Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited them to introduce themselves.

Apologies had been received from Morcea Walker.

The Minutes from the meeting on 8^th January were agreed as a true record.

o        L Ambrose reported that the Single Equality Scheme had now been adopted.

o        The Chair mentioned that the Face to Face consultation was due to close on the day following the meeting.

Jim Lillis, Northants Healthcare Trust

Further details available at:

http://www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/nht/Features/Northamptonshire_Festival_of_Wellbeing/index.htm

For those not able to access the Internet, leaflets will be available at the meeting.

Jim Lillis, representing the Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust, reported on a week of activities and events planned to promote and educate people about general health and well-being.  There was to be particular focus on removing the stigma and fear about mental health issues and bringing the various communities together for mutual education and support.  He outlined the programme for the week, which was to conclude on Saturday 19^th April with an event at the Saints rugby ground.  This was to be a high-profile celebration and fun-day including international dancing, children’s and adult’s activities and a range of stalls and stands. Full details were available from the Trust’s website at http://www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/NHT/Features/Northamptonshire_Festival_of_Wellbeing/index.htm.  

The draft Community Engagement Strategy had been presented to the Council’s Cabinet earlier in the week and members had felt that the strategy had not done enough to acknowledge the role of forums in consultations. This was to be addressed in the document before its final publication.

Previous consultation had comprised a citizen panel, made up of a body of statistically representative residents who were approached for their opinion.  However, this did not have the ‘open door’ principle of individual engagement favoured by the current administration. It was agreed that there needed to be a proper relationship between the Council and the community, with two-way dialogue to engage with the perceived successes and failures of provided services. It was suggested that more interrelation between the various forums would help to create a positive outlook and the sharing of good practice.  L Ambrose explained that, although many of the items discussed in the forums were common to them all, there were obviously certain issues relevant only to the specific forum members.  There had been joint events, in particular an annual meeting of older and young people who were all very energetic together and seemed to enjoy sharing issues relevant to them all. 

J Rawlings commented that in the area opposite Campbell Square, where coaches pick up elderly people for day trips, the toilets had been closed.  He felt that forums should have been consulted before making the decision to close the town’s public toilets.  The Chair conceded that this was indeed an issue for a lot of people and the current administration was looking at the situation as a whole with a long-term view of keeping some of the most used toilets open but possibly closing them out of shopping hours because of lack of funding.

J Campbell enquired of the Chair how the council would engage with hard to reach communities if there were no forums, because they were a vital tool for agencies and other people to publicise events and information. It was felt that an openness and exchange of information across combined forums would be helpful. L Ambrose pointed out that there were some occasions within the specialist forums where members preferred to discuss things with like-minded people and they needed safe space to do that.  However, it had been made clear that the Chief Executive was keen to encourage neighbourhood and other forums so that local and town-wide issues could be identified.   The Chair confirmed that there had never been any intention to disband forums and they should be enshrined within the Community Engagement Strategy so that each group had space to talk about their issues. There was an obligation to have a two-way communication with the community on all levels.  People should be aware of the forums as their chance to lobby the Council directly on issues pertinent to their own needs.

L Ambrose described some of the events at the 2008 event and suggested that in 2009 there would be a number of activities coinciding with the Ann Frank exhibition. Explaining the Ann Frank award scheme, L Ambrose gave examples of nominees who had undertaken good works in their communities and helped other people. Owing to the quantity of the nominations in the current year, the deadline for their submission had been extended to 10^th April 2008. The Youth Forum was intending to ask within the community to find people to train to take part in the Ann Frank exhibition and it was felt that the heritage weekend at the Guildhall would help them become familiar with its layout. The Royal and Derngate was being approached regarding the hosting of a project involving the writing and performance of plays addressing the Holocaust memorial issues and challenging discrimination. School were to be involved through their curriculum, and links with schools in Poland, Pakistan and Germany would encourage students to communicate about things meaningful to them. The theme for the 2009 commemoration was still to be announced but people were encouraged to join in the planning group and contact L Ambrose if they were interested.

J Rawlings expressed concern about Holocaust memorials, commenting that whilst it was interesting to look back, people should not be deflected from current international atrocities, such as those in Cambodia and Gaza. It was pointed out that there were many Somalian people in the town who had relatives and friends who were currently subject to enormous suffering. The Chair indicated the need to anchor things in present whilst learning from past and educate people as to what was happening across the world. L Ambrose made it clear that the commemorative events were designed to link in to current issues, such as the problems in Uganda, and it was important that the occasion did not become an ancient history event.

Great concern was then expressed at the way in which the local press did not consider the sensitivity of people’s situations when reporting items.  Particular reference was made to the Aufona column in the Chronicle and Echo, which had recently unkindly targeted a black prostitute and had also misreported an incident involving a Quaker man, who was reported as being of Jewish origin. Sergeant Colhoun was to meet with the editors of the paper to point out their responsibilities and put forward Police concerns about underlying racially biased reporting.   Such widespread press opinions could have a negative impact on attitudes and feelings within communities and lead to feelings of exclusion. Similar stereotyping of people with mental health issues had arisen in the paper and it was felt that such personal information was not relevant to the news items that were being reported.  It was suggested that someone from the Chronicle and Echo be invited to the forum so that these concerns could be expressed in person. However, it was accepted that good news did not sell papers.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

St Patrick Day – Although this fell on a Monday there was a programme of events over the preceding weekend.  The Guildhall was being used on Saturday 15^th March for a series of activities, including Irish culture, food, art and Irish dancers.  The event was open to all.

There was to be a Somalian engagement evening on 20^th March with police involvement at The Guildhall between 7.00 and 9.45pm, which would include music, dance and information about the services that people might want to access.

29^th March 2008 – The Guildhall – 10.00am to 1.00pm

The aim of the event, being held on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th March was to increase the awareness of current sports, health and fitness provision across the borough.  It was open to women and girls of all ages and cultures and as well as sporting activities there were to be talks on black history and discussions on what people saw as barriers against doing more in Northampton.

The Youth Forum had met on the previous Saturday to short list projects for the coming year.  L Ambrose read a list of some of the approved projects, many of which involved young people from minority ethnic backgrounds and areas identified in the town as being deprived. A Ahmed felt that that older people in the Somalian community were in need of more help and it was suggested that Olive Robinson be contacted for information about African and Caribbean facilities.  L Ambrose pointed out that there was also good support for the elderly with a particularly lively Pensioners’ group who met regularly in Abington. With regard to youth projects, there was concern about the difficulty of publicising newly introduced sports from other countries, such as Gaelic football.  L Ambrose explained about a website currently under construction that could be the medium for advertising (www.activenorthants.co.uk).  Items for inclusion on the site could be sent to her on lambrose@northampton.gov.uk.  She also regularly updated links on the youth forum area of the NBC website which signposted people to a range of activities. 

It was suggested that an update be requested following a presentation to the forum on the concerns surrounding the underachievement of black children in schools. There followed discussion on the limitations of the forum to make progress with this, as it was a matter under the remit of the County Council.  However, it was agreed that the forum’s annual day event could be used to address the issue of raising aspirations and achievement in young people (including BME children) with invitations to be sent to Governor Services, the University, College and head teachers as well as Educators, to attend.

J Campbell also requested that an item be raised on a future agenda to discuss travellers and gypsies and hate crimes.  L Ambrose suggested that a work plan be created so that items that have been brought to the forum could be revisited on a regular basis and actions agreed on.

It was requested that other items for inclusion in a work plan be brought to the next meeting for discussion.

There was none.

29^th May 2008