Community Relations Council
Equity Diversity Interdependence
Promoting a Peaceful and Fair
Society based on Reconciliation
and Mutual Trust.
January Minutes 2011
26 January 2011
MINUTES OF THE ONE HUNDRED & FORTY-SIXTH MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 2011 @ 1.30 P.M. IN THE 2ND FLOOR BOARDROOM, CRC OFFICES, 6 MURRAY STREET, BELFAST BT1 6DN
2155/11 PRESENT: Action:
Mr T McCusker, Ms H Francey, Ms E Gallagher, Ms M Hetherington, Mr H Mansour, Ms S McDermott, Mr T Kennedy, Ms R McCorley, Mr D Porter, Dr D Russell, Ms K Hanlon, Mr R Morton, Ms S McShane, Ms S Gordon.
2156/11 APOLOGIES:
Ms J Witherow, Mr S Farry, Mr J Deery, Mr W Gamble, Dr L Litvack, Mr J Byrne.
Staff: Ms J Irwin (Deputy CEO].
2157/11 IN ATTENDANCE:
Dr D Morrow [CEO], Ms H Scott [Personal Sec].
2158/11 OBSERVER:
Ms R Dalton (OFMDFM)
2159/11 MINUTES:
Minutes of the previous meetings 25th November 2010 having been circulated were taken as read. These were approved.
2160/11 MATTERS ARISING:
1 Unite Against Pathfinder: [Mins 2151/10 Item 1 refers] – The CEO responded to member’s questions at November’s meeting. There were no further questions.
2 Blackmountain Pathfinder: [Mins 2151/10 Item 2 refers] – The CEO tabled a paper with a revised proposal and he updated members. He advised that, after discussions, the revised (and reduced) amount of £26,520 (for a consultant) and “up to” £7,000 for a pilot youth project had been agreed.
3 Annual Report: The CEO indicated that the updated (financial) report had been published and copies were available at the meetings. He advised that this report has also been presented at the Assembly.
4 Commemorations – [Mins 2148/10 refer – verbal update]: The CEO told members that there had been a meeting on 20th January kick starting the discussions. He pointed out that between 2012 and 2022 there would be a series of commemorations many of which could be contentious. The CEO said that the group was
2160/11 Matters Arising continued: Action:
interested in how to engage in plural discussions in a positive way acknowledging difference without endless contention. He told members that a seminar was being planned for 21st March (to be confirmed) which invite people from a broad range e.g. community, arts, media, historians etc.
5 Rowntree Charitable Trust project – [Mins 2119/10, 29 Sept 2010 meeting refer]: The CEO informed members that the first meeting of the academic advisory group had met and that he and Mr Nolan had had a video conferencing call with Rowntree staff on 3rd Dec (weather conditions had prevented travel). He said that this conversation had raised some issues but said that most of these had been resolved in discussions this week. The CEO indicated that Rowntree were to consider how to measure security and safety and come back to us.
2161/11 CHAIR’S BUSINESS:
1 Standard checks:
(a) The Chair reminded Members that they had to declare any conflict of interest in any discussions where decisions were required.
(b) The Chair reminded members of the necessity to register any offers
of gifts or hospitality since the last Council meeting.
2 First meeting with Rowntree: the Chair confirmed that he had
attended the first advisory group meeting.
3 The Chair reported that he had attended several meetings with Ministers re
CSI consultation. He told members that all Ministers had been sent CRC’s CSI submission some had responded to requests for meetings others had replied “noted”.
4 The Chair informed members that CRC was involved in a joint project
about Shared Education with IFI and Atlantic Philantropies.
5 The Chair said that he had attended the launch of the Rural Neighbourhood project at the Rural Community Network.
2162/11 PRESENTATION: Corporate Planning 2011-14 (CEO)
The Chair told members that CRC needed to have a strategic plan despite current uncertainties. He pointed out that whereas CRC’s CSI response set out its philosophy in that framework CRC had to forward plan. The Chair said that the May meeting might be an “away day”.
2162/11 Corporate planning continued: Action:
The CEO said the strategic plan CRC produced in 2007 was based on CRC’s delivery role in a Shared Future. However since then he said, on a strategic level, CRC had been operating in a vacuum and had continued to extend the
2007 strategic plan. The CEO reminded members that last year an initial CSI document was issued but because of the ambiguity and uncertainty still around the CSI consultation (and possible outcomes) CRC remained in limbo and had continued to operate under the 2007 plan. He said that even if the CSI document was to be implemented it would take at least a year before any impact was seen.
The CEO said that it was agreed that the Finance and General Purposes Committee should outline a new plan which could be revisited in light of any political change. He said it was felt that CRC should have a 3/4 year strategic plan but suggested that there was an argument for a 4 year plan because the spend cycle is 4 years.
CEO’s presentation came under the following headings:
Ø Corporate planning 2011 -14
Ø CRC Vision
Ø Reviewing the context
Ø A review of reviews
Ø Reviewing the previous plan 2007-10
Ø CRC Tools
Ø CRC principles
Ø CRC priorities 2007-10
Ø In the context of “A Shared Future” position of CRC as the regional body for CR
Ø Promote sustained trust and interdependence by challenging and supporting all sections of our community to work together
Ø Communicate a vision of a shared society
Ø Key issues: Cultural Diversity and Victims work
Ø Maintain an organisation that is fit for purpose delivering services that are effective, efficient and in line with best practice.
Ø Significant tasks
Ø Existential questions
Ø Looking forward – staff comment
Ø Outline priorities
Ø CRC planning – next steps
There followed a general discussion and, the following suggestions were made:
Collating the good quality CSI responses currently on CRC’s website
CRC would publish its own document (CSI response)
Consider an intern to analyse responses
Members agreed 31st March should be an all day event (possibly starting with a short Council meeting).
2162/11 Corporate planning continued: Action:
CEO’s summary:
· Full day on 31st March
· Staff would work on strategic plan in advance
· Chair and CEO would have discussions
· Draft prepared for 31st March
(Ms Hanlon left the boardroom at 2.45 p.m.)
2163/11 FINANCE:
[Papers CRC/146/01/11/01(a), 01(b) refer]
Update on groups under investigation (verbal)
Management A/Cs & Financial statements to 31 Oct 2010 - 01(a) Departmental profit and loss to 31 Oct 2010 - 01(b)
The CEO advised that financial statements had been looked at by Messrs Finegan Gibson and there were no areas of concern. He said that the above papers represented a snapshot of the financial situation and pointed out that surplus were temporary (since given out in grants).
Departmental Profit and Loss: CEO reported nothing unusual.
Update on fraud allegations: The CEO updated members on the current situation vis-a-vis the two organizations involved;
Case 1: SEUPB had withdrawn its letter of offer but would not share the document with anyone. No further information from PSNI (since October 2010). Delays in getting (auditors) into offices were due to severe weather conditions (snow), followed by burst water pipes and the lead person being in hospital. ASM finally gained entry to the offices in mid January 2011. Meanwhile legal advice from OFMDFM (departmental solicitors) was to “preserve the field”. Currently the organisation gets month recurrent costs (core funding). No small grants, no letters of offer had been issued.
Case 2:During a fraud investigation potential serious discrepancies were uncovered. Documentation was passed on to PSNI but progress very slow. CRC was advised to “stand off” in July 2010 while PSNI investigated now had been advised that PSNI are only going to look at the initial material the Accountants had discovered and passed on. OFMDFM want CRC to do a further spot check and a business case to finance this has been submitted to OFMDFM in October and the hope was that it would be signed-off next week.
Spot checks over all schemes: The CEO advised that a business case had been put together in order to carry out spot checks throughout all of CRC’s grant schemes. He said that if this was not approved there would be considerable risk to CRC.
2164/11 OPERATIONAL PLANNING: Action:
[Paper CRC/146/01/11/02 refers]
Operational Plan 3rdQuarter Review
The CEO advised that this was simply an update to member on the implementation of the CRC Operational Plan 10-11
There were no questions.
2165/11 PATHFINDER PROPOSALS:
The CEO apologised for the fact that no papers were enclosed he said that one application did not meet the threshold and the second had only just been received and there had not been time to format it.
At the Chair’s suggestion it was agreed that an application(s) could be circulated to members via e-mail. Approval (or otherwise) would be sought and no response would be considered approval. CEO
2166/11 CEO’s REPORT: [Paper CRC/145/11/10/04refers]
CSI: The Chair suggested that members should discuss potential legal issues in terms of CRC’s the position relative to staff if some of CRC’s functions were moved elsewhere. He suggested this could be discussed at the next CSI group meeting (9 February).
The CEO said he would try to investigate this and if possible circulate members prior to the meeting. CEO
(Ms Gordon left the boardroom at 3.10 p.m.)
Shared Housing seminar – The CEO confirmed there would be a half day seminar with Minister present would take place 9th March.
One Small Step – The CEO said that Mr Mullan would invite Council members to the next OSS meeting and that they were considering having debate during the election period. CEO/Mr Mullan
2167/11 SECTOR REPORTS:
[Papers CRC/146/01/11/05 to 10 refer]
These reports outline the main areas of work.
Communication & Learning Resources (Paper CRC/146/01/11/05 refers)
2167/11 SECTOR REPORTS continued: Action:
CRC website: Some members pointed out that there was a lot on the CRC website about what “others were doing” but little about what CRC was doing. They felt that CRC should publicise itself better.
Another member said that although there was a huge amount of information on the website it was sometimes hard to locate. Others suggested that it was a bit bland, lacked “colour and vitality” and could do with a revamp.
CRC bulletin: Members suggested it could also be used to promote CRC related items (as well as items of interest).
Funding & Development Programme (Papers RC/146/01/11/06 & and appendix refer)
The Chair pointed out that it had been a long time since Programme Directors had made a presentation to Council. He suggested that the Core Funding Officer might make a short presentation to the next meeting.
Victims Programme (Paper CRC/146/01/11/07 refers)
Policy Development Programme (Paper CRC/146/01/11/08 refers)
The CEO advised that there would be a Policy Conference during CR week which we be about business and it was hoped that Declan Kelly would be the key note speaker. He said that CR week might have to work around Mr Kelly’s availability.
Community Bridges Programme (Paper CRC/146/01/11/09 refers)
EU Programme (Paper CRC/146/01/11/10 refers)
2168/11 AOB:
(1) The CEO updated members on the current situation vis-a-vis the Director of Finance and Personnel post. He said the decision to terminate employment had been appealed and this would follow a formal process. The CEO confirmed that that accountants had continued to assist with financial matters where required and that additional HR assistance had been accessed on a consultancy basis when required.
The CEO wanted to record his thanks to Mrs T Wilson (on maternity leave) and Mr K Gibson who had taken over from Ms Wilson.
(2) Performance indicators (OFMDFM): The Chair indicated that two papers had been tabled at the meeting and were available for members.
2168/11 AOB continued:
He said that the overwhelming view was that a strategy from government was needed.
The CEO said that a set of indicators had been established and this was an update. He said that CRC would put out a press release followed by an article.
2170/11 DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS:
Thurs 31 March 2011 (TBC)
Thurs 26 May 2011 (CRC’s offices in Dungannon) TBC
Wed 29 June2011(6 Murray Street – AGM)
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