Meeting documents

+ Cllr Bruce Mansell - Chairman

- Cllr Paul Ilnicki - Vice-Chairman

+ Present

- Apologies for absence presented

Also present

Councillors Chris Pitt and David Whitcroft

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7th June 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman reported that Mr Denis Fuller had been scheduled to make a presentation to the Committee on the role of the Surrey Chambers of Commerce, but, due to an injury, had been unable to attend and would address a later meeting.

PART I

(public)

The Committee received an update on the work of the Services for Young People Working Group in the previous year, focusing in particular on an extremely successful Mayor’s Reception at the Lightwater Country Park. The guests, who had included both young and older people and their service providers, had found the evening extremely helpful and, in many cases, had taken the opportunity to network with partner organisations.

Members noted suggestions  that there should be at least one such event each year and noted that the Working Group would continue with Councillors Paul Ilnicki, Bob Smith and Stewart Stevenson as Members, with Councillor Ilnicki as Chairman.

Members noted that service provision for young people lay mainly with Surrey County Council’s Youth Services and it was agreed that the phone number of the Surrey Heath manager would be circulated to Committee Members to enable them to alert him to any local initiatives needing support.

RESOLVED, That the report be noted and that the Working Group be asked to explore the possibility of an annual event, using an existing Council funded venue.

The Committee considered a report enclosing draft terms of reference for the newly established Working Group on Services for Older People and noted that Councillors Fran Bennie, Keith Bush and Paul Ilnicki had agreed to serve on this Working Group.

Members noted the need to focus on external provision, given that scrutiny of Council provided services in this area lay with the Community Select Committee. It would be necessary to consider what constituted ‘older’ and what focus the Working Group should have in terms of ‘vulnerable’ people. The benefits of disparate organisations having the opportunity to network was emphasised and the Working Group was asked to consider how to access ‘hard to reach’ groups.

The Committee noted suggestions that Voluntary Services Surrey Heath should be consulted in the Working Group’s efforts to establish a comprehensive listing of statutory, commercial and voluntary organisations providing services to older people and that Surrey County Council’s Portfolio Holder covering services to older people should be invited to make a presentation either to the Committee or Working Group.

RESOLVED, That the Working Group be asked to consider its draft terms of reference and to report back to the next meeting with a finalised version.

The Committee received a report on the draft programme for the municipal year 2005/06 agreed at the last meeting of 2004/05 (minute 030/EP refers).

Members noted that Disabled Access Surrey Heath and the Disability Initiative had been invited to make presentations to the Committee on 22nd November 2005. Officers were asked to invite the Surrey County Council Portfolio Holder with responsibility for older people to make a brief presentation to this meeting.

The Committee agreed to include faith groups in the presentation by voluntary and associated groups on 24th January 2005, to move a presentation on the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership to 28th March 2005 and to include a Town Partnerships presentation at that meeting.

Members welcomed the efforts of the Mayor and officers to encourage schools to build stronger links with schools in twinned towns.

RESOLVED, That

CHAIRMAN

ANNEX A

EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS SELECT COMMITTEE

DRAFT COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

2005/06

Possible other issues to be allocated: