drainage and road markings. Road safety remains a key priority of the RTS which was refreshed in 2013 and of
Aberdeenshire Council’s Local Transport Strategy.
PERFORMANCE – How is the partnership performing in delivering the action plan set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement?
Support in the provision of replacement minibuses for operation of some A2B dial -a-bus services – Nestrans provided
funding for the purchase of a replacement minibus for the A2B service in Alford, Strathdon and Westhill in 2013/14.
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Work in partnership with the Scottish Government on the dualling of the A96 and lobby for the upgrade of the A90 to
Fraserburgh – Transport Scotland has committed to dualling the A96 by 2030 and work to date has included traffic surveys and
economic appraisals with a contract now awarded for Strategic Environmental Assessment. The contract for detailed design of the
first section (Inverness to Nairn) has also now been issued with details of a preferred option expected to be announced in October
2014.
The Energetica Corridor Multi-Modal Study (Fraserburgh and Peterhead to Aberdeen) is currently being commissioned by Nestrans
to look at the options for improving transport links on this corridor. This is a multi-modal study that will look at all options, including
Deliver Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and dualling of A90 Balmedie-Tipperty – procurement processes are now
underway with a preferred contractor now selected and completion planned for spring 2018.
Continued promotion and running of activities under the Getabout brand involving communities, business and schools in
promoting the benefits of sustainable travel – Getabout runs an annual programme of events and in 2014 events in
Aberdeenshire included Run Balmoral, Walk to Work week, Alford Green Energy Event, events at schools during Bike Week
(June), Whitehills Festival in Breamar, Peterhead Harbours Open Day, Ride the North, European Mobility Week and Portsoy Boat
Festival. All events promoted and provided advice on the benefits of active and sustainable travel and were aimed at improving
safety and increasing awareness of alternatives to the car.
Strategic cycle link improvements in Peterhead, Ellon, Westhill and A96 Aberdeen to Blackburn as well as specific
interventions associated with AWPR commitments to non-motorised modes. – Cycle link improvements are being delivered
in Peterhead as part of Aberdeenshire Council's Cycle Demonstration Town initiative (see above). Nestrans is currently consulting
on a Draft Active Travel Action Plan which aims to set the long term vision and framework for the development of a strategic active
travel network across the north east. Aberdeenshire Council were also successful in obtaining £270,000 of funding from Sustrans
from their Community Links programme, over the next two years. Projects to be delivered with this funding include cycling
improvements in the Integrated Travel Towns of Portlethen, Huntly, Inverurie, Frasrerburgh, Peterhead and Ellon.
Resurfacing / reconstruction on local and strategic routes and bridges across Aberdeenshire as per the annual road
maintenance programme – ongoing programme of maintenance managed and delivered by Aberdeenshire Council with some
funding contributions from Nestrans.
Item: 5
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Progress work to reopen Kintore rail station and consider options for re-opening of the lines to Banchory and Ellon /
Peterhead / Fraserburgh – Estimated delivery of Kintore station is 2014-19 and awaiting publication of the Aberdeen to Inverness
GRIP3 rail study which will provide a more definitive timescale (this five year timescale reflects Network Rail’s five year funding
periods).
The Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy was refreshed in 2013 and contains a new action to ‘investigate, in line with the
principles of STAG, the feasibility, costs and benefits of new railway lines to expand railway provision in the north east’. In
partnership with Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council, Nestrans is currently in the process of
commissioning a multi-modal study of this corridor between Fraserburgh and Peterhead to Aberdeen which will look at all options to
improve transport links on this corridor including re-opening the rail line. Consultants are expected to be appointed in October and
the initial phase of the study should take approximately one year to complete. The appraisal process will include consultation with
key stakeholders and public events and will consider options across all modes of transport to identify interventions which may merit
further, more detailed study.
the road and options for re-opening the rail line (see below).
Item: 5
Page: 10
Item: 6
Page: 1
SOA FOCUS: SAFER COMMUNITIES AND REDUCING REOFFENDING
1
Recommendations:
1.1
Discuss the progress made by the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership
and Northern Community Justice Authority in delivering the outcomes set out in
the Single Outcome Agreement.
1.2
“Aberdeenshire is the safest place in Scotland” long-term outcome.
1.3
2
2.1
summer 2015.
2.2
The template in appendix 1 has been completed by members of the
Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership and Northern Community Justice
Authority and is framed around the themes of prevention, resources, place and
performance.
2.3
the priority “safer communities and reducing reoffending” as well as the specific
themes highlighted in the template.
2.4
3
3.1
3.2
characteristics.
Cheryl Smith, Team Leader (Community Safety), Aberdeenshire Council, Peter Willox,
Chief Officer, Northern Community Justice Authority and Sophie Humphries, Strategic
Development Officer (Community Planning) Aberdeenshire Council
11 November 2014
Preparing, in consultation with partners, an “area plan” for reducing reoffending;
Monitoring the performance of partners (Scottish Prison Service (“SPS”) and local authorities) in complying with the plan;
Promoting good practice in the management of offenders;
Allocating Section 27 funding (for Criminal Justice Social Work Services) to local authorities; and
Producing an Annual Report on performance and activities during the year.
A range of other services and agencies are becoming increasingly involved with the ‘reducing reoffending’ agenda in recognition of
the fact that there may be a complex range of issues lying behind an individual’s offending behaviour, and with the aim of
preventing the continuation of involvement in crime by future generations (e.g. other local authority services such as housing,
Under the Act, CJAs, local authorities and SPS have a ‘duty to cooperate’ in the implementation of their roles around the
management of offenders. Other key partners include Police Scotland, National Health Service, Scottish Court Service, Crown
Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Victim Support Scotland and other 3rd Sector organisations, and CJAs link in additionally with
Community Planning Partnerships (“CPPs”) and Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships (“ADPs”), chiefly around the sharing of
information.
The Northern CJA covers the seven local authority areas of Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Moray, Highland, Orkney, Shetland and
the Western Isles, the ‘Authority’ itself being seven elected Members, one from each of the local authorities.





The NCJA is one of eight CJAs across Scotland created by the Management of Offenders Etc (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the Act”) with
the key strategic functions of:
LEAD PARTNERSHIP:
Community Safety Partnership and Northern Community Justice Authority (NCJA)
SOA PRIORITY:
Aberdeenshire is the safest place in Scotland
Item: 6
Page: 2
The NCJA and Aberdeenshire CPP have links in place for the exchange of information on a regular basis, and feed into each
Aberdeenshire SOA
Current (unconfirmed) timescales indicate that the national body will be put in place for 2016-17 and that CJAs will cease to exist at
the end of March 2016. The NCJA meantime will be pleased to provide any support, advice and guidance as required as CPPs
consider how they might take forward the reducing reoffending agenda in their respective areas. A national ‘toolkit’ for CPPs is
being compiled, and the NCJA is also producing a version around local issues to complement this, as well as facilitating workshops
for discussion and networking locally.
Scottish Government’s response to the findings of this consultation was to propose and consult (in April 2014) upon a variation of
the local option: local strategic planning and delivery of services through CPPs, and the establishment of a national body to provide
independent professional assurance that community justice outcomes are being delivered. This consultation, which focussed
chiefly on the form and function of the national body, closed at the start of July 2014, and Scottish Government are due to respond
in early November.
As a result of the above reports, in December 2012 Scottish Government embarked upon an initial consultation on the redesign of
community justice services. This proposed three possible alternatives: a new single community justice service (whereby criminal
justice social work services would move out of local authorities and into a single service); retaining CJAs but giving them enhanced
powers for commissioning, etc; and a local model whereby CPPs take responsibility for reducing reoffending.
Audit Scotland produced two reports: “An Overview of Scotland’s Criminal Justice System” (2011); and “Reducing Reoffending in
Scotland” (2012). Key findings were around the complexity of the landscape, and resulting lack of clear accountability for reducing
reoffending. One of the recommendations made by the Angiolini Commission on Women Offenders (2012) was for a new national
service to “commission, provide and manage adult offender services in the community”.
Community Justice Redesign
substance misuse and mental health teams, and children and families teams, the Department of Work and Pensions/JobCentre
Plus, colleges and further education providers).
Item: 6
Page: 3
Community Safety Partnership:
The CSP continue to embrace early intervention and prevention techniques across all priority areas however as we progress into a
new fiscal year we are currently reviewing our structures and processes. A large number of initiatives we continue to run
predominantly in partnership with our Police and Fire colleagues and recently we have embarked on a weekly meeting bringing
together police and council with a specific focus on antisocial behaviour related to housing (both council and privately-owned) – this
process ensures we embed an early intervention and preventative approach. The aim is to roll this approach out to other priority
areas and in the first instance to widen this to all aspects of antisocial behaviour. A newly formed multi-agency partnership is
currently being formed which will focus on all aspects of Gender-Based Abuse, again a large focus of the group will be towards
early intervention and prevention for victim(s).
Aberdeenshire does not receive specific Section 27 grant funding (see below) from the NCJA towards this priority area – the WSA,
as the name implies, is very much a partnership arrangement.
PREVENTION – How is the partnership shifting towards preventative planning? Are resources being shifted?
Northern Community Justice Authority:
The NCJA has a specific priority on early intervention and prevention, to “Maintain the focus of NCJA and partners on Early
Intervention and Prevention, and the Whole System Approach, to support members of our communities who offend or who are at
risk of offending, and to further reduce the number of young people entering the criminal justice system.” Actions under this
heading are around the roll-out and delivery of the Whole System Approach (“WSA”) to reducing re/offending by young people
across the NCJA. In relation to Aberdeenshire, the NCJA is on the circulation list for the WSA Operational Group, receiving
meeting documentation and also ad hoc reports and updates which are circulated to members. This enables the NCJA to keep
abreast of developments in the Shire. The NCJA also receives reducing reoffending data direct from Police Scotland’s Youth
Justice Management Unit, which covers Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray.
other’s strategies and plans. This ensures shared aims around reducing reoffending, but NCJA plans also share the aims of the
SOA across other priority areas (not just specifically ‘reducing reoffending’) including in relation to domestic abuse offenders and
victims, and drugs and alcohol.
Item: 6
Page: 4
Under the review of Community Safety is the current set-up of all working groups and partnerships. We are embarking on
producing 6 area-based strategic assessments (to fall in-line with council areas) which will examine all the evidence for Community
Safety issues and establish local priorities. These will then feed into Local Community Plans and Action Plans as well as be an
influence towards our Community Safety Groups ensuring we are all focussing our attention and resources on the same priorities
albeit from different perspectives. These 6 strategic assessments will be place-based followed by a focus on thematic areas taking
cognisance of both victim(s) and offender(s) and will reflect the needs of our communities, we will then take these priorities and
produce an Aberdeenshire-wide strategic assessment for Community Safety which will also focus on Reducing Reoffending.
The CSP continues to have a dedicated budget covering the costs of both, staff posts and funded initiatives throughout the year
with some monies being received for specific projects. As stated above the CSP is currently under review as is the funding of all
initiatives to ensure we continue to meet our set outcomes and objectives; adhere to continuous improvement and ensure we
receive and provide best value for money. All Service Level Agreements are under scrutiny as is the current Action Plan. We work
closely with our main partners as well as other departments across council with the intention of pooling together joint resources and
budgets to embed into next year’s Action Plan.
As mentioned earlier, there may be a complex range of issues lying behind an individual’s offending behaviour, and working in
partnership, with relevant partners committing resourcing as necessary/appropriate, is routine for criminal justice services/agencies.
On an annual basis the Scottish Government allocates funding to each of the eight CJAs further to Section 27 of the Social Work
(Scotland) Act 1968. The NCJA then re-allocates this to each of the seven local authorities in the area. In both cases, the
allocations for core Criminal Justice Social Work services are made based on a formula comprising a number of elements: average
workload for core services; % share of Sheriff’s court business; and % share of unemployed males aged 16 – 24. Additional
funding is allocated for ‘non core’ projects and services.
Item: 6
Page: 5
Alcohol and Drugs: SOA actions are under the priority headings of ‘Reduction in Inequalities in Health Outcomes’ and
‘Aberdeenshire is the Safest Place in Scotland’. Whilst not having specific outcomes/actions in the NCJA plans currently, substance
misuse issues are addressed indirectly across pretty much all of the CJA’s priority areas (e.g. as part of Early Intervention and
Prevention of young offenders, approaches to Women Offenders, Community Reintegration of prisoners, High Risk perpetrators,
etc.).
Other priority areas
Fewer Under-21’s are reconvicted within one year: As referred to above, the NCJA has a priority area around early intervention
and prevention, and the roll-out and development of the Whole System Approach. As well as receiving general updates from
partners in this area, the NCJA has an overall target in terms of reducing reconviction rates for Under-21’s. Aberdeenshire
Children’s Services/Whole System Approach partners maintain a performance framework which would provide more meaningful
and detailed outcomes information for Aberdeenshire.
Reintegration of prisoners back into the community: the Chief Officer of the NCJA chairs the HMP & YOI Grampian Community
Implementation Group which has brought together senior representatives of partners involved in the development of community
links with the prison, to share information, resolve issues, etc. As with any new project there have been initial ‘teething problems’,
but there are also examples of really good practice, including the provision by Aberdeenshire of the library service within the prison,
which works on the same basis as any other library in the community. The ‘Case Management Board’ process, which brings
partners round the table to look at the needs of individual prisoners at the start and towards the end of their sentence, is also in
place. Services within Aberdeenshire would have more detailed information about current progress as far as they are concerned.
Common (NCJA and Aberdeenshire SOA) Reducing Reoffending priority areas
PERFORMANCE – How is the partnership performing in delivering the outcomes set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement?
In relation to its annual Action Plan, the NCJA receives updates from partners at the six month and year end periods for onward
reporting to the NCJA itself on progress in achieving outcomes and actions (as required by statute).
Item: 6
Page: 6
In order to further improve performance in this area SFRS are currently working with partners to enhance referral systems and
processes to target "High risk households/vulnerable persons".
We're also currently off target in respect of the rate of accidental dwelling fires per 100,000 population. During the past year Fire
Service personnel within Aberdeenshire and the wider LSO Area have worked hard to increase the number of Home Fire Safety
Visits (HFSV) generated and delivered. As a result, HFSV increased from 283 in 2012/13 to 910 in 2013/14 - a 322% increase.
We're currently exceeding the Serious Assaults target. However, a number of initiatives (e.g. Safer Streets, etc.) are in the pipeline
to make sure assaults are as low as possible throughout the Shire. Other initiatives led by different partnerships will no doubt also
have a bearing on this particular indicator, e.g. those dealing with alcohol misuse.
It would appear that very few of the 11 indicators are hovering close to the target line - they appear to be either considerably above
or below the target line. This is especially marked in respect of the road safety indicators - 2 of the 5 road safety indicators have
already exceeded their annual target figure (total serious injuries and child serious injuries respectively), whereas the other 3 road
safety indicators are comfortably within their respective target threshold. A concerted partnership effort to address road safety
issues within the north east area is underway.
Up to September 2014, the partnership was meeting 6 of the 11 SOA targets. The cumulative totals and cumulative targets for
each indicator are presented in the graphs below. Note: The targets are the black lines in the graphs. The blue areas are the
actual numbers recorded. Anything below the black line means the indicator is on target. The percentages in the tables show the
extent to which we are below (or above) target.
Domestic Abuse: This appears under the SOA heading of ‘Aberdeenshire is the Safest Place in Scotland’. The NCJA has a
priority area around ‘High Risk Offenders including Domestic Abuse Perpetrators’, and is supporting/monitoring the roll-out of
‘Moving Forward: Making Changes’ (programme for sex offenders) across the area which is being led by the Joint Sex Offender
Programme team based in Aberdeenshire. In addition, information is being collated about what is available around domestic abuse
(for both perpetrators and victims) across the NCJA. There is little in the way of performance information available as yet in this
field.
Item: 6
Page: 7
PERFORMANCE – How is the partnership performing in delivering the action plan set out in the Single Outcome
Agreement?
As part of the review we are examining all aspects of our Action Plan including performance indicators and Service Level
Agreements to ensure we continue to meet our objectives.
(Please see graphs below).
Far more positively, vandalism offences are at a decade low, and recent survey data suggests residents generally feel safe in their
homes and in their neighbourhoods.
Item: 6
Page: 8
YTD Target
YTD Target
+32%
YTD Target
45
34
Off Target
YTD
YTD
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
YTD Target
YTD Target
-38%
YTD450
Target
278
On Target
YTD
YTD
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
S4 - No. of people slightly injured in road collisions
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
S1 - No. of serious assaults
Number of People
Number of Children
Number of Offences
Number of People
YTD Target
YTD Target
-18%
YTD19.5
Target
16
On Target
YTD
YTD
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0
YTD Target
YTD0.97
Target
YTD Target
-100%
On Target
YTD
YTD
S5 - No. of children killed in road collisions
30
27
24
21
18
15
12
9
6
3
0
S2 - No. of people killed in road collisions
YTD Target
YTD Target
+67%
YTD82.5
Target
139
Off Target
YTD
YTD
0
3
6
9
12
15
YTD Target
YTD Target
+132%
YTD5.6
Target
13
Off Target
YTD
YTD
S6 - No. of children seriously injured in road collisions
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
S3 - No. of people seriously injured in road collisions
Number of People
Number of Children
SOA Indicators - Cumulative Totals versus Cumulative
Targets
Item: 6
Page: 9
YTD Target
YTD Target
YTD Target
YTD Target
Target
YTD Target
+2%
93%
91%
On Target
YTD
Target
YTD Target
+6%
97%
91%
On Target
YTD
No Periodic Targets
No Periodic Targets
YTD38.6
Target
39.9
Off Target
YTD
YTD
S11 - Percentage of adult residents stating they feel
'very safe' or 'fairly safe' when at home alone at night
0.00
S10 - Percentage of adult residents stating they feel
'very safe' or 'fairly safe' when walking alone in the
local neighbourhood after dark
YTD30.2
Target
35.7
Off Target
YTD
YTD
25.00
50.00
75.00
100.00
S8 - Rate of wilful fires per 100,000 pop.
+3%
0.00
25.00
50.00
75.00
Rate of Fires
+18%
Rate of Fires
S7 - Rate of accidental dwelling fires per 100,000 pop.
2250
2000
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
0
YTD Target
YTD Target
-35%
YTD
Target
672
1038
On Target
YTD
YTD
S9 - No. of vandalism offences
Item: 6
Page: 10
Number of Offences
Item: 8
Page: 1
COMMISSION ON STRENGTHENING LOCAL DEMOCRACY: FINAL REPORT
1
Recommendations
1.1
Note the summary of the Commission’s report and agree that the
recommendations specifically for Community Planning Partnerships are
explored by the community planning team and any further recommendations
reported to the Board in due course.
2
Background
2.1
The Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy was established in
autumn 2013, and operates independently of any organisation. It brings
together key figures from across civic Scotland, senior councillors, and
specific experts with a common resolve to understand why local services and
local accountability matter.
2.2
The Commission has based all of its work on an open conversation about
Scotland’s democracy and how it might change. This involved over 200
written submissions to its call for evidence from across Scotland and Europe,
telephone surveys with 1000 representative Scottish households, 13 evidence
panel sessions involving 70 expert witnesses, and 5 public listening events.
The Commission published its final report in August 2014 in advance of the
Referendum in Scotland.
2.3
The Commission concluded that seven principles must underpin Scotland’s
democratic future, as follows:







Sovereignty - democratic power lies with people and communities who
give some of that power to governments and local governments, not the
other way round
Subsidiarity - decisions should be taken as close to communities as
possible, and the shape and form of local governance has to be right for
the people and the places it serves
Transparency - democratic governance should be clear and
understandable to communities, with clean lines of accountability
Participation - all communities must be able to participate in the decision
making that affects their lives and their communities
Spheres not tiers of governance - different spheres of democratic
governance should have distinct jobs to do that are set out in
‘competencies’, rather than depend on powers being handed down from
‘higher’ levels of governance
Interdependency – every sphere of governance has to support the
others, and none can be or should seek to be, self-contained or selfsufficient
Wellbeing – the purpose of all democratic governance is to improve all
opportunities and outcomes for the individuals and communities that
empower it
Item: 8
Page: 2
2.4
The Commission makes the following recommendations in their final report:




2.5
Making Local Democracy Local – focuses on a review of all
democratic arrangements for local democracy in Scotland based
around a participative process
Creating Local Tax and Spending Choices – includes
recommendations that local people should decide on levels of local
taxation, local government should have freedom to use property taxes
as they see fit and be able to set and raise new taxes
Securing Local Democracy – includes recommendations that the
provisions of the European Charter of Local Self Government be
adopted into law in Scotland, and a clear duty in law to support and
resource community participation
Making Participation Work – includes recommendations that
significant reinvestment is needed in community development services,
arrangements should be implemented for participatory budgeting
focussing on local taxation and spend priorities, and all citizens should
be able to be involved in the scrutiny and improvement of public
services.
The Commission makes the following recommendations specifically for
Community Planning Partnerships:

That every CPP in Scotland works with its communities to design
and implement a clear empowerment scheme
With the arrival of the Community Empowerment Bill, work will be done
by partners to ensure that they are adhering to all aspects of the Bill.
Aberdeenshire CPP can monitor this and propose any additional action
that may be needed.

All CPPs develop an approach to community scrutiny to
complement their existing arrangements
This again relates to the Community Empowerment Bill, specifically to
the “right to participate in processes to improve outcomes of service
delivery” and “strengthening community planning” elements. It also
relates more generally to successful community engagement methods.
Aberdeenshire CPP can propose any additional action that may be
required in due course.

A significant and systematic reinvestment in community learning
and development in each area of Scotland
Work is underway to ensure local authority community learning and
development provision is aligned to the Council’s Communities &
Partnerships Strategy agreed through committee, which is in turn
aligned to the 2012 National Strategic Guidance for CLD. In order to
deliver statutory responsibilities as set out in the 2013 legislation, work
is underway to establish an Aberdeenshire Strategic Learning
Partnership and 17 Local Learning Community Partnerships – an
Aberdeenshire CLD Plan is required to be in place by 1st September
2015 and this will be reported to the CP Executive/Board and Council’s
Education, Learning & Leisure Committee prior to submission.
Item: 8
Page: 3
2.6
Other relevant work is currently ongoing by the Smith Commission which,
following the referendum, has the responsibility to convene cross-party talks
and facilitate an inclusive engagement process across Scotland to produce,
by 30 November, recommendations for further devolution of powers to the
Scottish Parliament. A consultation to allow the views of the wider public to
feed into this process closed on 31st October.
3
3.1
There are no specific proposals in this covering report, therefore an equalities
impact assessment is not required. There are no financial or staffing
implications as a result of this report.
Erin Wood, Strategic Development Officer (Community Planning)
17 November 2014
Item: 9
Page: 1
IMPROVEMENT PLAN MONITORING
1
Recommendations
1.1
Monitor the Improvement Plan for 2014/15.
1.2
Agree to further extend the deadlines of the actions relating to joint resourcing
in order that a recommendation can be made to the Board in the future
regarding use of the information that has been collected.
2
Improvement Plan
2.1
As part of the quality assurance of Aberdeenshire’s Single Outcome
Agreement 2013-2023 with the Scottish Government, an improvement plan
was agreed. This included key areas of development for the agreement and
built in the results of the partnership’s self-evaluation during 2013.
2.2
On 29 January 2014 the partnership held a workshop to consider the
Agreement on Joint Working on Community Planning and Resourcing. As a
result, the partnership’s Improvement Plan was refreshed and agreed by the
Board at its meeting on 26 March 2014.
2.3
Work has been progressing on three actions under the “Joint Resourcing”
section of the action plan (shown in the appendix), as follows:
 Source information on partners’ financial timetables and consider
future alignment of these
Financial timetables have been sourced from Aberdeenshire Council,
Police Scotland and NHS Grampian
 Cross reference all partner budgets to the SOA
Information has been sourced from budget statements available online
(for 2014/15 in most cases) or from partner representatives and has
been mapped to our SOA priorities as far as possible.
 Establish a register of all joint assets and all joint staff posts
The Council’s Principal Asset Management Officer has agreed to
provide details of known joint assets as soon as possible.
Once collection of the information had been completed, recommendations can
be put to Board members on how to make best use of that information in
progressing joint resourcing.
3
Equalities, Financial and Staffing Implications
3.1
There are a range of actions relating to the further development of joint
resourcing in Aberdeenshire.
3.2
There is no requirement for an equalities impact assessment as the
recommendations in this report do not have a differential impact on people
Item: 9
Page: 2
with protected characteristics. An equalities impact assessment will be
considered separately for each action in the Improvement Plan.
November 2014
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Ensure all statutory partners and Third Sector Interface
table business plans at Board and evidence alignment to
SOA
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Review SOA priority setting process in line with national
best practice
Agree to monitor a selection of preventative activities,
using an agreed method, in order to evidence the results
of the prevention approach
Priorities
Ask partners / partnerships to focus available funding on
preventative activities
Consider establishment of a community planning /
prevention Change Fund
Board
Corporate Policy Officer
Board
Board
Board
April 2015
November 2014
April 2015
April 2015
April 2015
ACTION
SOURCE
LEAD
TIMESCALE
Prevention – the CPP will develop a detailed plan for prevention across each of its priorities where all partners are clear on their
role and the actions expected of them.
Build prevention in as a theme or principle into any Total
Prevention /
Board
September 2014
Place initiative that is undertaken by the CPP.
Joint Resourcing
Session
IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014/15
ABERDEENSHIRE COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP
Partnership Analyst
attending national
training courses on
priority setting and
strategic assessments.
Awaiting steer from SG.
Progress Paper tabled
at September Board.
Further update at Nov
Board. Work is
ongoing.
UPDATE
APPENDIX
Item: 9
Page: 3
Partners reaffirm their commitment to sharing data at a
local level
Partners consider to adopt the Council’s current policy of
offering partners the first option on vacant properties
Review the joint asset and staff register
Establish a register of all joint assets and joint staff posts
Source information on partners’ financial timetables and
consider future alignment of these
Cross-reference all partner budget to SOA
Joint Resourcing
Partners agree location of place-based initiative
Detailed proposals are brought forward for agreement by
the CPP
ACTION
Rural Partnerships and Cairngorms Park Authority table
business plans at relevant Local Community Planning
Group to evidence alignment to Local Community Plans
Place
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
SOURCE
Prevention /
Joint Resourcing
Session
Board
North East Joint Public
Sector Group
CPP Board
CPP Board
LEAD
Rural Partnerships and
Cairngorms National Park
Authority
April 2015
To be confirmed
September 2016
November 2014
November 2014
November 2014
March 2014
June 2014
TIMESCALE
April 2015
Meetings held with
range of partners to
identify what can be
shared
Desktop work
progressed
Desktop work
progressed
Desktop work
progressed
Board agreed location
Focus of project agreed
in June, progress report
tabled at Board in
September
UPDATE
Item: 9
Page: 4
Item: 10
Page: 1
COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP BUDGETS 2015/16
1
Recommendations
1.1
Provisionally agree the budget contributions for the 2015/16 community
planning budget as detailed in paragraph 2.2.
1.2
Agree provisional budget allocations for the 2015/16 community planning
budget as detailed in paragraph 2.3.
1.3
Agree in principle that the unallocated funding in 2015/16 could be used
towards temporary staffing costs as detailed in paragraph 2.5.
2
2.1
In 2014/15, the Community Planning Partnership had a budget of £93,000
comprising partner contributions. Financial contributions for future years have
not been agreed due to changing circumstances of partners.
2.2
It is proposed that the budget for 2015/16 provisionally maintains a similar
level of partner contributions as follows:
Aberdeenshire Council
£44,240
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
£12,190
Police Scotland
£12,190
Nestrans
£12,190
NHS Grampian
£12,190
Total
£93,000
2.3
It is proposed that in 2015/16, the following budget allocations will be required
by the partnership, as shown in the table below:
BUDGET
HEADING
Staffing
(including
oncosts)
Citizens’ Panel
SUB-HEADING
ALLOCATION
PT Community Planning Support
Officer (3 days) and
FT Partnership Analyst
Panel management (incl 4 surveys)
£50,000
£25,000
Viewpoint feedback newsletter costs
£4,000
Communications SOA Annual Report Summary
Our Aberdeenshire Newsletter
Web Hosting and Maintenance
Administration
Admin, travel, catering
Unallocated
Unallocated
£400
£400
£700
£2,000
£10,500
2014/15 Total
£93,000
Item: 10
Page: 2
2.4
It is planned that the Citizens’ Panel will begin a new four-year contract with a
research consultant in April 2015. The “Invitation to Tender” document should
be published by end 2014. Focus groups will no longer be included as a
requirement in order to keep costs as low as possible, however, they would
be available as an “optional extra” if required.
2.5
The CPP have funded a temporary part-time Communications Intern post
from September 2014 – March 2015. In order to give a more substantial time
period for this post to achieve increased promotion and awareness of
community planning activity and to help to put processes in place around
communication for the longer term, it is suggested that the unallocated
funding in 2015/16 could be used for an extension of the Intern post. The
Board are asked to agree this in principle to allow the community planning
team to explore further.
2.6
Local Community Planning Funding
The Council contributes the funding allocated to Local Community Planning
Groups (LCPG) and funds the equivalent of a full-time Community Planning
Officer post in each area.
In 2014/15, the funding available to LCPGs is £80,000 and the current
breakdown of LCPG allocations is as follows:
Banff & Buchan LCPG - £10,103
Buchan LCPG - £10,103
Formartine LCPG - £10,103
Garioch LCPG - £10,103
Kincardine & Mearns LCPG - £10,103
Marr LCPG - £10,103
Balance (towards staffing costs, often through Local Rural Partnership
support) - £19,382
A separate budget funds the Community Planning Officer posts.
3
3.1
The financial implications are detailed in the report.
Two permanent staff posts are currently funded by the community planning
budget as detailed in paragraph 2.3
November 2014
Item: 12
Page: 1
FINANCIAL MONITORING REPORT 2014/15
1
Recommendations
1.1
Note the budget monitoring report for 2014/15 as at end of October 2014 for
the Community Planning budget, Local Community Planning budgets and
Fairer Scotland Funding.
2
2.1
The Executive has delegated authority to make decisions on funding up to a
value of £10,000.
2.2
Key elements to highlight are as follows:
Community Planning budget (partnership funded – as seen at appendix 1)
 The large unallocated sum is due to a carry over of £22,289 from 2013/14
and approximately £6,000 that remained unallocated for 2014/15. Some of
this has now been allocated, leaving £19,004 still to be committed as at end
October
 As agreed in 2013/14, a temporary part-time Communications Intern will be
funded, until 31 March 2015 in the first instance, to support work around
CPP communications and marketing. This need was highlighted in order to
complete actions within the CPP’s Improvement Plan. Laura Bell Williams
took up post in mid-October
 The Our Aberdeenshire website has recently been upgraded at low cost.
However, in the future, an alternative platform other than Joomla may be
investigated to ensure the sustainability of the website
Local Community Planning Group budgets (Council funded – as seen at
appendix 2)
 Formartine – the LCPG have allocated funds to the production of dog fouling
signs for community councils, a feasibility study for improvements to Dr
Spence Hall in Udny Green, start-up costs for Ellon Food Bank, to the CVSA
Funders Fair, and to the Fit Like Ellon community groups awareness event.
The group are also working with Belhevie to form a community trust
 Garioch –the LCPG have committed funding to Police Scotland for speed
monitoring equipment, to Inverurie Men's Shed, to the Community Kitchen,
to the CVSA Funders Fair, and to a community growing space working with
Alzheimers Scotland. Funding for the Kinellar Youth Shelter was carried
over from last year. The group also plan to begin community engagement
in Westhill and Blackburn
 Kincardine and Mearns – the LCPG have so far allocated funds to the K&M
Communities blog editorial team development, the K&M Timebanking project
and to Survey Monkey costs
 Verbal update from other groups may be able to be given at the Board
meeting
Item: 12
Page: 2
Tackling Poverty & Inequalities budget (Fairer Scotland funding from the
Council – as seen at appendix 3)
 Very high level information has been provided by the accountant. More
detailed information will be provided in due course by the TP&I Strategy
Group and can be reported to the Board.
3
3.1
The staffing and financial implications from this report are laid out above.
3.2
There are no equalities implications as this report is for noting.
Erin Wood, SDO (Community Planning)
November 2014
Total
Administration
Unallocated
(includes carry
over from 13/14)
Communications
Citizens’ Panel
BUDGET
HEADING
Staffing
Web Hosting and
Maintenance
Website Joomla
Upgrade
Admin, travel, catering
Annual Report
Summary
Our Aberdeenshire
Newsletter
£0
£7,000
£115,289
£43,924
£858
£0
£358
£400
£2,000
£19,004
£700
£0
£310
£700
£0
£400
£11,775
£1,785
£0
£28,448
£54,150
Staffing (CP Support
Officer & CP
Partnership Analyst)
Communications Intern
post
Panel Management
Newsletters
Possible Focus Groups
£25,000
£4,000
£2,325
ALLOCATION SPEND
SUB-HEADING
Community Planning 2014/15 Budget – as at 31 October 2014
All SOA outcomes
Successful, inclusive, resilient
communities with the confidence,
capability and capacity to tackle the
things that matter to them
All SOA outcomes
All SOA outcomes
All SOA outcomes
All SOA outcomes
All SOA outcomes
RELEVANT OUTCOME IN SOA
13-23
Appendix 1
Item: 12
Page: 3
Item: 12
Page: 4
Appendix 2
Local Community Planning Group Budgets 2014/15 – as at 31 Oct 2014
LOCAL CP
GROUP
Banff &
Buchan
Buchan
Formartine
Garioch
BUDGET
14/15
£10,103
£10,103
£10,103
£10,103
Kincardine &
Mearns
£10,891 (incl
Marr
£10,103
repayment of unused
community project
funds)
CATEGORY
Printing &
Stationery
Hospitality
Community
Projects
Unallocated
Printing &
Stationery
Hospitality
Community
Projects
Unallocated
Purchase of
Equipment
Printing &
Stationery
Misc Expenses
Community
Projects
Unallocated
Printing &
Stationery
Hospitality
Misc Expenses
Community
Projects
Unallocated
Admin
Hospitality
Community
Projects
Unallocated
Printing &
Stationery
Misc Expenses
Community
Projects
Unallocated
ALLOCATION ACTUAL
SPEND 14/15
£265
£375
£0
£9,463
£0
£67
£55
£140
£9,841
£0
£272
£1,000
£1,239
£7,884
£54
£496
£654
£477
£127
£517
£6,050
£2,932
£450
£2,464
£7,977
£50
£329
-£788
£0
£78
£66
£7,900
£2,059
£16
£139
£207,921
£2,680
£253,657
Printing and Stationery
Hospitality
Grants / Payments to
Payment to Contractors
Total
£436,000
£1,200
Travel
SPEND
£41,513
£188
ALLOCATION
IT Hardware
BUDGET HEADING
Staffing
As at end October 2014
Fairer Scotland Funding – Tackling Poverty & Inequalities
Appendix 3
Item: 12
Page: 5
Item: 13
Page: 1
CPP BENCHMARKING FRAMEWORK
1.
Recommendations
1.1
Note the development of a new CPP Benchmarking Framework by the
Improvement Service, further recommendations will be reported to the Board in
due course.
2.
Background
2.1
A CPP Benchmarking Framework is proposed by the Improvement Service to
improve performance management and outcomes for CPPS. The first data is
expected to be published in March 2015. Benchmarking is an improvement
process that helps organisations to understand how they perform in
comparison to other relevant organisations. It is anticipated that
benchmarking will provide CPP Boards with consistent data, to allow better
understanding of their own performance, identify why comparable CPPs are
performing better and facilitate shared learning to deliver better outcomes.
2.2
The proposed CPP Benchmarking Framework contains two or three high level
outcome measures for each of the national priorities, selected from the Menu
of Local Outcome Indicators. The aim of this high level set of core indicators is
to focus questions for CPP Boards and guide further exploration. These
core/high level outcome measures will be supported by supplementary
indicators to allow for deeper exploration and better understanding of why areas
differ. The proposed indicators in the current draft Framework are nearly all
included in the Aberdeenshire SOA. The current Draft CPP Benchmarking
Indicator Framework is included in Appendix 1 of this report.
2.3
It is not yet clear whether CPPs will be expected to update single outcome
agreements to include all the indicators in the proposed framework or whether
benchmarking should be considered independent of the SOA.
2.4
A series of consultation events are taking place in mid-November between the
Improvement Service and CPPs. Aberdeenshire CPP will be represented at
these events to further our understanding of the potential implications of this
framework for Aberdeenshire.
2.5
Aberdeenshire Council’s performance management team have offered to
support the CPP in introducing the Benchmarking Framework to the CPP
Board and Executive by discussing their experience of the Local Government
Benchmarking Framework.
3.
3.1
There are no direct implications arising from this report.
Francesca Ainsworth, Partnership Analyst and Sophie Humphries, Strategic
Development Officer (Community Planning), 06 November 2014.
Median earnings (£s) for residents living in
the local authority area who are employed
Percentage of the population (aged 16 to 64
years) in receipt of out of work benefits
2
3
Percentage of school leavers in positive and
sustained destinations
5
Percentage of Children in Poverty
Percentage of babies with a healthy birth
weight
Percentage of new born children exclusively
breastfed at 6-8 weeks
12
11
10
9
Rate of recorded crimes and offences per
10,000 population
Percentage of adults feel very/fairly safe
when home alone at night & when walking
alone in neighbourhood after dark
Number of persons killed or seriously
injured in road accidents
Total fires per 100,000 population
Safer and stronger communities
8
6
7
Early years
Business (3 year) Survival Rate
4
Economic recovery and growth
Employment Rate
1
Employment
CORE INDICATORS
Breakdown by sub-area/accidental/deliberate
Breakdown by sub-area/age/road type
Breakdown by sub-area/age/gender/SIMD
Breakdown by Category of Crime & reconviction rate
Dental health of primary 1 and primary 7 children (three
category classification)
Breakdown by sub-area/age group/SIMD
Estimated percentage of children with a healthy weight
in primary 1
Business Start-ups/Entrepreneurialism
VAT/PAYE registered businesses per 10,000 adults
attainment rates at S4 & S6, and % population with
low/no qualifications - breakdown by subarea/age/gender/SIMD
Breakdown by sub area/age/gender/SIMD/sector
Unpaid (voluntary) work rate
Underemployment
Breakdown by sub-area/age/gender/SIMD/sector
Median earnings (£s) for workforce based in the local
authority area
Breakdown by sub-area/type/duration/on & off flow/age
group
Youth claimant count
Working Tax Credits
Examples of SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Physical environment
Social Cohesion - civic participation/community engagement/social
capital
Measure for "looked after" children/children 'at risk'
Wellbeing measure for school age children/mental health measure
Measure re Transition from primary to secondary education, e.g.
attendance rates, physical activity
% children meeting developmental milestones at 27-30 month review
and at starting primary school (EYC)
Public Sector Employment Footprint
Unemployed people assisted into work from Council operated/funded
employability programmes
AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
DRAFT CPP BENCHMARKING INDICATOR FRAMEWORK
APPENDIX 1
Item: 13
Page: 2
Average score on the short version of the
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing
Scale (SWEMWBS)
Pregnancies among under 16 year olds (3
year average per 1000 relevant population)
14
Percentage of adults needing care receiving
personal care at home or direct payments
for personal care
Emergency Hospital Admission Rate per
100,000 (ages 65 plus)
Percentage of journeys to work made by
public or active transport
19
20
Absence Rate
Corporate/Health of CP partnership
Proportion of Household Waste Recycled
18
Environment
17
16
Older persons
Kilograms of household waste collected per capita &
Non domestic Waste
Percentage of children walking or cycling to school
Admissions caused by drug and alcohol use
Delayed discharge rate - bed days
Percentage of time in the last 6 months of life spent at
home or in a community setting
Breakdown by sub-area/SIMD
Breakdown by sub-area/gender/SIMD
Cardiovascular disease mortality (<75 years)
Alcohol related mortality
Mortality rates per 100,000 for people aged
under 75 in Scotland
13
15
Examples of SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
CORE INDICATORS
Health inequalities
Leadership
Joint Resourcing
Governance
SNH Apex indicator re Environment (in development for NPF)
Older person's unpaid/voluntary work
Financial Inclusion
Use of public transport by over 65s
Engaged/active older people
Measure of physical activity
GP attendances - by sub-area/age/gender/SIMD
AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
Item: 13
Page: 3
Item: 14
Page: 1
LOCAL STRATEGIC ASSESSMENTS 2015
1
Recommendations
1.1
Note that the Partnership Analyst will prepare six local strategic assessments
for the review of the Local Community Plans for 2016.
1.2
Agree to facilitate the Partnership Analyst in data collection and information
gathering to inform the strategic assessments by making local level data
available where possible.
2
Background
2.1
Six local strategic assessments were produced by the Partnership Analyst in
2013. These informed the development of the 2013-16 Local Community
Plans.
2.2
The Board previously agreed that the Local Community Plans would be fully
updated at the end of the three year cycle. As such, new local strategic
assessments are planned to inform a full update for the 2016-19 Local
Community Plans. See Appendix 1 for draft terms of reference for the
strategic assessments.
2.3
The Partnership Analyst has begun data collection from open sources and is
attending each of the Local Community Planning Groups over the coming
weeks to raise awareness, make contacts and gain buy in for the strategic
assessments at a local level.
2.4
Each Community Planning Group will be completing a horizon scanning
exercise (using the PESTELO format) and information/data request templates
will be sent out to a wide range of partners and contacts to gather data.
2.5
Community Planning Groups will facilitate community engagement to identify
the concerns and priorities for communities themselves. This will be used to
complement the data in the strategic assessments.
3
3.1
Where data is available, the strategic assessments will consider the impact of
emerging trends/issues on protected characteristics.
3.2
There are no staffing or financial implications.
Francesca Ainsworth, Partnership Analyst
12th November 2014
Item: 14
Page: 2
Local Strategic Assessments &
Local Community Plans
2016/19
Terms of Reference
Item: 14
Page: 3
Background
The current Aberdeenshire Local Strategic Assessments were produced by
the Partnership Analyst at the start of 2013. These assessments were used
to develop the 2013-16 Local Community Plans and continue to be used by
Local Community Planning Groups (LCPG), partner organisations and
community groups as reference documents.
The Community Planning Partnership Board agreed that the three-year Local
Community Plans would be fully updated at the end of the three year cycle.
As such, new Local Strategic Assessments are proposed to direct a full
update of the Local Community Plans for 2016-19. The following timetable is
proposed:
Key Dates
Activities
October
2014 – May
2015
Data collection and development of local
strategic assessments
April – Sep
2015
Community engagement to discuss
evidence base and Draft Local Community
Plan
Sep 2015 March 2016
Responsibility
Partnership
Analyst
LCPG (horizon
scanning)
Local
Community
Planning
Officer/Group
Risk Assessment and Priority Setting
Drafted Local Community Plan proof read
and circulated to Area Committee
Community engagement to discuss drafted
Local Community Plan
Area Committee
LCPO
LCPG
Formal risk assessment meeting with the
Local Community Planning Group
Feb – March
2016
March –
April 2016
April 2016
Quality assurance period / proof reading,
with subsequent identified amendments
made. Adoption by Local Community
Planning Group
Local
Community
Planning
Officers/Group
Local Community Plan forwarded to
Executive and Board for endorsement
CPP
Executive/Board
Local Community Plan Published. Formal
presentation to key stakeholders and those
responsible for delivery of the plan
CPP
Team/LCPG
Item: 14
Page: 4
2016 Strategic Assessment
The current strategic assessments are made up of a number of sections:
 introduction, strategic background, methodology
 brief description of the area
 SIMD profile of the area
 current Aberdeenshire and area priorities (SOA and Local
Plan)
 horizon Scanning (Political, Economic, Social, Technological,
Environmental, Legislative, Organisational
 current picture, trends and recommendations across each
priority
 relevant issues, trends and recommendations outside current
priorities
It is proposed that the new strategic assessments follow the same structure
with the addition of ward level analyses, where possible, to allow LCPGs to
put an emphasis on need based on place.
Community Engagement
As per the planning cycle, LCPGs will conduct community engagement
around the strategic assessments to determine whether the issues raised
reflect communities’ own concerns and priorities. It is recommended that the
feedback from these engagement sessions is used to complement the
strategic assessment when setting the priorities for the Local Plans and is
appended to the strategic assessment.
Item: 15
Page: 1
WHAT WORKS SCOTLAND: UPDATE
1
Recommendations
1.1
Note the progress towards implementing the What Works Scotland project by
the Community Planning team.
1.2
Discusses the update and agrees to receive future updates on the
implementation of the What Works Scotland project.
1.3
Agree the three proposed work streams as the focus of What Works Scotland
within Aberdeenshire.
2
Background
2.1
What Works Scotland is a new initiative to improve the way local areas in
Scotland use evidence to make decisions about public service development
and the direction of future reform. Project aims include:



Deepening the impact of the emergent Scottish approach to public service
delivery and reform by examining what works and what doesn’t in the
Scottish model;
Providing a wider understanding of the transformational change in the
delivery of public services; and
Embedding a unique and collaborative action-orientated approach to
policy making and delivery.
2.2
What Works Scotland brings together the Universities of Glasgow and
Edinburgh, academics across Scotland, with partners from Joint Improvement
Team, NHS Health Scotland, Inspiring Scotland, IRISS (Institution for
Research and Innovation in Social Services), SCVO (Scottish Council for
Voluntary Organisations), Glasgow Centre for Population Health, NHS
Education for Scotland and the Improvement Service.
2.3
Aberdeenshire CPP successfully applied to be one of the four case study
areas and has been partnered with a sub-team within the What Works
Scotland team, who will provide support in delivering this initiative.
Aberdeenshire has also been partnered with case-study shadow areas, who
will work with us to identify and share best-practice.
2.4
Aberdeenshire CPP have proposed the following three work streams to be the
focus on What Works Scotland in Aberdeenshire:



Local Community Planning
Health and Social Care Integration – Locality Planning
Road Safety – prevention and intervention (Safe Drive Stay Alive)
Item: 15
Page: 2
2.5
A Collaborative Action Research Planning Event was held on 12 November
2014 and focussed on our three proposed projects and the development of
project plans. Appendix 1 to this item includes a summary of the issues
discussed.
2.6
Further meetings with our research partners and the wider What Works
Scotland team will follow in late November and early December. The project
plan will be circulated to the Board in due course.
3
3.1
What Works Scotland has funding for three years up until the end of 2018.
3.2
The community planning team will be able to dedicate some capacity to take
forward What Works Scotland in Aberdeenshire. Where appropriate,
colleagues and partners will also be involved with this work. In addition to the
wider What Works Scotland team, a sub-team has been assigned to provide
dedicated support to Aberdeenshire.
3.3
In line with the statutory obligations on public bodies arising from the Equality
Act 2010, an Equalities Impact Assessment will be carried out as and when the
detailed implementation plan is developed.
Francesca Ainsworth, Partnership Analyst and Sophie Humphries, Strategic
Development Officer (Community Planning)
17 November 2014
Health and Social Care
Integration
Local Community Planning
What makes an effective
partnership working in the
newly formed Integration
Authorities?
Who represents the voice of
the community?
What added value does local
community planning offer?
partnership?
How to balance and validate
quantitative/qualitative data
with anecdotal
evidence/community
engagement to inform
decision making and service
delivery?
How to balance and validate
quantitative/qualitative data
with anecdotal
evidence/community
engagement to inform
decision making and service
delivery?
What types of evidence
need to be balanced to
inform decision making and
service delivery?
What is the best evidence to
document the impact of
community planning?
How to tackle any
tensions/issues with crosssector partners, management
structures and communities?
How to maintain equity in the
delivery of health and social
care services from a central
perspective whilst maintaining
the flexibility to adapt to local
needs/priorities (30
settlements)?
How to maintain equity in local
community planning whilst
maintaining the flexibility to
adapt to local needs/priorities?
How to balance bottom-up
and top-down approaches
to local community
planning?
How to tackle disconnect
between the CPP
Board/Executive and the Local
Community Planning Groups?
APPENDIX 1
Item: 15
Page: 3
Road Safety (Safe Drive
Stay Alive)
What is the most effective
configuration of
partners/partnerships to
achieve prevention and early
intervention to improve road
safety?
partnership?
Using local vs national data to
inform strategies for tackling
road safety.
What types of evidence
need to be balanced to
inform decision making and
service delivery?
What data/information can be
used to evidence the potential
impact of Safe Drive Stay
Alive to determine its
effectiveness in reducing road
casualties/fatalities?
How to address the
culture/attitudes of
communities and
organisations around
responsibility and
accountability for road safety
improvement?
How to manage UK, Scottish
Government, Police Scotland
strategic approaches with
Grampian/Aberdeenshire
approaches to road safety?
How to balance bottom-up
and top-down approaches
to local community
planning?
How to balance any tensions
between local and national
approaches to road safety
(prevention vs. enforcement)?
Item: 15
Page: 4
Item: 16
Page: 1
REPORT TO COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD – 26 NOVEMBER 2014
2014-20 EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND ALLOCATION
1
Recommendation
1.1
It is recommended that the Board notes the provisional award of
European Social Fund money to Aberdeenshire and mandates the
Tackling Poverty and Inequalities Group to consider project ideas.
2.
Discussion
2.1
New European funding programmes are set to run from 2014-20, many of
which will be managed nationally by the Scottish Government. Negotiations
have taken place between Local Government and the Scottish Government
through COSLA and Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development
(SLAED) over the allocation of European Social Fund (ESF) money to local
authority areas. These discussions have resulted in a formal provisional ESF
allocation to Aberdeenshire of up to £8.05 million.
2.2
While the allocation is to be welcomed in principle, it is important to recognise
that these are not based on local requests/applications for funding, but were
instead calculated by COSLA, SLAED and the Scottish Government.
Accepting these funds would therefore obligate Community Planning partners
to deliver activities in a way which may not be compatible with the
Partnership’s priorities, resources and existing contractual arrangements.
Furthermore, Community Planning partners would need to provide match
funding to projects:
Activity
EU allocation
£6.45m (45%)
Council/Partner
allocation
£7.88m (55%)
Potential Total
Project Cost
£14.33m
Employability
Pipelines
Poverty and
Social Inclusion
TOTAL
£1.6 m (45%)
£1.96m (55%)
£3.56m
£8.05m
£9.84m
£17.89m
2.3
It is therefore unlikely that all of the provisionally-allocated funds will be drawn
down, given relatively low unemployment in the area and the need to provide
match funding. Funds should only be drawn down where they can add value
to existing activity.
2.4
Funds are available for the following purposes:
2.4.1 £6.45 million to deliver an Employability Pipeline. The concept of the
Employability Pipeline is to provide an integrated approach to employability
service provision in a geographical area through a seamless process of
engagement with clients across different agencies.
Item: 16
Page: 2
2.4.2 £1.6 million to support poverty and social inclusion measures. Funds are
available to support active inclusion and social entrepreneurship. The draft
ESF Operational programme is relatively open on the activities which can be
supported and further clarification from the Scottish Government on this
initiative is required. Themes of social care, childcare and financial inclusion
have been mooted by Scottish Government civil servants.
2.5
It should be noted that while the allocation letter was sent to Aberdeenshire
Council, ESF funds are awarded to the Aberdeenshire area rather than the
Council and there is an expectation that the Community Planning Partnership
would be used as a vehicle to deliver or co-ordinate projects.
2.6
In order to formally secure allocations, there will be a requirement for
Aberdeenshire Council as Lead Partner to complete application forms for
funds. In spite of the fact that the Operational Programmes for ESF and
ERDF are not yet approved, it is expected that the Scottish Government will
require applications to be submitted in December 2014.
2.7
The matter has been discussed at the Tackling Poverty and Inequality Group
and it is recommended that further discussions between CPP partners are
held within this forum to develop project ideas.
3.
3.1
There are no equalities implications from this report. Equalities matters would
be taken into consideration during the completion of any funding bids. ESF
funds are targeted on social inclusion of disadvantaged groups.
3.2
There is a potential match funding cost to Aberdeenshire Council and
partners of up to £14.74 million from 2015-2020. This would need to be
identified from existing budgets (e.g. Business Gateway, core staff) and/or
new resources which will be challenging in the present financial climate.
There is also a risk when managing European funding that if there are errors
made in the management/administration of projects, grant may be recovered
by the Scottish Government. Project spend also needs to be forecast
accurately and managed as if a project underspends, committed match
funding is used first which can lead to a disproportionate reduction in the
grant drawn down.
3.3
In terms of staffing implications, one or more Project Managers would need to
be appointed to manage the projects. There have been cases where projects
have been managed by Council staff in addition to their day jobs which has
led to errors, resource issues and ultimately repayment of grant to the
Scottish Government. It is also recommended that the European Team
undertake enhanced monitoring of projects in terms of both finances and
project delivery and that each project is audited annually to ensure
compliance with EU rules and requirements.
3.4
Furthermore, existing staff involved in the delivery of employability, poverty
and social inclusion and business support may find all or part of their post
becomes EU-funded, which may change the way in which their jobs are
undertaken (e.g. the need to record information in a certain way and be aware
Item: 16
Page: 3
of EU rules and requirements). Finally, all applications and claims will need to
be processed by the Council’s European Team which should be deliverable
within existing resources.
Martin Brebner, Team Manager – European Policy & Programmes, Aberdeenshire
Council
13 November 2014

Community Planning Board Agenda and Papers

Transcription

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