Agenda and minutes

C Huscroft - Oadby & Wigston Lions and Food Bank

Councillor Miss A R Bond

L Green - Oadby Church/Oadby Food Bank

G Gamble - Churches Together

Age Concern

I Lightfoot - TREC

J Cooke - Local Conservation Volunteers

Minutes of the Previous Meeting & Matters Arising

The minutes of June 30th 2016 were received and agreed.

Review of the Equality and Diversity Agenda

The Equality and Diversity Agenda continues to be progressed. It is available via the following link. Colleagues are provided with a copy of it at each meeting. It is the working policy document of Oadby and Wigston Council Community Engagement Forum.

It is used to address aspects of equality and diversity under the Equality Act 2010.

The Agenda works with the support of community groups and voluntary organisations to: help address the needs of a wide cross section of the public. This includes those defined as vulnerable to social and economic exclusion.

 Oadby & Wigston Council Celebration Calendar

This calendar is updated as appropriate. A copy can be accessed by clicking the following link. Key celebratory dates added are: Muslim and Hindu celebratory event dates.

Equality and Diversity Training Workshops

Dates for Equality and Diversity workshops were identified and circulated. Council staff and Community and Voluntary organisations were sent dates for the training.

Refresh  of Equality Page Information

Change to equality information on the Council website is updated as appropriate. Information on a selection of key and updated Equality Assessments has been added. New documents will be added working with the Council`s newly appointed Communication Officer.

 Working to Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP)

Working to Raise Awareness of PREVENT workshops the Government anti-radicalisation safeguarding programme were presented to Council staff.

Action 6

Further WRAP presentations are to be arranged.

The Terms of Reference were brought to the attention of attendees as an item of information. This was to remind previous attendees and newcomers to the meeting of the area of business conducted by this Forum.

Attendees were requested to feedback suggestions as to how a Citizen`s Panel can be best implemented in Oadby and Wigston.

Mail Chimp is a mechanism for developing an electronic medium for engaging with those on a Citizens’ Panel. There is technical skills within the Council to do this.

 The next stage of the process for implementation will be a report to the Council on the benefits and risks of the implementation of this consultation tool.

The draft document was circulated at the meeting.

A workshop on how to identify, engage and consult with those “Seldom Heard” was delivered. A presentation handout was circulated.

The workshop forms part of a strategy for “giving back” to community groups and voluntary organisations for their input into the work of the Community Engagement Forum and building a “learning community”.

Action:

Circulate the presentation handout to those on the CEF database and organise further workshops on; equality and community cohesion issues delivered through this Forum.

Leicestershire Gate (The Gypsy and Traveller Unit) gave a presentation on the: historical settlement, cultural, religious, educational and economic diversity of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities across the Leicestershire region.

One percent of people in Leicester/Leicestershire are of a Gypsy heritage. Seven percent live in houses. There is a five yearly caravan count to estimate how many people in the region are of Gypsy Traveller background. There are approximately 60 to 65 households in the borough.

The presentation was supported by two members of the Gypsy Roma community and the Leicestershire GATE lead officer.

The presentation was positively received by attendees. They wished to learn more about the lifestyle and needs of this community and how the community address and continue to address issues of human rights and inequality.

With regard to the discussion around young people education choices and the early age of opt out, the presenters were directed to making connections with Oadby and Wigston Youth Council. This they said they would do.

The Chair thanked GATE and the Volunteers for the presentation.

Action

Circulate the presentation handouts.

The Community Resilience Partnership members consists of: Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The Partnership is guided by the Civil Contingencies Act. This addresses working with Public Sector agencies such as; the Police and Health, community groups and voluntary organisations.

The Partnership works to empower communities to create community plans for addressing emergencies. Oadby and Wigston Council has a suite of emergency plans.

It was noted that Oadby and Wigston has no network group like that at Kibworth. Few communities outside of Harborough have plans. The Partnership wants as many communities as possible to have an emergency community plan. The Partnership is encouraging households, businesses and communities to have a plan.

Oadby and Wigston Council has : a major incident Plan, Flood Plan, Emergency Control Centre Plan, Business Continuity Plans and there is the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland plan which covers Emergency Centre Plans.

For more information contact: kim.jebson-hambly@oadby-wigston.gov.uk or check out www.llrprepared.org.uk

The Chair thanked the presenters for this update.

Action

Circulate the presentation handout.

Presentations for Future Meetings

Action on Hearing Loss- RNID consented to present at the next meeting. This will focus on hearing loss issues and service provision.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Pagan Federation consented to present at the next meeting.

Action:

On a future calendar for 2017, VISTA Sight Loss Service is to be included.

Date: Thursday 8 December 2016

Time: 7pm

Venue: Council Office, Council Chamber, Station Road, Wigston, LE182DR