Agenda item

The Head of Housing and Health submitted a report on the Community Voluntary Service for East Herts and their priorities for 2019/20. 

Ms Susan Lancaster (Community Engagement Officer) and Ms Abigail Gregory (Marketing Officer) provided a summary of the work of the CVS throughout East Herts and Broxbourne, their roles within the voluntary organisation and their work involving and helping varied community groups.  Ms Lancaster explained the projects she was actively involved with, including loneliness, social isolation, and social investment analysis and helping groups become self-financing.  She stated that £8K investment returned approximately £100K back to the community.   Ms Lancaster said that she was aided by a team of 18 staff and 45 volunteers and explained the organisation’s other sources of funding. 

Councillor T Stowe thanked the CVS for the assistance he had been provided with on two separate occasions.

Members sought and were provided with clarification on a number of issues including:

·       Core running costs to deliver services and what key performance targets would be achieved by the end of the financial year in relation to the Service Level Agreement;

·       The work of the CVS and working in parallel with other support organisations;

·       In relation to providing governance advice to update organisations’ policies, funding applications and other areas of specialism;

·       The training provided by the CVS,  to a number of groups on a range of issues;

·       The organisation’s focus for 2019/20 and what East Herts Members might now like to focus on.  Members suggested rural and social isolation and working with higher levels of deprivation in rural areas; additionally, working with Parish Councils and clerks;

·       that funding be inflation-proofed and the Council, where possible, share its facilities with the CVS;

·       on the support being given to the Museum on its policy arrangements in relation to (GDPR).

The Chief Executive referred to the current levels of funding the CVS had received from the Council and the positive work they had achieved so far.   She asked whether Members wished to continue with the current levels of financial support.  The Chairman felt that the CVS provided good value for money and going forward, suggested, that the CVS take on board, assistance to the elderly, combating social and rural isolation.  This was supported. 

Ms Lancaster explained that the CVS was already working on a three year programme targeted at loneliness and people accessing resources to support themselves in their own homes. 

Members noted that the CVS had been invited along to the meeting on 11 May 2019 (after the District and Parish Elections) to showcase their role in the community.  

The Chief Executive explained that the Council was always happy to promote the work and work in partnership. 

Members thanked the CVS for a summary of their work and supported the suggestion that loneliness, working with the elderly, combatting social isolation (especially in rural areas) and working with Parish Councils be included within their programme, going forward.

It was moved by Councillor J Wyllie and seconded by Councillor S Reed that the recommendation, as amended, be approved.  After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the performance of the Community Voluntary Services (CVS) for Broxbourne and East Herts (as it relates to East Herts), be considered;

(B)   the Head of Housing and Health be requested to explore, at the next SLA review meeting in April 2019, the issues raised by Members including; loneliness, working with the elderly, combatting social isolation (especially in rural areas) and working with Parish Councils;

(C)   the proposed priorities for the 2019/20 service level agreement (SLA) between the Council and CVS be considered; and

(D)   the Head of Housing be requested to consider any issues raised when finalising the 2019/20 SLA.