Policy and Project Advisory Board - Tuesday, 23rd July, 2024 7.30 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12th June 2024 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 12th June 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

To discuss the Policy and Project Advisory Board Work Plan (copy attached).

The Board noted the current Work Plan.

It was agreed that the Marmot Health Strategy would be discussed at the next Progress Group meeting.

To receive Report No. ACE2409 (copy attached), on the review of the Procurement Strategy, the development of the social value policy incorporated within it and indicators to measure performance against the strategy, from Roger Sanders, Service Manager Risk, Performance & Procurement.

The Board welcomed Mr Roger Sanders, Risk, Performance and Procurement Service Manager, who presented Report No. ACE2409 that provided information on the process for the review of the Council’s Procurement Strategy. Also present was Cllr Abe Allen, Enabling Services Portfolio Holder, who had been invited to attend for this item.

The Board was advised that the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, due to come into force in October 2024, placed a requirement on the Council to review and update both its Contract Standing Orders and its Procurement Strategy. The current Procurement Strategy covered the period 2020 to 2024, with the new Strategy setting out the Council’s strategic vision and priorities for this area of work for the following three years to 2027. As a duty of the new Act, the Strategy would incorporate elements of the National Procurement Strategy.

In discussing the proposed Procurement Strategy, Members stressed the importance of incorporating social values as part of the procurement process. The Board discussed the report and made the following comments:

·                    Can we set up a local directory to encourage the local of businesses? Needs to be kept up to date.

·                    When looking at strategic outcomes, engagement with the education sector is essential

·                    In relation to Contract Standing Orders, a heavy weighting should be place on green issues rather than simply encouraging

Subject to the above comments, the Board ENDORSED the development of the new Procurement Strategy, as set out in Report No. ACE2409.

The Chairman thanked Mr Sanders for his report.

To receive a presentation from Abby Roper, Development Manager, Vision for Youth Yateley, about their Youth Engagement work.

This will be followed by a presentation from Emma Lamb, Community and Partnerships Service Manager, which will review the current provision for young people in Rushmoor and outline draft proposals for the approach to future engagement.

Following the presentation, a workshop (not part of the public meeting) will take place with Members. The session will be facilitated by Emma Lamb and Lynette Lawson-Tyers, Community Engagement Officer. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss proposals and seek Members’ opinions and suggestions to help shape a future draft Young People Engagement Strategy.

The Board welcomed Ms Abby Roper from Vision4Youth (V4Y), who provided a presentation on work undertaken in relation to youth engagement in Yateley and Ms Emma Lamb, the Council’s Community and Partnerships Service Manager, who outlined the current provision in Rushmoor. Also present was Cllr Sophie Porter, Community & Residents Portfolio Holder, who had been invited to attend for this item and for the workshop that followed.

The Board was advised that V4Y had been a youth club provider for over twenty years, providing facilities to young people aged 11 – 25 years. The Yateley Friday Night Club had been established in 2015 with support from Yateley Town Council. In 2018, the Town Council had allowed the club to start meeting, rent-free, in The Tythings and this had provided the opportunity for the club to expand. The expansion of the club had required V4Y to seek more volunteers and this proved to be a challenging process. It was reported that V4Y currently operated six different youth clubs during term time across two venues in Yateley and Darby Green, with around 160 young people accessing these groups. In addition to the club nights, V4Y also supported qualified youth workers who walked the local streets once or twice a week, visiting hot spots and building relationships with young people. This work involved close liaison with the police. Members were informed that, over the summer holidays, V4Y would run a Summer Holiday Youth Club as part of the Department for Education’s ‘Holiday Activities & Food’ programme. This was aimed at young people aged 11 – 16 years and was free to those who qualified for Free School Meals. Finally, V4Y offered 1:1 support for young people with Youth Social Prescribing, which was aimed at providing early intervention in cases of social isolation, irrespective of the originating cause.

Ms Lamb went on to describe the current provision for young people in Rushmoor.  This included:

·                    Rushmoor Youth Influence – a forum for young people to hear from experts and to share opinions on key issues, supported by Rushmoor schools and Army Welfare Service

·                    Prospect Youth Club – currently providing some mental health support services

·                    Youth Café – set up in response to feedback from residents, businesses and partners, currently led by a local ward councillor, partnership between Council, Step by Step and Hampshire Cultural Trust

·                    Detached Youth Work – Safer Street 5 Fund for detached youth work provision in ASB hotspots, currently ongoing

·                    Yellow Brick Road project - £34,000 for one year project to support 25 11-17 year-olds at risk of exploitation, twelve sessions with a mentor with follow-up support

Members were informed that a number of gaps and barriers had been identified and these had been used to shape the objectives and approach being adopted in terms of  youth provision in Rushmoor. The focused approach would involve both outreach and also work with local schools. It was identified that an important part of the approach was in relation to communications, where, amongst other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.