Present:

James Fitzpatrick - PTAS - Chair

Vincent Bailey - West Midlands Social Accounting Cluster

Richard Betterton - Herefordshire Consortium

Jane Gallagher - West Midlands Faith Forum

Louise Stokes - Shropshire Consortium

Dave Pinwell - SUSTAIN (Solihull Consortium)

Alison Straker - G:UP

In attendance:

Surinder Singh - D:WM

Denise Taylor - ADEPT

Anna Hraboweckyj - ARTE Research - joined at 11am

Apologies:

Jacquie Aucott - Coventry & Warks. Consortium

Mick Lloyd - Telford & Wrekin Consortium

Sharon Palmer - RAWM

Chris Newis - ELVS

Marcia Lewinson - WAITS

Introduction and Welcome

James welcomed everyone to the meeting, and there were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

1. Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes were agreed as a true record.

2. Matters arising from the minutes

Bid for 3^rd Sector Research - Sharon had reported that EOI could not be circulated because of the stage of application.

Contact details for Volunteering England to be circulated.

James agreed to continue as Chair until the end of April, but no longer.

Skills Audit - all completed forms had been returned. The completed report will be considered at the next meeting in conjunction with the business Plan.

Updated Delivery Plan - Carried over Action point to be completed by the end of March.

Drafting of case studies - agreed to compile a comments section to be included in the new Directory instead of including case studies.  Partnership will continue t collect case studies for other purposes.

Accountable Body specification and budget - this had been circulated to PWG members, and was to be circulated to all Partnership members.

Commissioning Framework - the final document had been passed to Anna for inclusion in the draft strategy and plan, and Surinder will circulate to Partnership members

Draft Performance Management Framework - this had been completed and will be circulated to Partnership members. The Partnership agreed to delegate authority to sign off the final document to the PWG due to pressure of time.

Future governance proposals - it was proposed that the structured discussed and identified at the Feb08 Away Days and contained in the Facilitator's Report, should be adopted by the Partnership.

It was agreed that there needs to be full clarity and regular checks about the delegation of powers.

Representation as contained within the Terms of Reference needs to be clear.

The ongoing work on this topic will remain with the PWG, who will consider all aspects of the future governance at the next meeting, with a further meeting to be arranged in early April.

This was agreed unanimously, along with a delegation of powers to the PWG to progress this matter.

Surinder to circulate the contact details.

Surinder to collate the returns and circulate the report in time for consideration at the next meeting in April.

Surinder to circulate by 31/3/08.

Surinder to circulate by end of today (20/3/08)

Surinder to circulate final version to Partnership members for information.

Surinder to circulate to Jane Gallagher and other interested members today, and it will be signed off at the next PWG meeting.

Next PWG to consider future Governance as a main agenda item, with the delegated authority to sign off the final document.

3. Programme Update

Surinder reported that all of three agreed priority projects had been submitted by the deadline of 19/3/08:  Voice, Impact and SIP - Stronger Together.

Capacitybuilders will make funding decisions by 30/4/08.

It was confirmed that Mainstreaming Equalities was no longer a separate project but had been built upon and threaded throughout all three project outlines.

Anna requested that the final version of each project outline be forwarded to her.

The final Strategy and Business Plan documents will require signing off and it was agreed that delegated powers will be given to the PWG.  Capacitybuilders will then notify the Partnership if they consider it fit for purpose.

On receipt of this confirmation DWM will then become eligible for consideration in the April round of project funding.

Surinder reported that all reporting to Capacitybuilders for this current year was on target

Surinder confirmed that Capacitybuilders had given written consent to a roll over of the current underspend to the end of June 2008, in general and not only for specific items.

The launch of the Regional Strategy and plan is confirmed for Wednesday 30^th April from 10.30am - 1.00pm at Baskerville House in Birmingham.

Jane Gallagher gave her apologies due to a clash with a prearranged Faiths Forum event, but she will ensure someone is able to attend.

It was agreed that each of the geographical and specialist members should have a presence in the form of a stall/display

It was agreed that a summary of the strategy and plan needs to be produced containing key messages with some targeted questions for feedback.

Agreed that external key stakeholders will receive a personalised invitation from the Chair, Partnership members will use their existing relationships to make personal invites.

Surinder to email final version of each project to Anna for inclusion in the plan, and to project leads for information.

Surinder to arrange for signatures at the PWG meeting.

Partnership members to target key stakeholders in their local areas, as well as other key individuals Partnership members feel should attend.

Partnership members to contact Surinder if they require a stall.

To be considered at the next PWG meeting.

Partnership members to pass details of invitees onto Surinder to keep a central file.

5. Financial Report

Surinder distributed a financial report identifying committed spend up to 31/3/08.

The Partnership noted that there was an underspend of £6,755, and agreed that the PWG will draw up a mini-budget to ensure the money is allocated to ensure systems and processes are in place to give a seamless progression for the new projects.

It was noted that, following agreement at the last Partnership, Surinder will remain in post until 6/5/08, with arrangements after this date dependent on funding announcements from Capacitybuilders.

the current secretarial support contract expires on 31/3/08.

It was agreed in principle that some sort of secretarial support is required pending the funding announcement fro Capacitybuilders. Denise and Surinder will discuss the minimum support needed and Surinder will prepare a report to the next PWG meeting.

PWG to progress at the next meeting.

Surinder and Denise to identify a minimum secretarial function and Surinder to raise how this will be fulfilled at PWG meeting when considering use of underspend.

6. Working group Reports

SIP:

The SIP's latest piece of work identifying how it fits into the Regional Strategy and plan was briefly presented.

Once logos etc have been inserted the report will be posted on the DWM website

Communication & Technology WG:

Dave reported that the development of the website was proceeding on time and to plan.

He reported that a number of training events for Partnership members has been organised for April.

It was agreed that the website needs to be up and running and populated by the time of the launch of the strategy and plan.

To ensure all Partners are able to post content on the website, the training will be consolidated through a session at the next meeting.

Policy Working Group:

Public Funders' Forum - James reported back on the meeting he had attended on 7/3/08.  

He also reported that he had been approached to have bi-lateral discussions with GOWM and the LSC separately.

Agreed that governance arrangements should be considered as if RAWM is to be the Accountable Body, and if there is to be any variation that should be addressed at the next PWG meeting.

It was also agreed that if RAWM agrees to being the Accountable Body within the outlined cost, they should also remain a Partner within DWM.

The next meeting of the PWG was agreed to be 28/3/08.

Vince to forward the final version of the report to Denise to be posted on the website.

Surinder will circulate the dates of the training today (20/3/08)

Surinder to ensure that the venue for the next meeting has wireless access.

Surinder to circulate a suggested menu structure for comments to be received by 26/3/08.

It was agreed that Louise and Vince would accompany James to the first meeting with GOWM on 31/3/08.

PWG members to note date and time of next meeting to be held on Friday 28^th March 2pm - 5pm at RAWM, with the principle objective of signing off the Strategy and Plan.

7.  Regional Strategy & Plan

Anna reported that there have been some significant changes to the drafts that were submitted to Capacitybuilders in December 07, but that she was confident that the text would be drafted over the Easter period in time to be signed off by the PWG and submitted before the 31/3/08 deadline.

The meeting conducted a risk assessment of the plan and identified the following:

Performance Management - some work needs to be undertaken to ensure an appropriate system is in place.

Commissioning Framework - the present draft clashes with what is in place around performance management - the two need to be considered in parallel.

Marketing strategy - still required

Fundraising strategy - still required.

The Partnership has identified 5 projects going up to 2011, and a mechanism is required to be able to identify new projects to pursue the vision up to 2014.

To be considered and progressed were possible at the next PWG meeting.  Anna to incorporate into final strategy and plan.

James to draft Marketing and Fundraising Strategies.

Future Partnership meetings - and proposed Regional Strategy Group - to identify future priorities and projects.

7. Any other Business

The following calendar of meetings for 08/09 was agreed:

Partnership Meetings:

Thursday 24^th April 2008 - (Louise Stokes gave her apologies)

Thursday 22^nd May 2008

Thursday 26^th June 2008

Thursday 21^st August 2008

Thursday 23^rd October 2008

Thursday 18^th December 2008

Thursday 19^th February 2009

Thursday 23^rd April 2009

Regional Strategic Review Group:

Thursday 25^th September 2008

Thursday 24^th March 2009

8. Date and time of the next meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for 24^th April 2008 10am until 1.00pm to be held at a venue to be notified to Partnership members.