Minutes - Coventry Partnership

Financial Inclusion Forum
Notes of the meeting on 6 th December 2011
Present:
Dawn Ford
Sarah Perry
Daksha Piparia
Elaine Shirley
Helen Harding
Judith Harris
Leisa Dixon
Stuart Hunter
Louise Richards
Saleem Sheikh
Jo Gowers
Sophie Parkes
Jim Dearlove
Jane Ingham
Apologies:
Ruth Brunton
Judith Badger
Laura Bennett
Sue Bent
Judy Best
Chris Connor
Justine Docherty
Janice Evans
Mike Lynn
Phillip Monk
June Morley
Isabelle Osbourne
Gaynor Smith
Coventry Partnership (Chair)
Coventry Partnership
Advice Services Coventry
Midland Heart
Coventry City Council – Revenues and Benefits
Groundwork West Midlands
WM Housing – Whitefriars
Coventry City Council – Extended Services
Warwickshire County Council
National Energy Action
Coventry City Council
Citizens Advice Bureau
CDA
Coventry City Council (notes)
Coventry City Council- Children & Young People
Guiness Northern Counties HA
Severn Trent
Coventry Law Centre
National Energy Action
Illegal Money lending Team
Willenhall Advice Centre
Coventry City Council – Revenues
Coventry City Council – Trading Standards
Coventry Law Centre
Coventry City Council – Neighbourhood Action
Coventry Credit Union
Job Centre Plus
Agenda
No.
1.
1.1
2.
2.1
Item
Welcome and Apologies:
Dawn welcomed everyone to the meeting and apologies were noted.
Introductions: - Introductions were made around the table.
Dawn Introduced Louise Richards from Warwickshire County Council, who
works on the Financial Inclusion programme in Warwickshire, as it was
Action
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3.
3.1
3.2
4.
4.1
4.2
mentioned at the last meeting we would forge links with Warwickshire.
Louise then outlined her roll and programme with Dawn stating they wished
to keep in close contact with the work that Coventry is doing and Sarah will
attend the financial inclusion meetings in Warwickshire and liaise and share
best practice with each other.
Minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2011:
A copy of the minutes were circulated with the agenda and accepted as a
true record of the discussions held.
Matters arising:
4.1 – Loan Shark Information:
Helen has arranged for Chris Connor to attend the Revenue and Benefits
briefing on the 17 th January
Sarah has arranged 3 training sessions for front line staff for the 20th
January, there a few places left if you want further please contact Sarah.
Sarah has distributed publicity material on loan sharks and has added an
article to Citivision.
Big Lottery Fund - Improving Financial Confidence
Leisa stated that Coventry's application had been successful in the first
round of the bidding process
Although a lot of work was done for the initial bid now there is more to do on
for the final bid which has to be submitted by 31 st May 2012. We will find out
if we have been successful in August 2012.
Action: Further updates will be provided at future meetings.
Action
3.2.
Action
4.2.
5.
5.1
5.2
5.3
Update from ELSE – Dawn Ford
Dawn reported that the Economy Learning Skills and Employment Theme
Group (ELSE) have recently reformed, two meetings have taken place to
date; the group is chaired by Jane Beaver, JCP.
Providers of the Work Programme will be invited to the next meeting in
January to provide an update on what services are available.
Sarah circulated a flyer to promote the ‘Your Choice Your Future’ event for
16 – 24 year olds on the 15th December at Coventry Rugby Club. There will
be over 20 stands covering employment opportunities, career advice,
apprenticeships, training as well workshops on interview tips, CV writing
and advice on how to look for jobs on line. The event has been widely
promoted, via job centres, libraries, community centres and connexions etc.
Dawn circulated the performance summary cards for the Sustainable Community
Strategy, this will be presented to the next Local Public Service Board, the objective
that ELSE own is "Create growth jobs and enterprise" Dawn highlighted a few of
the key areas within the document.
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Action
5.4.

5.4
6.
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
7.
7.1
The partnership has committed to create opportunities for young people with
the aim of reducing the number of NEETS by 1,050 by 2014. for Coventry
and Warwickshire. The LEP has a target to achieve 100 new
apprenticeships in 100 days to help reduce youth unemployment and
improve skills.
Elaine and Judith explained that they would be leaving the meeting shortly to
attend a meeting at Radford fire station. The meeting will focus on an
employment project with RSL tenants similar to the boot camp for 16-18
year olds.
Action: Judith and Elaine to feedback at the next meeting.
Feedback from the sub Group – Daksha Piparia:
It was decided to merge the two sub groups into one. The last meeting in
November was very interesting, a presentation was given from Coventry
Credit Union who are working on a scheme with the Coventry Co-op, on
electrical goods – further information can be found on the website
http://www.coventrypartnership.com/financial%20inclusion%20forum
Daksha encouraged the Forum that where ever possible we should be
guiding people to the Credit Union and promoting these within our individual
organisations. The credit Union is supported by 3 permanent employees
and volunteers in small premises in the City Arcade. A discussion took place
on the wide amount of interest that is charged from different lenders- Pay
day Loan, Provident as well as Credit unions and the public are unaware of
these interest rates. The group are working on a comparison table that
shows the different interest rates.
Action: Jim to send Sarah the comparison table.
Helen outlined that change in housing benefits and the shortfall in housing
allowance that will affect many vulnerable people. Also a change in Council
Tax benefit proposed to take place. A lot of work still to be done.
Action: Helen to present at the next meeting on the Welfare Reform
Daksha reported that the Christmas debt event did not take place due to
lack of time to promote it. A small planning group will meet next week to
arrange a pilot event in Tile Hill this will be supported by the £500 that is
available from the Illegal Money Lending Team.
The next meeting of sub group will meet on Friday 27 th January.
DRAFT Final Inclusion Strategy
Leisa circulated a draft framework for the Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The action plan has 5 key strands and it was agreed that members should
send Sarah the following information in order to help populate the Action
Plan.
Elaine &
Judith
Action
6.1. &
6.2.
Jim
Helen
Action
7.2.
Baseline data for the FIVE Key strands of work
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Actions/activities that fit under the FIVE Key strands of work a maximum
of three per strand with suggested timescales and delivery methods
against each action
7.2
7.3
8.
8.1
9.
9.1
9.2
Information must be sent back to Sarah by 13th January.
Louise asked Dawn how the strategy will link into the child poverty strategy
and she reported that the Economy Learning Skills and Employment Group
have family poverty as one of their areas of work.
Next Steps
Loan shark training to Revenue and Benefits 17 th January, 2012
Loan shark training to front line staff 20 th January, 2012
All to send Information for Financial Inclusion Action Plan
Tile Hill Event
Welfare Reform Presentation 13 th March, 2012
Feedback from Employment Project for RSI tenants
Any Other Business
Jo reported that the job club has been a huge success, over 500 people
went through the doors in the first 2 weeks and it is hoped that the Job Club
will be extended into January.
Families with Multiple Problems – DWP have promoted a fund to get longterm
unemployed from problematic families into work e.g. one member of
the family has to be of working age and on benefits. EOS is the local deliver
of this three year programme (until 2014) and are working closely with
colleagues in CLYP and Regeneration.
ALL
Helen
Sarah
All
Daksha
Helen
Elaine &
Judith
10. Date and time of next meeting:
• 13 th March 2012
• 12 th June 2012
• 18 th September 2012
• 11 th December 2012
All to
take
note.
All meetings to take place 10 – 12 in room 77, Council House Coventry
Sarah Perry
Coventry Partnership Support Officer
Sarah.perry@coventrypartnership.com
024 7683 4359
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