BRADFORD
TRIDENT, NDC PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING
Minutes of a Meeting of the Board held at The Foyer, 1 Coates Street,
West Bowling, Bradford on Thursday 16 December 2004.
Commenced:
1710 Concluded: 1840
PRESENT
Councillor Ian Greenwood (Chair)
Community Directors:
Greg Lucas (West Bowling)
Jahnzaib Sarwar (West Bowling)
Zamurrad Khan (West Bowling)
Munawar Khan (Park Lane)
Nawaz Khan (Park Lane)
Akhtar Khan (Park Lane)
Joe Holloway (Marshfields)
Khalid Mahmood (Marshfields)
Isa Khan (Marshfields)
Council Directors:
Councillor Sher Khan - Council Director
Councillor Jamshed Khan - Council Director
Faith Directors:
Sister Julie McGing - Faith Director
Business Directors:
Vipin Joshi - Sector Foods
RSL Director:
Will Jennings - Bradford & Northern Housing Association
Health Director:
Lynnette Throp - Bradford City Primary Care Trust
Staff in attendance:
Steve Hartley - Chief Executive
David Mosley - Company Secretary
Chas Stansfield - Programme Manager
Judith Atkinson - Programme Manager
Darrell Gregoire - Programme Manager
Wayne Noteman - Housing Projects Manager
Ian Hague - Neighbourhood Manager
Umar Hayat - Programme Co-ordinator
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND INTRODUCTIONS
Apologies were received from:
Jamshed Khan - Community Director
Mohammed Khan - Faith Director
Ali Jan Haider - Voluntary Sector Director
Nick Baggio - Business Director
Omar Khan - Business Director
Sarah Brown - Police Director
Mike Lowe - LSC Director
David Wilkinson - Adviser
Roz Hall - BMDC Regeneration Partnership
Susan Naughton - Programme Co-ordinator
Stacey Jobson - Programme Co-ordinator
Zubare Khan - Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Claudia Dacres - PA to Chief Executive
Mark Fielding - Communications Manager
Saqib Hussain Malik - Youth Ambassador
The Chair gave Sher Khan the opportunity to pass on his grateful thanks to the staff team for their superb efforts in completing the Mayfield Neighbourhood Centre project and holding the excellent opening event on 21 November. The Marshfield community really appreciated having such an exciting new facility for their use.
- MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MEETING OF 30 SEPTEMBER 2004
The minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2004 were agreed as a correct record.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All private housing/community directors. Greg Lucas regarding Healthy Living Project. Councillors Jamshed Khan, Ian Greenwood and Sher Khan regarding item 11, Any Other Business in connection with West Yorkshire Pension Fund.
4. BOARD MATTERS
A paper was presented by Steve Hartley for the Board’s discussion and decision on various matters.
4.1 Away Day, 8/9 October 2004 – follow up
Steve Hartley advised the Board that the Away Day we judged to be a successful event based on the feedback from all who participated. He summarised the successes/concerns/priorities and forward strategy outlined in the report.
Steve checked with the Directors that they would be happy to hold the Away Day at the same venue in 2005 on 23/24 September and this was agreed by the Board.
- Mid Year Review, 30 November 2004 – report back
Steve thanked Directors for their attendance and stated that we had received no formal feedback from Government Office but believed that our performance management self assessment of 173/200 would be ratified.
Government Office continue to be pleased with our progress and that fact that our Directors participate in the Mid Year and Annual Review process.
- Bradford Trident Executive Committee
Steve outlined the new role of the Executive where the Directors would also be Directors of Bradford Trident Trading. Vipin Joshi asked why there was not a Business Director on the Executive. Steve responded that this was a historical situation but that he would not have a problem if that was what the Board wished. Councillor Jamshed Khan asked why there was not a Voluntary Sector representative on the Executive and Steve explained that Ali Jan Haider, the Agency Director, currently represents the voluntary sector.
It was proposed by Greg Lucas and seconded by Isa Khan that a Business Director should be elected to the Bradford Trident Executive Committee which would make the Committee a total of 7.
This leaves Steve with the challenge of deciding which of the 6 members of the Executive Committee should be the Directors of Bradford Trident Trading.
Ian Greenwood reminded the Community Directors that they should advise David Mosley of any nominations for Marshfield, Park Lane and West Bowling before the end of January in order that the progress of Bradford Trident Trading is not delayed.
4.4 Accountable Body Memorandum of Understanding
Steve explained that David Mosley and himself had been working closely with Bradford Council since our formation in order to develop the Accountable Body agreement and that we had managed perfectly well without one to date!
Government Office were now wishing us to set the agreement in place in the current financial year as this formally sets out the roles of Bradford Trident and Bradford Council in connection with the rights and responsibilities as Accountable Body. This gives the Council a financial and probity role.
It was proposed by Will Jennings and seconded by Vipin Joshi that the proposed Accountable Body Memorandum of Understanding be accepted subject to any minor amendments which were delegated to David Mosley and Steve Hartley. The Directors were all in favour.
4.5 Board Dates schedule for 2005
The proposal was approved as set out and it was agreed that we would try to use the Mayfield Centre whenever possible. Steve was asked to notify the Foyer and thank them for their past assistance.
- Charity and Trading Company update
Steve summarised the progress to date in that the Charity application form has been forwarded to the Charity Commission and we are hopeful that Bradford Trident Limited will be registered as a Charity before 31 March 2005.
The papers for the formation of Bradford Trident Trading had been forwarded to Companies House and we are hopeful that the new company will be registered during January 2005.
An advert will be placed in the January BD5 Magazine asking for applications from residents to sit on the Bradford Trident Trading Board. We will also approach the previous people who had shown an interest in being Directors of the Trading company before we had been in a position to set up Bradford Trident Limited as the Charity.
Steve reminded Directors that it would be useful if they could suggest suitable people to David Mosley before the end of January who would then approach them.
5. IMPROVEMENT PLAN – NOVEMBER 2004
A paper was presented by Steve Hartley seeking the Board’s approval to the Improvement Plan developed subsequent to the Performance Management exercise conducted for the Mid Year Review.
Steve advised that the Improvement Plan had been developed as part of the Performance Management for New Deal for Communities programme and was an element of the annual system of self assessment. The Directors were happy with the content of the Improvement Plan and it was proposed by Akhtar Khan and seconded by Jahnzaib Sarwar that the Plan be approved. All Directors were in favour.
Agreed:
That the Improvement Plan attached be approved.
6. FORWARD STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
A report was presented by Steve Hartley to report back on the discussions held at the Board/staff Away Day on 9 October and for decision on the next steps.
Steve explained that the aim of the Forward Strategy Development is to make sure that the area continues to benefit beyond 2010 when the NDC funding ends and to consider what structure and governance should be in place at that time.
Joe Holloway enquired whether the Parish Council model had been used in another part of Bradford. Ian Greenwood responded that there were several Parish Councils operating in the Bradford area. He was also aware of others operating in the North East that may be worth visiting in order to benefit from their experience.
Will Jennings reminded the Board that we needed to consider the cost factors when deciding on the Forward Strategy and that this should be included in the Business Plan. Ian Greenwood agreed with Will’s suggestion.
Sher Khan commented that the City Challenge regeneration had set up a model with a Board that distributed rental income following the end of City Challenge. Ian Greenwood commented that this had been a successful project but perhaps it was now considered to be a little too “top down” and would not have sufficient community involvement for our purposes.
Jahnzaib Sarwar reminded the Board that there would be a need to consider using the income stream in order to support the CCTV system. Ian Greenwood agreed that this was an apposite point.
Zamurrad Khan enquired whether a Parish Council was a legal body, Ian Greenwood commented that it was but it still needed a legal framework to support it.
Akhtar Khan asked what the alternatives would be to a Parish Council. Steve Hartley explained that we could consider setting up a small committee, a core staff team to cope with Neighbourhood Management or a consultancy. The challenge with the small committee is for the Board to decide how the committee is formed and whether the committee members are selected or elected.
Akhtar Khan proposed and Sher Khan seconded a proposition that the Board agreed to continue to work up the proposed model with a report back to the Board in May 2005. All Directors were in favour.
7. APPRAISAL – NEIGHBOURHOOD MANAGEMENT
A report was presented by Ian Hague for the Board’s approval.
Ian Hague summarised the findings of Janie Percy-Smith’s evaluation in her absence due to illness. The appraisal is based on the recommendations from the evaluation.
Ian Greenwood commented that it would seem sensible to continue with the good work of the Neighbourhood Management Team.
Jahnzaib agreed that there was a need for the Neighbourhood Management Team project to be extended as it worked in partnership with the Crime group and also links with the Neighbourhood Action Group outcomes. Joe Holloway reminded the Board that there was a need to arrange a meeting of the Park Lane Neighbourhood Action Planning Group and Ian Hague agreed to arrange this.
Isa Khan enquired how this project fitted with the forward strategy after March 2008. Ian Greenwood explained that this was still to be outlined for the future and it would be the responsibility of the Board to prioritise the future spending of the rental income stream.
Vipin Joshi gave his support for the project and enquired how the team related to the community. Ian Hague explained that the concerns of all the NAPs were collated and would be fed into the relative Working Groups via Programme Managers.
Greg Lucas suggested that the Neighbourhood Management Team should leave before the vote was taken and Ian Greenwood agreed, at that point the team left the room.
The appraisal was proposed by Munawar Khan and seconded by Jahnzaib Sarwar. All Directors were in favour.
Agreed:
That the Neighbourhood Management project reappraisal and NDC funding of £415,400 be approved.
8. COMMUNICATIONS REVIEW
A report was presented by Steve Hartley to update the Board on Trident communications activities and make recommendations for future work.
Steve Hartley reviewed the progress to date as part of the Communications Strategy and reported that with the increased marketing activity and the production of extra BD5 Magazines the project was spending ahead of target. Mark Fielding is to try to get advertising revenue to subsidise the cost and will also consider slimming down the size of the magazine to reduce costs.
Vipin Joshi reminded Steve that ideally BD5 should go to businesses and community centres and enquired whether it would be possible to re-tender the print costs. Steve agreed to explore this with Mark.
Jahnzaib expressed his opinion that our excellent communication enhances our reputation and wondered whether we should concentrate more on community activities and also be aware that many of our community are not literate. Ian Greenwood commented that he felt that our level of communication is about right, it portrayed a professional and informative image of Bradford Trident and has been used as a model elsewhere in the City.
Greg Lucas commented that the Community Directors needed to link together better and Joe Holloway agreed with him. Akhtar Khan enquired whether it would be possible to expand the magazine to the BD4, 6 and 7 areas. Ian Greenwood commented that this would seem very sensible. Nawaz Khan agreed with the idea and wondered whether we could obtain money from the Council marketing/publicity budget if we included their messages in our magazine which would enable us to trim our budget and combine with mainstream.
Councillor Jamshed Khan agreed with Vipin’s comments that we should go out to tender on the print price but not sacrifice our excellent quality in order to achieve a small cost saving.
Isa Khan commented that in his opinion our Communications Strategy worked effectively. Zamurrad Khan reminded the Board that we still needed to concentrate on engaging the hard to reach groups. Vipin Joshi suggested that Mark could approach the local BD5 businesses who may be prepared to pay for advertising in the magazine.
It was proposed by Councillor Jamshed Khan and seconded by Vipin Joshi that the Board accept the recommendation for the review. The BD5 Magazine is the main communication vehicle for Bradford Trident and as such is a priority for continuation. If it is to continue beyond the life of the NDC, efforts should be made now to begin to generate advertising revenue. It should be appreciated that advertising will cut down on editorial space and that it was unlikely that revenue from advertising alone would cover all costs of production of the present format.
Directors asked that the print costs should be re-examined and reported to a future Board meeting.
Agreed:
That the recommendations contained within section 4 of the report be approved.
9. PACT PHASE 2 BUSINESS PLAN
A report was presented by Steve Hartley seeking the Board’s approval on the draft Pact Phase 2 Business Plan prior to submission to GOYH.
Steve explained the history of the Pact project and outlined that if we were successful in obtaining the European funding of £810,189 this would be used to support the following projects:
Woodroyd Centre £480,000
Trident Fund Phase 2 £100,000
Green Team £80,000
Job Brokerage £150,000
Ian Greenwood commented that in the circumstances the staff team had coped extremely well to spend the majority of the Phase 1 Pact money and were to be congratulated in putting together the Business Plan for the Phase 2 money.
The proposal was approved by Vipin Joshi and seconded by Greg Lucas. All Directors in favour.
Agreed:
That the Draft Pact Phase 2 Business Plan be approved with any final amendments necessary delegated to the Chief Executive.
10. WORKING GROUPS – REPORT BACK
A report was presented by Programme Managers outlining the actions of all Working Groups which have met since the last Board meeting.
The Board noted the working Group reports presented.
11. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
11.1 David Mosley reported to the Board that the audited accounts had now been produced by KPMG and copies were circulated for information.
A resolution was proposed by Vipin Joshi and seconded by Greg Lucas that the accounts be accepted with all Directors in favour. Ian Greenwood abstained as he was Chair of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund which is the pension provider for the company.
11.2 David Mosley advised the Board that the company needed to open three new bank accounts with HSBC to be used for the Universal Matched Incentive Scheme for housing, the Mayfield Centre and any External Funds which the staff team attract into the Bradford Trident area.
It was proposed by Vipin Joshi and seconded by Isa Khan that the Chair, Chief Executive and Company Secretary were authorised to complete the new mandates for the bank. All Directors were in favour.
11.3 Steve Hartley talked through an issue which Vipin Joshi had raised as a result of a recent Housing and Development Working Group meeting where Vipin believed a conflict of interest had not been declared. Steve advised the Board that he had obtained legal opinion about the possible conflict but needed to look at the process in order to decide whether it would be handled by the Housing and Development Working Group or considered by the full Board.
12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 10 February 2005, 5.00 pm, Mayfield Centre, Broadway, Bradford 5
.