Community Relations Council

• Jobs
• Press Releases
• News
• Links
• Speeches
• Contact
• Council Minutes

11 February 2010

Community Initiatives Committee February 11th 2010 CRC Belfast Confirmed

Present:                     Hazel Francey (Chair), Sylvia Gordon, Hassan Mansour, Eamonn Oakes, David Porter

In Attendance:           Frances Dennison, Judith Hamilton, Sharon Hobson (minute taker), Paul Jordan, Damien McNally, Dr Duncan Morrow, Roisin Montague

Jonathan Byrne, Robin Morton, Maura Muldoon.

Ms Francey suggested that a card be sent to Ms Muldoon who has been ill for some time.

Agreed.

No matters arising.

Mr Jordan updated the committee that the availability of slippage money and subsequent extension of the scheme had resulted in 60 applications being submitted, with a budget of £55,000 available.

Ms Dennison explained that around 95% of the core funding budget has been spent.  Groups will incur expenditure up to 31^st March 2010 and so much of the remaining budget will be absorbed although groups have been invited to submit requests for  in-contract savings to ensure that full spend is achieved. Groups have until 16^th April 2010 to submit financial claims for the financial year 2009 – 2010.

Mr McNally met with all groups on 26^th January 2010 to inform them of the need for work plans, which must be submitted by 5^th March 2010. He will meet with them again in March 2010 to discuss their proposed work plans for the coming year. The evaluation panel will also be meeting in March 2010.

The committee agreed that the ongoing evaluation process is a massive improvement.

Ms Dennison gave a brief overview of the themes and geographical areas covered by current core funded groups. She advised that these would change as a result of the outcome of CIC decisions today.

Public Achievement

Committee discussed the application materials and agreed that the group had presented a strong proposal with reasonable costs. Committee agreed to support the project.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at Option 1 - £27,181.00

Irish School of Ecumenics

Committee discussed the application materials and agreed that the group’s proposal met an identified need within the Core Funding Portfolio. It was agreed to support the project.

Outcome: Members agree upon funding of £35,000 with budget allocations to be calculated and confirmed by Ms Dennison.

St. Columb’s Park House

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was noted that there are three groups based in Derry already in receipt of core funding and thus not funding them would not leave a regional gap in the portfolio. It was agreed that the groups application should be considered for Pathfinder funding for one year.

Outcome: Members agree that the application should be considered for Pathfinder funding for one year if group can find match funding.

Forthspring Inter Community Group

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was noted that the proposal scored 19 and was below the eligibility threshold.

Committee noted that the group is currently in receipt of large scale funding from the Community Bridges Programme of the IFI and much of the significant CR work is being covered under this programme. The Committee recognised that they are a unique group, and current political issues make them more significant. However in light of the project’s assessment score and the fact that the group are already in receipt of funding from the Council through Community Bridges, it was agreed not to offer funding at this time.

Outcome: Members agree that an offer of funding will not be made.

Training for Women Network

Committee discussed the application materials and agreed that the organisation did not currently fulfill a gap in the core funding portfolio. It was agreed not to offer funding to the proposal.

Outcome: Members agree that an offer of funding will not be made.

Extern

Committee considered the group’s application and assessment materials. Committee agreed that as the group is only seeking one year of funding and their work in youth justice is an important area, they should be put forward for Pathfinder funding.

Outcome: Members agree that the application should be considered for Pathfinder funding.

The North West Play Resource Centre

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was noted that the proposal scored 19 and was below the eligibility threshold.

Committee agreed that as the group’s 2 major community relations projects are supported under IFI Community Bridges Programme and Peace III, the community relations element of its work is already well resourced.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Healing Through Remembering

Mr Porter declared a conflict of interest and left the room.

Committee discussed the application materials and agreed that as the work proposed is already taking place on an annual basis without a co-ordinator salaried position a strong need for funding was not demonstrated.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Mr Porter returned to the room.

Women’s Resource and Development Agency

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was noted that the proposal scored 19 and was below the eligibility threshold. Committee agreed that the organisation did not currently fulfill a gap in the core funding portfolio. It was agreed not to offer funding to the proposal.

Dr Morrow suggested that a tendering process could be created for women’s groups so that they could be compared fairly against each other. This could be examined in more detail when a departmental review of core funding takes place.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Co –operation Ireland

Mr Oakes declared a potential conflict of interest and left the room.

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was agreed that the proposal did not clearly evidence new work that core funding provision would enable it to do, instead focus was placed on the continuation of existing CR work already happening. It was agreed not to offer funding to the proposal.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Mr Oakes returned to the room.

Beyond Skin

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report and agreed that the grant aid received by the group from small grants would provide adequate support for their projects. It was agreed not to offer funding to the proposal.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Inside Out

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was noted that the group’s work was mostly youth based and recommended that they continue to seek support from small grants. It was agreed not to offer funding to the proposal.

Outcome: Members agreed that an offer of funding would not be made.

Dr Morrow left the meeting.

All groups considered under this category have demonstrated eligibility for consideration under this programme.

Fermanagh Trust

Committee discussed the application materials and assessment report. It was agreed that the community relations proposal was weak in a number of key areas:

• Value for money – The Trust has a large amount of unrestricted reserves which would enable it to continue with CR work if resources from CRC were unavailable.
• The proposal was vague, particularly around the work areas relating to the salaried staff member.
• Community Relations work was being well resourced under the Shared Education Programme funded by other agencies.
• There was limited evidence of any cooperation or communication between Fermanagh Trust and Fermanagh District Council’s good relations programme.

It was agreed that the current funding contract would not be renewed.

Outcome: Members agreed that the contract for funding would not be renewed.

LINC

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 3 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £84,225.00

Belfast Interface Project

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at a reduced level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at a reduced level of £70,000.00

React

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 3 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £38,473.00

PAKT

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 2 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £30,646.00

Kilcranny House

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 4 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £37,215.00

Interaction Belfast

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 3 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £56,534.00

Worker’s Education Association

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 3 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £49,253.00

Intercomm

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 1 year.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 1 year of funding at option 3 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £24,218.00

Dr Morrow returned.

Community Relations Forum

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at the current level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 2 resulting in the same amount of funding as last year - £33,511.00

Rural Community Network

Committee considered the organisation’s application materials and agreed to continue to fund at a reduced level for up to 2 years.

Outcome: Members agreed upon 2 years of funding at option 1 resulting in a decrease in funding as requested - £42,401.00

Members considered the paper presented which detailed a number of requests from continuation groups to have increases to current award levels.

The Women into Politics special request was discussed as part of this broader consideration.

The CIC agreed that the budgetary constraints on this Programme had no provision for award increases and all requests were denied at this time.  Contracts for 2010 – 2011 should issue at the current level, following agreement around funding objectives and the submission of an annual work plans by the groups.

CIC  designated authority to officers to finalise the award amounts (in line with CIC decisions around salary percentages) within £3000 of the overall amounts.

Mr Jordan stated that all groups would be notified of CIC decisions in the coming week and that a review panel would be convened to deal with any such requests.

There were a number of issues raised during the discussion that should be brought to the next CIC meeting in June including:

• Consistency of salary levels across funded groups
• Plethora of training organisations: lack of quality control/ standards/ duplication in service provision/ fees for training etc.
• What is meant by ‘core funding’ – is it an appropriate name for this scheme?
• Should the Programme budget be allocated on a thematic basis which would encourage collaboration and ensure the best delivery mechanisms for specific pieces of work?
• Assessment process and application forms to be reviewed/ possibility of streamlining this with the evaluation work to be explored.

Dr Morrow thanked staff for their work to date.

Thursday 3^rd June 2010, 12pm – 3pm, Belfast.

Thursday 16^th September 2010, 12pm – 3pm, Belfast.

Thursday 9^th December 2010, 10am – 2pm, Belfast.