Voluntary Sector Children and Youth Forum

Minutes of the meeting held at Lifeline Young People’s Centre

Thursday 11th September 2014

Welcome & Introductions

Glenys Tolley welcomed everyone to the meeting. She thanked Lifeline for hosting the meeting.

Community Plan refresh

Shanara Matin, Corporate Research Manager, LBTH

The Community Plan covers the high level objectives in what is hoped can be achieved for change in Tower Hamlets. They are in the process of talking to residents and groups about what they think should be in the Community Plan, and what the priorities should be. A lot has happened since the last Community Plan in 2010 and there is more change to come. Shanara talked through a series of slides, including some emerging themes:

Emerging Themes for 2015-19:

• Managing Growth/Making Growth work for everyone-what more can be done to influence development?

• Fairness – avoiding communities being left behind by gentrification

• Collaboration – health and social care; other public sector; voluntary and community sector and the private sector

• New contract with residents – ‘rights and responsibilities’- what can the council do that enables people to do it for themselves

• Employment as a key enabler of improved outcomes-this is a key theme whatever else they want to achieve

Shanara then asked some key questions:

· What are the future issues around volunteering that should be considered in developing the Community Plan?

· What could the Council do to support people being as independent as possible?

· Could the Council make better use of technology e.g. provide services online?

· What other priorities are important for the borough as a whole?

There will be a consultation event with THCVS, the draft Community Plan will go out for an 8 week consultation period in December, with the final Community Plan ready in early Spring 2015.

Shanara also mentioned that the Council’s savings proposals were live for feedback, to be finalised in December.

Liaison with LBTH officers:

Anne Canning, Service Head, Learning and Achievement

020 7364 3114

Update on the plans to make cuts next year

Anne began by talking about the considerable medium term financial savings that the Council needs to make. Proposals went live for public consultation yesterday; there will also be service user consultation and then they will go with the settlement from central government to Cabinet in November. In January there will be a more formal consultation service redesign. The large cuts include all LBTH day nurseries and Anne commented that they are difficult choices. The aim is for the savings to go live in April 2015. The Council is committed not to do compulsory redundancies; they are offering voluntary redundancies. It all links in with the Community Plan too.

Updates from LBTH

· The Youth Offending Team are currently being inspected.

· Planning to build some primary schools, one with Poplar Harca, one with Canary Wharf Group.

· There are plans to make the 2 year old check more accessible, ensuring the services across professional lines work closer together.

· GCSE results went down because of several reasons including a changed assessment process but they are still above the national average.

Main Stream Grants (MSG)

They are looking at the impact of the grants-what went well and what didn’t. There was a query about whether funding has been withdrawn when recipients have not fulfilled the criteria for their grant, and if so what has happened to this money?

It was highlighted that LBTH are no longer emailing statements to say that money has gone into organisation’s accounts and a request that there could be a remittance advice.

Alex will follow up with Anne on both these queries.

Actions / Whom responsible
Follow up on MSG funding when targets not met / Anne Canning
Follow up on remittance advice / Anne Canning

Lifeline George Gallagher

020 3069 7878

George described the work of Lifeline with young people.

Lifeline Renew (their new service name) is a service for Young People in Tower Hamlets who need support around their drug or alcohol use. They also support families and parents of young people on these issues. They offer support to local services and professionals on substance use issues and trends, through targeted support, training and advice.

Lifeline Renew also provide assessment and planning, 121 support and interventions, social activities, signposting and advocacy. They work closely with services across education, youth offending, health, social care and housing and aim to build on people’s strengths and skills, and improve their wellbeing. They are successful in supporting people to become drug/alcohol free and for those that are not able to reach this stage we will support them to be safe.

Lifeline Renew is the first service in Tower Hamlets to work with the Council on a pilot to put Children’s Rights at the heart of public services. The Child Rights Partner Programme brings together UNICEF UK, the Council and Services Providers all working with the community.

With increasing and new availability of alcohol and drugs on the market, including new legal highs, it is vital that we continue to receive referrals and provide support where needed.

Lifeline Renew is a free, confidential and flexible service.

To make a referral or for any information please contact:

020 3069 7878

26 Skylines Village, Limeharbour, London, E14 9TS

Next meeting date:

The next VSCYF meetings are on Tuesday 11th November

10am-12pm