GREATER PETERBOROUGH PARTNERSHIP BOARD

 

 

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 24 November 2003 at the Town Hall, Peterborough

 

Present:

 

Allan Arnott

Chair, Perkins Engines

Richard Astle

GPP Director

Gillian Beasley

Peterborough City Council

Roy Brown

Peterborough Learning Partnership Manager

Councillor Franklin

Peterborough City Council

Steven Gallacher

GO-East

Harmesh Lakhanpaul

Peterborough Race Equality Council

Graeme Law

Peterborough City Council

Andy Liggins

Director of Public Health

Barry Mason

Chamber of Commerce

Ken McKay

Peterborough Environment City Trust

Keith Nelson

Peterborough Learning Partnership

Lynda Rowbotham

Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services

Roger Tallowin

O & H Hampton Ltd

Chris Town

North Peterborough Primary Care Trust

Liz Wade

Peterborough City Council

 

Apologies

 

John Durrance

Ruddle Wilkinson Ltd

David Hankins

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Julian Stanley

Chairman of Culture and Tourism Partnership

Ebrahim Bassa

 

 

1.      Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 October 2003

 

         The minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2003 were agreed.

 

2.          Matters Arising

 

(i)                 Richard Astle advised that he had spoken to PALC about their representation on the partnerships and was awaiting their proposals as to how this might be taken forward. 

 

(ii)                Richard Astle reported that he had written a letter of support to the Secondary School Review team on behalf of the Board.  He had not received any comments from individual members.

 

         (iii)          Members of the Board had not yet returned their self audit forms to Richard to enable him to start looking at the purpose and background of the LSP

 

3.          Directors Update

 

Members of the Board were informed that the Health Partnership was updating its terms of reference.  It would be useful to have all terms of reference in a common format.   A paper was distributed detailing the meeting dates of all the Partnerships.

 

A paper was distributed illustrating the partnership map.  It was noted that although PCVS was represented in Health, Education and Learning and Community Safety, it was not shown on the map as a separate body. 

 

 

4.          Regional Planning Guidance

 

Graeme Law, Head of Planning Services, updated the Board on the draft Regional Planning Guidance which was being drawn up by the East of England Regional Assembly.  The draft guidance would be circulated shortly for comment.  Formal consultation would begin at the end of February 2004.  The following matters were raised:

 

¨     The guidance dealt with issues of regional significance, not just the centre of Peterborough;

¨     There would be opportunity for local people to influence this guidance through business and voluntary sectors as well as through Peterborough City Council;

¨     The Government was looking to the East of England for further growth and it was necessary for a decision to be made as to whether Peterborough should take on accelerated growth;

¨     The GPP should consider which direction it supported and the impact that growth would have on Education, Health and the Community Strategy;

 

         Councillor Franklin added that Peterborough was now at a crossroads.  Options on growth must be considered and decisions must be made and taken through Cabinet and Council.

 

         In response, unanimous support was given for growth. Members of the Board raised the following issues:

 

¨     No growth was not an option, the consensus of the partnership had always been for Peterborough to grow;

¨     The way to achieve growth and what percentage of it would be controllable would need to be discussed further;

¨     Some areas such as transport, retail and medicine have growth thresholds, these would need to be taken into account;

¨     The specific needs of Travellers and Gypsies should be taken into consideration - this should be picked up in the Community Strategy;

¨     Councillor Peach was representing Members on the Regional Planning Panel and would advise that the LSP was fully supportive of the need to grow.

 

Graeme Law was invited to up-date the GPP Board regularly on this issue.

 

5.          City Centre Masterplan

 

Liz Wade, Head of Economic and Community Regeneration reported that the framework for the City Centre Masterplan had been approved by Council and was now out for consultation, an exhibition was on display in the foyer of the Town Hall.  A request was now being put to the Partnership to endorse the proposal for an Urban Regeneration Company to be used as a delivery vehicle for the Masterplan. 

 

The URC would drive the project forward and increase market and public confidence.  Peterborough was in need of a healthy city centre and the URC would integrate the 11 development projects planned.  The company would cement the partnership approach between the private sector, PCC EEDA EP and the GPP.  It was proposed that the Chair of the GPP would sit on the board of the URC and vice versa. 

 

In response to a question the Board was told that EEDA and EP would continue to develop the City Centre if the URC was not approved.  However, the same level of funding could not be assured and Peterborough might not attract the same level of private sector investment

 

The GPP gave its full support to the proposed URC.  Individual Partners would be asked for letters endorsing their support.

 

6.          Community Cohesion

 

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

 

7.          Update from Community Strategy Working Group

 

Richard Astle updated the Partnership on the progress of the Community Strategy Working Group.  The Group had agreed that three key themes should be addressed within the Community Strategy, these were:

 

¨     Community Safety

¨     Economic Growth

¨     Health

 

         The CSWG were considering how best to incorporate Skills and Learning.

 

         These themes linked all the partnerships and recent public surveys had shown that they were the most popular.  The Community Strategy document should be clear and have good visual impact.

 

         A discussion was held on a document that had been distributed to members entitled 'My journey through Peterborough'.  It was thought that a broader perspective could be achieved by using the views of various people of different ages and from different communities.  However, it was agreed that a clear, succinct vision was needed which should be illustrated.  Two key sources which could be used were suggested, the City Audit and the Public Consultation on the City Centre.

 

8.          Health in Peterborough

 

Andy Liggins gave a presentation on the Health of Peterborough.  It was stated that Peterborough had significant health issues.  The focus of the NHS should be shifted from providing an 'illness service' to 'preventative care' and aim to improve the health of everyone.  To improve the health of Peterborough long term commitment would be required, best practice and the areas on which to focus would need to be identified.  It was believed that the three key priorities which would have a major impact were:

 

¨     Smoking

¨     Encouraging activity

¨      Addressing poverty

 

         A report would be prepared for the January meeting to include key points for the Community Strategy.

 

9.      Environment and Transport

 

         Ken McKay reported that the Environment and Transport Partnership was now up and running. He had been elected as Chair. Trevor Gibson was Vice Chair.  The Freight Transport Association had committed their support to the partnership and membership included representatives from GNER and Stagecoach. 

 

         The partnership would meet monthly for the next five to six months and would contribute to the Community Strategy in January/February.

 

10.    Education and Learning

 

         Roy Brown reported that project work totalling £3.5 million was currently being undertaken in Peterborough.  The partnership consisted of a diverse membership, some with their own priorities and principles and they were now trying to see the bigger picture and to combine priorities and look at education and learning for everyone from the cradle to the grave.  The partnership's objectives for the Community Strategy were being worked on and would be with Richard on time.

 

11.    Board Membership - update and proposals

 

         The Board had before it a paper on membership proposals and AGREED:

 

¨     One place should be shared between the Chief Executive of the Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership and the Chief Executive of the Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust.

¨     One place should go to a youth representative.  Richard Astle was asked to consider the practicalities of taking this forward.

¨     The third place to go to Councillor Goldspink (non-executive member).

 

12.    Planning for Awayday on 12 December

 

         An awayday was planned for 12 December 2003.  Time and place would be confirmed.  Richard asked for the self audit forms to be returned to him prior to the awayday.

 

         ACTION:  ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

 

 

The meeting having commenced at 5.00pm and concluded at 7.15pm.