FOR DECISIONS
1. From Caroline Ledbrook
I'd like to come to the next meeting and discuss the issues with disruptive and antisocial behaviour especially at nights when people are returning home from the local pubs. I would also like to talk about the lamppost outside our house and how it seems to encourage intoxicated passers by to loiter under it.
I'd like to come to the next meeting and discuss the issues with disruptive and antisocial behaviour especially at nights when people are returning home from the local pubs. I would also like to talk about the lamppost outside our house and how it seems to encourage intoxicated passers by to loiter under it.
2. Procurement of Audit for Smaller Authorities (annual income less than £6.5 million) and the new Sector Led Body (SLB) You may already know that although auditing procedures for smaller authorities (income less than £6.5 million in this case) will continue as before the procurement process will change from 2017. From the start of the 2017/18 financial year smaller authorities, including parish and town councils, can choose to have an auditor appointed to them by a new ‘sector-led body’ or they can decide to procure their own. NALC are to call this procurement body the 'Smaller Authority Audit Appointments Limited'.
How the new arrangements will work, what the new body will do, what it will offer to smaller authorities, and how you can 'opt out' of having an auditor appointed to you and what you will then need to do is all contained within a Factsheet, from NALC which you can access on this link:
http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=995
In brief the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (can be found on the DALC website) requires that from 2017 smaller authorities will appoint auditors through a ‘sector led body’ or 'opt out' of such arrangements and appoint auditors locally.
Audit of smaller authorities remains mandatory and the creation of the body is aimed at easing the administrative burden, reducing costs and ensuring quality, while maintaining the opportunity for a local approach to auditor appointment.
One important change is that from 2017 those smaller authorities with a turnover below £25,000 will still be required to complete and publish an Annual Return, but will no longer be required to submit it for external audit.
About the Sector-Led Body (SLB):
Those smaller authorities who wish to participate in the SLB need do nothing as all smaller authorities are automatically 'opted in' to the new body and will have an auditor procured for them.
How can a Council 'opt out' of the new arrangements?
The decision to opt out must be made through a formal meeting of the council. If the council resolves to 'opt out' of the SLB procurement it must send advice by either:
SUMMARY:
· New Audit arrangements come into force on 1 April 2017 requiring the set up a SLB (Sector Led Body)
· NALC will be working in partnership with SLCC set-up of the SLB
· The SLB will procure, deliver and manage the audit contracts to start 1 April 2017
· The SLB will appoint auditors for all those authorities 'opted in'
· Authorities who 'opt out' of the SLB arrangements will need to do so by 31st January 2016 by informing the SLB and will need to have appointed auditors in place by 31 December 2016
· The audit regime from 1 April 2017 remains unchanged using limited assurance engagements
How the new arrangements will work, what the new body will do, what it will offer to smaller authorities, and how you can 'opt out' of having an auditor appointed to you and what you will then need to do is all contained within a Factsheet, from NALC which you can access on this link:
http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=995
In brief the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (can be found on the DALC website) requires that from 2017 smaller authorities will appoint auditors through a ‘sector led body’ or 'opt out' of such arrangements and appoint auditors locally.
Audit of smaller authorities remains mandatory and the creation of the body is aimed at easing the administrative burden, reducing costs and ensuring quality, while maintaining the opportunity for a local approach to auditor appointment.
One important change is that from 2017 those smaller authorities with a turnover below £25,000 will still be required to complete and publish an Annual Return, but will no longer be required to submit it for external audit.
About the Sector-Led Body (SLB):
- The SLB will procure, deliver and manage the audit contracts; this will include specification of contract requirements, management of auditors, recording of all authorities opting in or out, communications and quality management of audit contracts.
- The SLB will be charged with monitoring those smaller authorities who decide to ‘opt out’ and reporting those bodies to DCLG, confirming when they have appointed auditors locally.
Those smaller authorities who wish to participate in the SLB need do nothing as all smaller authorities are automatically 'opted in' to the new body and will have an auditor procured for them.
How can a Council 'opt out' of the new arrangements?
The decision to opt out must be made through a formal meeting of the council. If the council resolves to 'opt out' of the SLB procurement it must send advice by either:
- email: slboptout@nalc.gov.uk or
- letter: Audit Opt Out, Sector Led Body, National Association of Local Councils, 109 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LD
SUMMARY:
· New Audit arrangements come into force on 1 April 2017 requiring the set up a SLB (Sector Led Body)
· NALC will be working in partnership with SLCC set-up of the SLB
· The SLB will procure, deliver and manage the audit contracts to start 1 April 2017
· The SLB will appoint auditors for all those authorities 'opted in'
· Authorities who 'opt out' of the SLB arrangements will need to do so by 31st January 2016 by informing the SLB and will need to have appointed auditors in place by 31 December 2016
· The audit regime from 1 April 2017 remains unchanged using limited assurance engagements
3. From Wendy Knight.
Why can't people take there signs down when an event has be finished especially in this weather they get wet and blown around it looks a mess to visitors sorry to be blunt
Why can't people take there signs down when an event has be finished especially in this weather they get wet and blown around it looks a mess to visitors sorry to be blunt
FOR INFORMATION
|
Celebrations for HM Queen's 90th birthday
|
| ||
|
Road Closure at Sheepstor
|
| ||
Nigel
A note to confirm that the access road to the rear of the post office has now been re-surfaced and it is looking very smart. The levels are such that water will run into the existing gulley within that road which we slightly adjusted to ensure the fall was right.
The retaining wall which the builders of the new houses, Selleck Nicholls agreed to construct at the rear of the Bellever houses that adjoin the stoned accessway has not yet progressed because the DNPA has raised a couple of queries on the spec which I have had to go back to Selleck Nicholls to question. I am however hopeful this will be concluded to enable the wall to be built early in 2016
Best wishes
Tom
A note to confirm that the access road to the rear of the post office has now been re-surfaced and it is looking very smart. The levels are such that water will run into the existing gulley within that road which we slightly adjusted to ensure the fall was right.
The retaining wall which the builders of the new houses, Selleck Nicholls agreed to construct at the rear of the Bellever houses that adjoin the stoned accessway has not yet progressed because the DNPA has raised a couple of queries on the spec which I have had to go back to Selleck Nicholls to question. I am however hopeful this will be concluded to enable the wall to be built early in 2016
Best wishes
Tom
Free parking for Christmas Shoppers!
Free parking will be available in Chagford on 15 December from West Devon Borough Council. This will apply from 4:00 p.m. in time for the eagerly anticipated Late Night Shopping Evening.
The Council is keen to encourage as many people as possible to attend the events and to take advantage of the opportunity to park in the town for free. So spend an evening shopping with friends and family, enjoying the mulled wine and mince pies on offer.
Councillor Robert Sampson said: “It’s great to be out and about at Christmas and free parking just makes the experience much easier and cheaper for all to enjoy. We are happy to help ease the pocket slightly at this expensive time of year.”
Free parking will be available in Chagford on 15 December from West Devon Borough Council. This will apply from 4:00 p.m. in time for the eagerly anticipated Late Night Shopping Evening.
The Council is keen to encourage as many people as possible to attend the events and to take advantage of the opportunity to park in the town for free. So spend an evening shopping with friends and family, enjoying the mulled wine and mince pies on offer.
Councillor Robert Sampson said: “It’s great to be out and about at Christmas and free parking just makes the experience much easier and cheaper for all to enjoy. We are happy to help ease the pocket slightly at this expensive time of year.”
|
Dear Parish or Town Clerk
Please find attached an invitation to a Devon Remembers Heritage Project event, taking place at Torquay Museum on the afternoon of Thursday 14th January 2016 from 2pm to 4pm. Please could you pass this on to the Chair of the Parish Council? Thank you. The event will provide the opportunity for you to find out more about the Devon Remembers Heritage Project, which will be working across the county to help to commemorate Devon’s contribution to the First World War. There will be talks from local historians, including Julia Neville, from Devon History Society, who will be speaking about the role of the Red Cross Hospitals and the VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) movement in the county. There will also be the opportunity to view artefacts and documents related to the First World War at the event. I hope that a representative of the Parish Council will be able to join us. I would be grateful if you could let me know if a representative of the Parish Council can attend by Monday 21st December. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards Dawn Dawn Roberts Project Assistant (part-time – Mondays and Thursdays) Devon Remembers Heritage Project www.devonremembersheritage.org |
| ||
LEARNING THROUGH SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS
VOYC is running this FREE session to enable the Devon Safeguarding Children’s Board (DSCB) to engage with Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations to help them gain an understanding of the current quality of multi-agency practice. The DSCB regularly conduct Multi Agency Case Audits (MACA) to build a picture of the current practice and development across the major themes relating to safeguarding children. The DSCB have agreed to share this learning with colleagues from the Voluntary and Community sector at the event on Tuesday 26 January 2016 at Newcourt Community Centre in Exeter (10 am – 12 noon).
Presentations will be from Philippa Geddes (Manager, Devon Safeguarding Children Board) and Nicky Scutt (Senior Manager, Safeguarding Children).
Complete the booking form and return it to juliet@voycdevon.org.uk to secure your place/s.
Many thanks
Juliet White, Charity Administrator
(my normal working days are Monday and Friday, 9 am – 3 pm, term time only).
VOYC is running this FREE session to enable the Devon Safeguarding Children’s Board (DSCB) to engage with Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations to help them gain an understanding of the current quality of multi-agency practice. The DSCB regularly conduct Multi Agency Case Audits (MACA) to build a picture of the current practice and development across the major themes relating to safeguarding children. The DSCB have agreed to share this learning with colleagues from the Voluntary and Community sector at the event on Tuesday 26 January 2016 at Newcourt Community Centre in Exeter (10 am – 12 noon).
Presentations will be from Philippa Geddes (Manager, Devon Safeguarding Children Board) and Nicky Scutt (Senior Manager, Safeguarding Children).
Complete the booking form and return it to juliet@voycdevon.org.uk to secure your place/s.
Many thanks
Juliet White, Charity Administrator
(my normal working days are Monday and Friday, 9 am – 3 pm, term time only).
Tough Choices Throughout the autumn Councillor Hart will once again be attending a series of meetings across the county to deliver his message about the tough choices the County Council faces in setting its budget for the coming year. There will be nine meetings in total with district, town and parish councillors. A list of all the meeting dates can be found at https://www.toughchoices.co.uk/budget/budget-setting-process/
Invitations to most of the meetings will come directly from the district, group or organisation that is holding the meeting however in the instance of Mid Devon and South Hams, invitations will be sent to the relevant town and parishes.
Also anyone can join the debate about the future of local services and influence decisions about how future savings are made at www.toughchoices.co.uk/
Invitations to most of the meetings will come directly from the district, group or organisation that is holding the meeting however in the instance of Mid Devon and South Hams, invitations will be sent to the relevant town and parishes.
Also anyone can join the debate about the future of local services and influence decisions about how future savings are made at www.toughchoices.co.uk/
Over the past five years the County Council has saved £174m – giving a total current net budget of £500m to spend on important public services such as adult social care and road maintenance in Devon.
New Government spending targets means that a further £110m of savings are likely to be needed over the next 4 years with £35m of this in the coming year 2016/17.
Finding these savings whilst continuing to do what is most important for the people of Devon is becoming increasingly difficult and challenging. Each year it is harder and harder to balance the budget and meet our core duties such as protecting children and supporting the elderly and vulnerable. To continue to do the best we can for Devon residents we have to look at everything we do and the way we do it. This means making some tough choices.
Whilst every effort is being made to protect vital local services by cutting our costs and finding efficiencies, finding the scale of savings required inevitably means making major changes in the way some services are delivered and, where necessary, some significant service reductions.
If you would like to hear first-hand from the Leader of Devon County Council, Councillor John Hart, what kind of future we are facing, there will be an opportunity to attend a meeting in Tavistock.
Date: Wednesday 9 December Time: 7pm – 9pm Location: Tavistock Town Hall, Bedford Square, Tavistock PL19 0AE
If you would like to participate in the meeting please reply to marketing@devon.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 4 December as meeting space is limited.
If not…
You can still get involved. Join the debate about the future of local services and influence our decisions about how future savings are made by telling us your budget priorities and how they affect your community at toughchoices.co.uk
New Government spending targets means that a further £110m of savings are likely to be needed over the next 4 years with £35m of this in the coming year 2016/17.
Finding these savings whilst continuing to do what is most important for the people of Devon is becoming increasingly difficult and challenging. Each year it is harder and harder to balance the budget and meet our core duties such as protecting children and supporting the elderly and vulnerable. To continue to do the best we can for Devon residents we have to look at everything we do and the way we do it. This means making some tough choices.
Whilst every effort is being made to protect vital local services by cutting our costs and finding efficiencies, finding the scale of savings required inevitably means making major changes in the way some services are delivered and, where necessary, some significant service reductions.
If you would like to hear first-hand from the Leader of Devon County Council, Councillor John Hart, what kind of future we are facing, there will be an opportunity to attend a meeting in Tavistock.
Date: Wednesday 9 December Time: 7pm – 9pm Location: Tavistock Town Hall, Bedford Square, Tavistock PL19 0AE
If you would like to participate in the meeting please reply to marketing@devon.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 4 December as meeting space is limited.
If not…
You can still get involved. Join the debate about the future of local services and influence our decisions about how future savings are made by telling us your budget priorities and how they affect your community at toughchoices.co.uk
S.137
funding 2015/2016
Following several enquiries please be reminded that years
funding limit is £7.36 per elector for S.137 funding - the power of last resort
- which is only to be used when no other power is available to the Council.
This funding comes out of existing income and is not an additional source
of funds available to the Council. A separate column for S.137 must appear in
Council accounts to make any spending in this connection very clear.
The following NALC Legal Topic Notes have been revised -14 Bylaws
17 Control of Dogs
The revised Legal Topic Notes can be found on the DALC website under the 'Advice' and 'NALC Legal Topic Notes' tabs.
17 Control of Dogs
The revised Legal Topic Notes can be found on the DALC website under the 'Advice' and 'NALC Legal Topic Notes' tabs.
PENSIONS - Auto Enrolement - what must Councils do and by when?
Essential Informatoin for Councillors, Local Councils and Clerks
Significant changes to workplace pensions have taken place and following a number of
queries from councillors, clerks, county associations and county branches; NALC and SLCC
have agreed to issue this information note to emphasize the importance of Council’s
understanding the implications of this change.
This guidance should be read in conjunction with the relevant NALC Legal Topic Notes -
LTN 34 http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=393
LTN 79 http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=916
and further information can be found on the NALC, SLCC and DALC websites.
The law on workplace pensions has changed. Every employer with at least one member of
staff now has new duties.
Staff who meet certain criteria must be put into a pension scheme and the employer (and
employee) must make contributions into the scheme, unless the employee opts out. This is
called automatic enrolment. It’s called this because it’s automatic for eligible employees –
they don’t have to do anything to be enrolled into the employer’s pension scheme.
Employees can opt out but this only lasts for 3 years and they will be automatically enrolled
unless they opt out again.
NOTE: Enrolement is not automatic for a council and its councillors. They have a
legal duty to take steps to make sure they comply with the new law.
The law requires employers to provide a workplace pension for eligible staff. However if the
employer does not have any eligible jobholders but has one member of staff who is a non-eligible
jobholder, the position is that the council would employ one person but would not be
obliged to provide a workplace pension. This does not need to be a difficult process, but
there are some steps council’s can take now to make sure they are ready.
Key points for Local Councils and for their Clerks:
1) ALL councils will have to do something!
The vast majority of councils are employers and so have legal duties to their employees. The
Pensions Regulator will contact all employers with the information they need. But to do this
they need correct contact details for each council. To make sure you receive this information
you can update your council’s contact details at:
https://forms.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/workplacepensionsreform/nominate.aspx?Campai
gn=019ecr-18-12-6-3-Letters
Even if all of your council’s staff is not eligible for auto enrolment, your council will
still need to confirm with the Pensions Regulator that it has complied with its duties
to its employees by a certain date.
2) Find out the key dates that affect you and your council
All councils should check their staging date with the Pensions Regulator at
http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/tools/staging-date.aspx
The staging date will vary across councils, it is based on each council’s PAYE reference
number, and so you must check the staging date that is for your specific council. All
employers will receive notification of their staging date 12 months in advance by letter.
There is a helpful tool for making an action plan in the run up to your council’s staging date,
so that you can break the task into more manageable pieces at:
http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/planning-for-automatic-enrolment.aspx
3) Assess how it affects your Council
Work out which employees it affects, if any. Different rules apply for different employees.
Employees have a choice to opt out if they so wish, but a Council cannot induce an
employee to opt out or not appoint someone because they will not opt out.
Which employees are covered and how? See the Legal Topic Notes for more information.
If the Council has no employees that must be automatically enrolled and all other employees
indicate that they do not wish to opt in, then the Council needs to notify the Pensions
Regulator of this and put in place a process to review the situation when circumstances
change, for example when a new employee starts or an existing employee’s pay reaches the
threshold.
4) Identifying a “qualifying” scheme
Employers cannot simply enrol their employees in any sort of pension scheme. They need to
comply with certain conditions and have good quality standards. There are two basic types
of pension scheme, defined benefit schemes (DB) and defined contribution schemes (DC).
DB schemes provide pensions that are based on some sort of formula, normally linked to
pensionable pay. There used to be a large number of these, often based on final salary prior
to retirement, but the rising costs of such schemes, as a result of increasing life expectancy,
means that they are now much rarer. As employee contributions to these schemes tend to
be fixed, additional costs resulting from paying more pension because people are living
longer fall on the employer, hence their decreasing popularity. The LGPS is a defined benefit
scheme, although it is no longer based on final salary but on career average salary.
DC schemes on the other hand simply accumulate contributions, from employees and
employers, invest them (and any associated tax reliefs) and then use the final amount to
provide whatever level of benefit can be afforded.
Councils can consider schemes other than LGPS. The Department for Communities and
Local Government’s view (with which NALC & SLCC agree) is that “the duty automatically to
enrol eligible jobholders into a qualifying workplace pension scheme applies to local councils
and that separate regulations are not needed for councils to comply with the duty. The
introduction of auto enrolement will allow councils who are considering whether to provide
pensions to their staff, to have a more affordable pension scheme than the LGPS.”
5) Contributions
Employers affected must make sure that both they and their employees make at least the
minimum contributions into their chosen scheme as set out on the Pensions Regulator
website. Employers deduct staff contributions. These contributions are a percentage of an
individual’s “qualifying earnings”.
‘Qualifying earnings’ are either:
• The amount earned before tax between £5,824 and £41,865 a year; or
• The entire salary or wages before tax.
The employer chooses how to work out the qualifying earnings.
6) Seek advice
How NALC, DALC and SLCC can help:
• Member councils have access to NALC’s legal advice service.
• SLCC members have access to the SLCC Advisory Service and Advice Library.
• SLCC and your County Association may be able to advise Clerks and Councils on
practical steps and general guidance.
• NALC, DALC and SLCC cannot offer financial advice or comment on what pension
is best for your council. Please see below for how to find independent financial
advice.
The Pensions Regulator
• The Pensions Regulator is the UK regulator of work-based pension schemes. Their
statutory objectives are set out in legislation and include promoting and improving
understanding of the good administration of work-based pensions to protect member
benefits.
• Any council can contact the Pensions Regulator directly. Their contact details can be
found at http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/contact-us.aspx
Your relevant Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) administering authority will be
able to provide advice on the LGPS.
Get Independent financial advice
• Making a decision about pensions is a significant long term financial commitment for
councils and employees.
• In seeking independent financial advice then you should always check that the
adviser is authorised to provide financial advice. You can check this on the Financial
Conduct Authorities’ Register at http://www.fca.org.uk/register/
• If you deal with an unauthorised firm you will not be covered by the Financial
Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go
wrong.
• There is likely to be a charge for independent financial advice.
Essential Informatoin for Councillors, Local Councils and Clerks
Significant changes to workplace pensions have taken place and following a number of
queries from councillors, clerks, county associations and county branches; NALC and SLCC
have agreed to issue this information note to emphasize the importance of Council’s
understanding the implications of this change.
This guidance should be read in conjunction with the relevant NALC Legal Topic Notes -
LTN 34 http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=393
LTN 79 http://www.devonalc.org.uk/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=360&fileid=916
and further information can be found on the NALC, SLCC and DALC websites.
The law on workplace pensions has changed. Every employer with at least one member of
staff now has new duties.
Staff who meet certain criteria must be put into a pension scheme and the employer (and
employee) must make contributions into the scheme, unless the employee opts out. This is
called automatic enrolment. It’s called this because it’s automatic for eligible employees –
they don’t have to do anything to be enrolled into the employer’s pension scheme.
Employees can opt out but this only lasts for 3 years and they will be automatically enrolled
unless they opt out again.
NOTE: Enrolement is not automatic for a council and its councillors. They have a
legal duty to take steps to make sure they comply with the new law.
The law requires employers to provide a workplace pension for eligible staff. However if the
employer does not have any eligible jobholders but has one member of staff who is a non-eligible
jobholder, the position is that the council would employ one person but would not be
obliged to provide a workplace pension. This does not need to be a difficult process, but
there are some steps council’s can take now to make sure they are ready.
Key points for Local Councils and for their Clerks:
1) ALL councils will have to do something!
The vast majority of councils are employers and so have legal duties to their employees. The
Pensions Regulator will contact all employers with the information they need. But to do this
they need correct contact details for each council. To make sure you receive this information
you can update your council’s contact details at:
https://forms.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/workplacepensionsreform/nominate.aspx?Campai
gn=019ecr-18-12-6-3-Letters
Even if all of your council’s staff is not eligible for auto enrolment, your council will
still need to confirm with the Pensions Regulator that it has complied with its duties
to its employees by a certain date.
2) Find out the key dates that affect you and your council
All councils should check their staging date with the Pensions Regulator at
http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/tools/staging-date.aspx
The staging date will vary across councils, it is based on each council’s PAYE reference
number, and so you must check the staging date that is for your specific council. All
employers will receive notification of their staging date 12 months in advance by letter.
There is a helpful tool for making an action plan in the run up to your council’s staging date,
so that you can break the task into more manageable pieces at:
http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/planning-for-automatic-enrolment.aspx
3) Assess how it affects your Council
Work out which employees it affects, if any. Different rules apply for different employees.
Employees have a choice to opt out if they so wish, but a Council cannot induce an
employee to opt out or not appoint someone because they will not opt out.
Which employees are covered and how? See the Legal Topic Notes for more information.
If the Council has no employees that must be automatically enrolled and all other employees
indicate that they do not wish to opt in, then the Council needs to notify the Pensions
Regulator of this and put in place a process to review the situation when circumstances
change, for example when a new employee starts or an existing employee’s pay reaches the
threshold.
4) Identifying a “qualifying” scheme
Employers cannot simply enrol their employees in any sort of pension scheme. They need to
comply with certain conditions and have good quality standards. There are two basic types
of pension scheme, defined benefit schemes (DB) and defined contribution schemes (DC).
DB schemes provide pensions that are based on some sort of formula, normally linked to
pensionable pay. There used to be a large number of these, often based on final salary prior
to retirement, but the rising costs of such schemes, as a result of increasing life expectancy,
means that they are now much rarer. As employee contributions to these schemes tend to
be fixed, additional costs resulting from paying more pension because people are living
longer fall on the employer, hence their decreasing popularity. The LGPS is a defined benefit
scheme, although it is no longer based on final salary but on career average salary.
DC schemes on the other hand simply accumulate contributions, from employees and
employers, invest them (and any associated tax reliefs) and then use the final amount to
provide whatever level of benefit can be afforded.
Councils can consider schemes other than LGPS. The Department for Communities and
Local Government’s view (with which NALC & SLCC agree) is that “the duty automatically to
enrol eligible jobholders into a qualifying workplace pension scheme applies to local councils
and that separate regulations are not needed for councils to comply with the duty. The
introduction of auto enrolement will allow councils who are considering whether to provide
pensions to their staff, to have a more affordable pension scheme than the LGPS.”
5) Contributions
Employers affected must make sure that both they and their employees make at least the
minimum contributions into their chosen scheme as set out on the Pensions Regulator
website. Employers deduct staff contributions. These contributions are a percentage of an
individual’s “qualifying earnings”.
‘Qualifying earnings’ are either:
• The amount earned before tax between £5,824 and £41,865 a year; or
• The entire salary or wages before tax.
The employer chooses how to work out the qualifying earnings.
6) Seek advice
How NALC, DALC and SLCC can help:
• Member councils have access to NALC’s legal advice service.
• SLCC members have access to the SLCC Advisory Service and Advice Library.
• SLCC and your County Association may be able to advise Clerks and Councils on
practical steps and general guidance.
• NALC, DALC and SLCC cannot offer financial advice or comment on what pension
is best for your council. Please see below for how to find independent financial
advice.
The Pensions Regulator
• The Pensions Regulator is the UK regulator of work-based pension schemes. Their
statutory objectives are set out in legislation and include promoting and improving
understanding of the good administration of work-based pensions to protect member
benefits.
• Any council can contact the Pensions Regulator directly. Their contact details can be
found at http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/contact-us.aspx
Your relevant Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) administering authority will be
able to provide advice on the LGPS.
Get Independent financial advice
• Making a decision about pensions is a significant long term financial commitment for
councils and employees.
• In seeking independent financial advice then you should always check that the
adviser is authorised to provide financial advice. You can check this on the Financial
Conduct Authorities’ Register at http://www.fca.org.uk/register/
• If you deal with an unauthorised firm you will not be covered by the Financial
Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go
wrong.
• There is likely to be a charge for independent financial advice.
Devon Remembers Heritage Project - Volunteer researchers needed
If you enjoy delving into detailed historical material, why not become a volunteer researcher at the Devon Heritage Centre? It's a chance to learn valuable skills and help tell new stories about the First World War. They need volunteers to:
If you enjoy delving into detailed historical material, why not become a volunteer researcher at the Devon Heritage Centre? It's a chance to learn valuable skills and help tell new stories about the First World War. They need volunteers to:
- Investigate Exeter Quay - looking into what buildings on the quay were being used for and how the war affected trade. This strand is supported by the Bike Shed Theatre as part of their plans to transform the Maclaines Warehouse so it's a chance to be part of an exciting cultural project.
- Explore the library - reviewing books of the period by Devon authors held in the Local Studies Collection. Examine fact and fiction to illuminate the preoccupations of the time.
- Sort newspaper articles - creating an index of wartime newspaper articles according to themes. This work will provide valuable insights and help future researchers.
West Devon urges collaboration on road network
Following the announcement by Plymouth City Council this week, that they have agreed to collaborate on a new housing scheme for Woolwell with developers Hannick Homes; the Leader of West Devon Borough Council has pledged to work closely with all parties concerned to reduce the impact on commuters into Plymouth from West Devon.
Cllr. Philip Sanders Leader of West Devon Borough Council said: “With the pressure for houses for people in our area I welcome the principle of this development which will go some way to meeting current needs.
“I do however have concerns that any further development in the Woolwell area will inevitably place further pressure on the A386 which is already a very busy commuter route for many residents of West Devon.
We will therefore be looking to work closely with South Hams as the Planning Authority and Plymouth City and Devon County Councils, who are the highway authorities, to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to deal with this important matter”.
West Devon along with South Hams and Plymouth City Councils are looking to co-operate and respond to the government’s drive for more housing.
Following the announcement by Plymouth City Council this week, that they have agreed to collaborate on a new housing scheme for Woolwell with developers Hannick Homes; the Leader of West Devon Borough Council has pledged to work closely with all parties concerned to reduce the impact on commuters into Plymouth from West Devon.
Cllr. Philip Sanders Leader of West Devon Borough Council said: “With the pressure for houses for people in our area I welcome the principle of this development which will go some way to meeting current needs.
“I do however have concerns that any further development in the Woolwell area will inevitably place further pressure on the A386 which is already a very busy commuter route for many residents of West Devon.
We will therefore be looking to work closely with South Hams as the Planning Authority and Plymouth City and Devon County Councils, who are the highway authorities, to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to deal with this important matter”.
West Devon along with South Hams and Plymouth City Councils are looking to co-operate and respond to the government’s drive for more housing.
Sound financial planning has prepared councils for cuts
South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils are leading the way in the transformation of council services and preparing for a leaner future with less financial support from Central Government.
Following yesterday’s announcement that all local authorities will get their Local Government Grant phased out during this parliament, South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils reveal how they have planned ahead and have already made changes to the way they work to prevent them having to cut vital services.
All councils are funded through one main Government Grant, business rates and council tax, alongside smaller grants for specific things. George Osbourne confirmed yesterday that the main government grant will be phased out completely by 2020. In South Hams this is a cut of £1.4 million and West Devon, £1.2 million.
As forward thinking local authorities, South Hams and West Devon Councils, have already been preparing for this reduction in Government funding.
Over the last two years they have completely transformed how they work in order to deliver services that are more suited to their customers’ needs. By planning strategically for a sound financial future the councils have been preparing for these funding cuts without cutting frontline services.
As the Leader of West Devon Borough Council, Cllr Philip Sanders explains “For many councils yesterday’s news will deliver a devastating blow, but for some time now we have been looking to the future and developing a business model for local government that will enable us to generate income and take control of our own future. These plans are further supported today by the new powers given to local governments, which will give us more flexibility over how we spend our money.
“Looking to the future, we believed that reducing the services that we offer customers was not an option and we still wanted to deliver good quality services to our customers, so we decided to completely change how we work. The changes are radical and both staff and councillors have needed to be flexible in their thinking and prepared to set aside procedures which have been in place for many years.”
Two years ago both councils, who have had a shared working arrangement for many years, embarked on their transformation programme. Looking ahead they could see a potential gap in their budgets of £4.7 million and a changing customer base who wanted to engage with the council in more flexible ways.
The transformation has been entirely focused on the needs of the customer and how the customer interacts with their council from the beginning of their enquiry to its conclusion.
Following a complete restructure of the organisation, customers and residents who make an enquiry to one of the councils, will no longer have to deal with two or three separate council departments, instead they will be given a Case Manager who will handle their enquiry from beginning to end and bring in specialists from each department as their skills are required.
Specialist staff who are experts in their field are now able to concentrate on their areas of expertise, enabling Case Managers to direct expertise where it is most needed and freeing the specialist from routine tasks.
Leader of South Hams District Council, Cllr John Tucker added: “Our transformation has not been easy for staff or councillors, we have all had to adapt to new ways of working, embrace new technology and we have also reduced our staff by 30%. Our residents have been very patient with us, we know that the process of changing how we work has caused issues in some service areas, but we have now been through the worst of the change and where other councils are yet to address their budget deficit and change their working practices, we are turning a corner and can now direct our attention where it is needed, to the customer.”
South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils wanted to provide their residents with real choices, more face to face interaction and a simple online service that was easy to use.
This has meant introducing new computer systems, which simplifies processes for staff and more customer facing technology which will give customers more control over their interactions with the council.
Over the next 6 months customers will be able to do more and more online. When residents go online to pay their council tax, report a missed bin or order more bin bags, they will be offered the opportunity to create an account. In the account, customers will be able to communicate with their council, track their enquiry and manage all future interactions with them.
Developing simple and effective online self-service will enable customers to help themselves and free up the Customer Call Centre staff to help customers who cannot or do not wish to access the online services.
By embarking on this transformation the two local authorities are revolutionising how local government can operate and many other councils across the country are poised to follow in their footsteps.
A new team of customer service staff are also now operating in the communities, they are on hand to deal with simple issues immediately, this could be graffiti or broken glass, an enforcement issue or a simple request for more information.
Their presence is already reducing the time it takes for problems to get fixed and they are saving specialist staff valuable time by being on hand to put up planning notices, investigate problems, take photographs and respond to situations when they arise.
Residents who want to talk to a member of customer services in the community are encouraged to follow their council on social media, stay in contact with their town and parish councils and look out for notices in supermarkets and local libraries, where notifications will be posted explaining when and where the officers will be available. Residents can ask them anything about the services that the councils provide.
There will be further announcements in the coming months informing customers about new self service functions of the website, and both councils will provide opportunities for residents to learn how the new systems work, help them to open an account, report issues and ask questions about council services.
South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils are leading the way in the transformation of council services and preparing for a leaner future with less financial support from Central Government.
Following yesterday’s announcement that all local authorities will get their Local Government Grant phased out during this parliament, South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils reveal how they have planned ahead and have already made changes to the way they work to prevent them having to cut vital services.
All councils are funded through one main Government Grant, business rates and council tax, alongside smaller grants for specific things. George Osbourne confirmed yesterday that the main government grant will be phased out completely by 2020. In South Hams this is a cut of £1.4 million and West Devon, £1.2 million.
As forward thinking local authorities, South Hams and West Devon Councils, have already been preparing for this reduction in Government funding.
Over the last two years they have completely transformed how they work in order to deliver services that are more suited to their customers’ needs. By planning strategically for a sound financial future the councils have been preparing for these funding cuts without cutting frontline services.
As the Leader of West Devon Borough Council, Cllr Philip Sanders explains “For many councils yesterday’s news will deliver a devastating blow, but for some time now we have been looking to the future and developing a business model for local government that will enable us to generate income and take control of our own future. These plans are further supported today by the new powers given to local governments, which will give us more flexibility over how we spend our money.
“Looking to the future, we believed that reducing the services that we offer customers was not an option and we still wanted to deliver good quality services to our customers, so we decided to completely change how we work. The changes are radical and both staff and councillors have needed to be flexible in their thinking and prepared to set aside procedures which have been in place for many years.”
Two years ago both councils, who have had a shared working arrangement for many years, embarked on their transformation programme. Looking ahead they could see a potential gap in their budgets of £4.7 million and a changing customer base who wanted to engage with the council in more flexible ways.
The transformation has been entirely focused on the needs of the customer and how the customer interacts with their council from the beginning of their enquiry to its conclusion.
Following a complete restructure of the organisation, customers and residents who make an enquiry to one of the councils, will no longer have to deal with two or three separate council departments, instead they will be given a Case Manager who will handle their enquiry from beginning to end and bring in specialists from each department as their skills are required.
Specialist staff who are experts in their field are now able to concentrate on their areas of expertise, enabling Case Managers to direct expertise where it is most needed and freeing the specialist from routine tasks.
Leader of South Hams District Council, Cllr John Tucker added: “Our transformation has not been easy for staff or councillors, we have all had to adapt to new ways of working, embrace new technology and we have also reduced our staff by 30%. Our residents have been very patient with us, we know that the process of changing how we work has caused issues in some service areas, but we have now been through the worst of the change and where other councils are yet to address their budget deficit and change their working practices, we are turning a corner and can now direct our attention where it is needed, to the customer.”
South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils wanted to provide their residents with real choices, more face to face interaction and a simple online service that was easy to use.
This has meant introducing new computer systems, which simplifies processes for staff and more customer facing technology which will give customers more control over their interactions with the council.
Over the next 6 months customers will be able to do more and more online. When residents go online to pay their council tax, report a missed bin or order more bin bags, they will be offered the opportunity to create an account. In the account, customers will be able to communicate with their council, track their enquiry and manage all future interactions with them.
Developing simple and effective online self-service will enable customers to help themselves and free up the Customer Call Centre staff to help customers who cannot or do not wish to access the online services.
By embarking on this transformation the two local authorities are revolutionising how local government can operate and many other councils across the country are poised to follow in their footsteps.
A new team of customer service staff are also now operating in the communities, they are on hand to deal with simple issues immediately, this could be graffiti or broken glass, an enforcement issue or a simple request for more information.
Their presence is already reducing the time it takes for problems to get fixed and they are saving specialist staff valuable time by being on hand to put up planning notices, investigate problems, take photographs and respond to situations when they arise.
Residents who want to talk to a member of customer services in the community are encouraged to follow their council on social media, stay in contact with their town and parish councils and look out for notices in supermarkets and local libraries, where notifications will be posted explaining when and where the officers will be available. Residents can ask them anything about the services that the councils provide.
There will be further announcements in the coming months informing customers about new self service functions of the website, and both councils will provide opportunities for residents to learn how the new systems work, help them to open an account, report issues and ask questions about council services.
Hello All
I promised when we met recently to make sure that I let you know when we would be promoting Duchy Square again to prospective tenants, so a brief update is below:
Kind regards
Steve__________________________
Steve Turner
Economy & Enterprise Team Manager
Devon County Council
T: 01392 383194
Steve
Many thanks and I bumped into Dan Jones of Airband last week and explained the background to Duchy Square. From your email it looks like you are now in touch with him and I was pleased to hear from Dan that he sees no practical problems with providing ultra-fast broadband.
I am in touch with Tom Hancock of NPS in relation to licensing some car parking space to the rear of Lords to offer with Duchy Square units in the hope of broadening the appeal.
Regards
Tom
I promised when we met recently to make sure that I let you know when we would be promoting Duchy Square again to prospective tenants, so a brief update is below:
- Advertising has been booked with a number of newspapers (some with editorial, and the advert is the second attachment to this email) to appear as follows:
- Princetown & Tavistock Times & Gazette Thursday 3rd Dec
- Plymouth Herald Friday 4th Dec.
- WMN Saturdays 5th & 12th Dec
- An advert has been prepared to feature on the commercial site of Rightmove and of course will also feature on the NPS site.
- Temporary internal window display boards are being ordered, and should be installed within 1 to 2 weeks to again promote the fact that units are to let.
- Brochure, attached, has also been finalised and will be distributed widely to interested enquirers. You’ll see from this that we are anticipating, having spoken to Airband, that we will be able to bring ultrafast connectivity to the building, which should add to its attractiveness.
- Open event – we are still searching for an appropriate date to hold this, as sadly it hasn’t bene possible to coincide with the Christmas event at the visitors centre. I’ll let you know when we have a date, but it is now likely to be in January.
Kind regards
Steve__________________________
Steve Turner
Economy & Enterprise Team Manager
Devon County Council
T: 01392 383194
Steve
Many thanks and I bumped into Dan Jones of Airband last week and explained the background to Duchy Square. From your email it looks like you are now in touch with him and I was pleased to hear from Dan that he sees no practical problems with providing ultra-fast broadband.
I am in touch with Tom Hancock of NPS in relation to licensing some car parking space to the rear of Lords to offer with Duchy Square units in the hope of broadening the appeal.
Regards
Tom
NEWSLETTERS
|
Dartmoor Policing Newsletter - Autumn 2015
|
| ||
|
December Emergency Planning Newsletter. It is now the DCRF Newsletter and will be uploaded to the Devon Communities Together/ Devon Communities Resilience Forum website.
|
| ||
Devon Communities Together
Village Green Issue 142: a focus on resilience
Issue 142, Winter 2015An issue focused on resilience, achievement, technology, wellbeing, funding and new announcements this quarter.
helping communities
help themselves
Read the latest
issue here
Village Green Issue 142: a focus on resilience
Issue 142, Winter 2015An issue focused on resilience, achievement, technology, wellbeing, funding and new announcements this quarter.
helping communities
help themselves
Read the latest
issue here
Devon County Council Community news roundup - November 2015
New chapter for Devon’s LibrariesDevon County Council has agreed that Libraries Unlimited, the new ‘public service mutual’ set up by the Council, will take over the library service in April 2016
Devon youth offending team receive accreditationDevon’s Youth Offending Service has received a nationally acclaimed accreditation for the way it works with young offenders and their victims
Community Survey 2015Devon is an excellent place to live and work, although for some it can be challenging. With tough decisions being made about public services, Devon County Council is asking people to let the council know how the changes are affecting them and their quality of life. Have Your Say before 7 January
Throughout the autumn there will be a series of meetings across the County about the tough choices the County Council faces in setting its budget for the coming year. Have Your Say before 29 January
There are also nine meetings with district, town and parish councillors
New figures show harmful levels of drinking across DevonA new study reveals that one in three adults in the South West are drinking too much alcohol, consuming it at levels that pose an increasing or higher risk of damaging their health
Temporary funding agreement reached for North Devon Record Office
Plans to secure the future of North Devon’s Record Office have received a welcome boost, thanks to the collective effort of Devon County Council and Barnstaple Town Council
County Council urges MPs to back bill to end pavement parkingDevon County Council is urging the Transport Secretary and Devon MPs to back a bill to help end the blight of parking on pavements
New chapter for Devon’s LibrariesDevon County Council has agreed that Libraries Unlimited, the new ‘public service mutual’ set up by the Council, will take over the library service in April 2016
Devon youth offending team receive accreditationDevon’s Youth Offending Service has received a nationally acclaimed accreditation for the way it works with young offenders and their victims
Community Survey 2015Devon is an excellent place to live and work, although for some it can be challenging. With tough decisions being made about public services, Devon County Council is asking people to let the council know how the changes are affecting them and their quality of life. Have Your Say before 7 January
Throughout the autumn there will be a series of meetings across the County about the tough choices the County Council faces in setting its budget for the coming year. Have Your Say before 29 January
There are also nine meetings with district, town and parish councillors
New figures show harmful levels of drinking across DevonA new study reveals that one in three adults in the South West are drinking too much alcohol, consuming it at levels that pose an increasing or higher risk of damaging their health
Temporary funding agreement reached for North Devon Record Office
Plans to secure the future of North Devon’s Record Office have received a welcome boost, thanks to the collective effort of Devon County Council and Barnstaple Town Council
County Council urges MPs to back bill to end pavement parkingDevon County Council is urging the Transport Secretary and Devon MPs to back a bill to help end the blight of parking on pavements
The MONTHLY e-bulletin from Healthwatch Devon.
View it in your browser.
Welcome to our monthly e-bulletin where we will keep you up to date on the latest news, consultations and events from Healthwatch.
Speaking out on 7 day services
Last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, made his autumn statement to the House of Commons. One of his announcements covered investment in the NHS to ensure that everyone would be able to access services in hospitals 7 days a week, and GP services in the evenings and at the weekend.
Back in September, we brought a group of Devon residents together to hear about plans for seven day services, and to think about how - and whether - those plans might work in Devon. The discussion was led by NHS Improving Quality who are taking a lead nationally on developing plans for seven day services. They have been taking soundings from the general public as part of the process.
The report from the session is now available on our website, and makes interesting reading. Some people were keen to see services extended - particularly to help with things like hospital discharge, which can be difficult at weekends. But there were also concerns about the availability of staff - not just nurses and doctors, but people like receptionists and cleaners as well.
Looking at Devon in particular, the point was made that the county is a retirement destination. That means that people needing nursing and social care in older age are often a long way from family members in other parts of the country. This can put extra strain on health and care services, and should perhaps be recognised in funding for services in Devon. Another local issue was, of course, transport. The point was made that people who need evening or weekend appointments may not be able to get to them if buses aren't running.
Our report has gone in to NHS Improving Quality, who will combine it with feedback they have had from similar discussion groups elsewhere. In the meantime, you can have your say via our snapshot poll. Give us your opinion, and see what others are saying!
Miles Sibley
Executive Director
Snapshot Poll
Should more NHS services be available at evenings and weekends? Take our poll.
Healthwatch Devon HighlightsPatient transport Several carers raised concerns to us recently about their experiences with their local NHS patient transport service. They told us that the drivers would not allow them to accompany the person they care for in the ambulance that transports them to their hospital appointments.
On hearing this we made some enquiries as to what the policy says on the subject of patients being escorted by family members. The policy explains that only healthcare professional escorts will normally be allowed to travel. A family member or friend may be authorised to travel under certain criteria and the need for an escort must be approved by the referring medical practitioner.
The patient transport service confirmed the process as outlined in the policy and further explained to us that if there is an expressed need for the patient to be accompanied by a family member, that this needs to be communicated to them prior to the journey. They explained that the reason for this is that the drivers need to know in advance because sometimes they have more than one patient to transfer to hospital.
Taking this information back to those who raised their concerns, we explained the process and signposted them back to the patient’s GP so that can put their requests to them in respect of future journeys.
We will be following this up with the provider to ask if they can make carers aware that this is the process they need to follow if they wish to accompany the person they care for to hospital.
Maternity ServicesNHS England are undertaking a national review of maternity services and recently issued a call for evidence to find out what people think is good and what could be improved. This is in relation to how maternity care should be developed to meet the changing needs of women and babies.
Your feedback on maternity care (provided to us) has been shared with NHS England to inform the review. In addition our evidence included a report by our partners Hikmat Devon CIC, who had previously hosted a focus group with people to whom English is not their first language, in order to capture their experiences of maternity care locally. They identified that access to interpreters was an issue for some expectant mothers and that this needs to be improved going forward.
This finding, plus the evidence we hold in respect of maternity care have also been shared directly with NHS commissioners and providers in Devon, to help shape local services now and in the future.
Got an issue relating to any health or care service? Let us know via our online Speak Out form.
Your Feedback We have recently published the following on our website:
More of your published feedback is here, plus you can always offer feedback via our website or by calling us on 0800 520 0640.
Speak OutYour feedback makes a difference to how health and social care is managed and delivered in Devon. The following are opportunities to give feedback or contribute in other ways:
Recent NewsThe following stories have been published recently:
More news has been published on our website here.
EventsIf you would like your health or social care event listed on our website please email: matthew@healthwatchdevon.co.uk
What the Health!Catch up on all the latest news on our young people's service, What The Health! via our website or the What The Health twitter feed. You can also listen to our latest radio shows.
Missed the last bulletin?View past e-bulletins in our archive. You can also download the latest issue of Healthwatch Voices magazine and view past issues here.
View it in your browser.
Welcome to our monthly e-bulletin where we will keep you up to date on the latest news, consultations and events from Healthwatch.
Speaking out on 7 day services
Last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, made his autumn statement to the House of Commons. One of his announcements covered investment in the NHS to ensure that everyone would be able to access services in hospitals 7 days a week, and GP services in the evenings and at the weekend.
Back in September, we brought a group of Devon residents together to hear about plans for seven day services, and to think about how - and whether - those plans might work in Devon. The discussion was led by NHS Improving Quality who are taking a lead nationally on developing plans for seven day services. They have been taking soundings from the general public as part of the process.
The report from the session is now available on our website, and makes interesting reading. Some people were keen to see services extended - particularly to help with things like hospital discharge, which can be difficult at weekends. But there were also concerns about the availability of staff - not just nurses and doctors, but people like receptionists and cleaners as well.
Looking at Devon in particular, the point was made that the county is a retirement destination. That means that people needing nursing and social care in older age are often a long way from family members in other parts of the country. This can put extra strain on health and care services, and should perhaps be recognised in funding for services in Devon. Another local issue was, of course, transport. The point was made that people who need evening or weekend appointments may not be able to get to them if buses aren't running.
Our report has gone in to NHS Improving Quality, who will combine it with feedback they have had from similar discussion groups elsewhere. In the meantime, you can have your say via our snapshot poll. Give us your opinion, and see what others are saying!
Miles Sibley
Executive Director
Snapshot Poll
Should more NHS services be available at evenings and weekends? Take our poll.
Healthwatch Devon HighlightsPatient transport Several carers raised concerns to us recently about their experiences with their local NHS patient transport service. They told us that the drivers would not allow them to accompany the person they care for in the ambulance that transports them to their hospital appointments.
On hearing this we made some enquiries as to what the policy says on the subject of patients being escorted by family members. The policy explains that only healthcare professional escorts will normally be allowed to travel. A family member or friend may be authorised to travel under certain criteria and the need for an escort must be approved by the referring medical practitioner.
The patient transport service confirmed the process as outlined in the policy and further explained to us that if there is an expressed need for the patient to be accompanied by a family member, that this needs to be communicated to them prior to the journey. They explained that the reason for this is that the drivers need to know in advance because sometimes they have more than one patient to transfer to hospital.
Taking this information back to those who raised their concerns, we explained the process and signposted them back to the patient’s GP so that can put their requests to them in respect of future journeys.
We will be following this up with the provider to ask if they can make carers aware that this is the process they need to follow if they wish to accompany the person they care for to hospital.
Maternity ServicesNHS England are undertaking a national review of maternity services and recently issued a call for evidence to find out what people think is good and what could be improved. This is in relation to how maternity care should be developed to meet the changing needs of women and babies.
Your feedback on maternity care (provided to us) has been shared with NHS England to inform the review. In addition our evidence included a report by our partners Hikmat Devon CIC, who had previously hosted a focus group with people to whom English is not their first language, in order to capture their experiences of maternity care locally. They identified that access to interpreters was an issue for some expectant mothers and that this needs to be improved going forward.
This finding, plus the evidence we hold in respect of maternity care have also been shared directly with NHS commissioners and providers in Devon, to help shape local services now and in the future.
Got an issue relating to any health or care service? Let us know via our online Speak Out form.
Your Feedback We have recently published the following on our website:
More of your published feedback is here, plus you can always offer feedback via our website or by calling us on 0800 520 0640.
Speak OutYour feedback makes a difference to how health and social care is managed and delivered in Devon. The following are opportunities to give feedback or contribute in other ways:
Recent NewsThe following stories have been published recently:
- Devon’s NHS scoops national award for “ground breaking” initiative
- RD&E issue statement on Junior Doctors strike
- Trust to keep impact on services minimal throughout industrial action
- Do you know and care about adults who are at risk of abuse or neglect?
- Dementia volunteer wins Pride of Exeter Award
- Healthwatch Devon publishes Enter and View report on Hill Brow Care Home in Crediton
- Eyes opened about nystagmus on Wobbly Wednesday
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence seeking new members
- Trust’s team member named NHS Inclusivity Leader of the Year
- National whistleblowing policy consultation announced – have your say
- Local network seek your views on pharmacy referral system
- CQC want to hear from women about their experiences of maternity care
More news has been published on our website here.
EventsIf you would like your health or social care event listed on our website please email: matthew@healthwatchdevon.co.uk
What the Health!Catch up on all the latest news on our young people's service, What The Health! via our website or the What The Health twitter feed. You can also listen to our latest radio shows.
Missed the last bulletin?View past e-bulletins in our archive. You can also download the latest issue of Healthwatch Voices magazine and view past issues here.
The MONTHLY e-bulletin from Healthwatch Devon.
Welcome to your monthly e-bulletin where we will keep you up to date on the latest news, consultations and events from Healthwatch.
Get well - get gardeningWith pressure on health service budgets, NHS managers are encouraging us all to use our local health services wisely. Campaigns like "Don't be a hoarder" point out the cost of unused prescriptions. And the "Self-care" campaign urges people to go straight to the pharmacy for simple ailments rather than taking up expensive GP time.
Now, newly published research from Westminster and Essex universities has highlighted another way in which people can "self-medicate" and ease the pressure on NHS services and finances. Their prescription? Get gardening!
The research, published in the Journal of Public Health, shows that gardening - particularly on allotments - can boost mental well-being. It also found that gardeners are less likely to be overweight or obese, so the health benefits are physical as well as mental.
One of the researchers, Dr. Carly Wood, said that getting more people to take up gardening, “could result in substantial savings to the UK economy, particularly in the treatment of health conditions such as mental illness, obesity, cardiovascular disease and loneliness”. She suggested that “Local authorities should seek to provide community allotment plots to allow residents to have regular opportunities to partake.”
Her comments were echoed by Professor John Ashton, from the UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH), who said “We cannot have good physical health without also looking after our mental well-being. FPH would welcome more community allotments and opportunities for people to have access to safe, green spaces."
We'd like to know what you think. Take our snapshot poll to give us your opinion and see what others are saying:
Should allotments and gardening groups play a role in local health services?
Miles Sibley
Executive Director
Healthwatch Devon Highlights
Help shape our work and win a hamperTell us what topics you think we, as your local consumer champion for health and social care, should be working on. We’ve given you a few options within the survey, but also welcome your ideas. For every person who contacts us with their chosen topic,there’s a chance to win a hamper. Click here to take part.
Gender Identity Services - your voice countsHealthwatch Devon started a survey last month, to gather the experiences of those accessing these services. So far we have had a very substantial response with 125 completed surveys so far. You can find out more here and take part.
Patients in the Picture updateHealthwatch Devon is currently looking into the way the NHS handles feedback and concerns locally. In order to do this, we want to hear from people who have provided feedback to a hospital, GP Practice or any other health service about their experience. So far 130 people have contributed to our survey. There's still time to take part, just click here to participate.
Staying safe on the internet
Our young people's service What The Health! will be broadcasting its next show, through Exeter's Phonic FM, on Saturday 14th November between 2 and 3pm. The show will feature Carmel Glassbrook of The Safer Internet Centre. Click here to find out more.
Your Feedback
We have recently published the following on our website:
More of your published feedback is here, plus you can always offer feedback via our website or by calling us on 0800 520 0640.
Speak OutYour feedback makes a difference to how health and social care is managed and delivered in Devon. The following are opportunities to give feedback or contribute in other ways:
Recent NewsThe following stories have been published recently:
Dates for your diary
Below are events coming up this month. More events are listed on our website.
17/11/2015 Alcoholics Anonymous public meeting Torquay
18/11/2015 Special Care Dental Service Van Newton Abbot
24/11/2015 Special Care Dental Service Van Torquay
27/11/2015 Sparkle Ball hosted by the Torbay Community Partnership Torquay
Get your health or social care event listed by emailing matthew@healthwatchdevon.co.uk
What the Health!
You can catch up on current What the Health! news here. We've updated our radio shows archive with a new media player, plus added published findings, based on the feedback and experiences of young people in Devon.
In addition we're very keen to hear from young people - both of their experiences of health care and specifically about their views on health and wellbeing.
Missed the last bulletin?View past e-bulletins in our archive. You can also download the latest issue of Healthwatch Voices magazine and view past issues here.
Welcome to your monthly e-bulletin where we will keep you up to date on the latest news, consultations and events from Healthwatch.
Get well - get gardeningWith pressure on health service budgets, NHS managers are encouraging us all to use our local health services wisely. Campaigns like "Don't be a hoarder" point out the cost of unused prescriptions. And the "Self-care" campaign urges people to go straight to the pharmacy for simple ailments rather than taking up expensive GP time.
Now, newly published research from Westminster and Essex universities has highlighted another way in which people can "self-medicate" and ease the pressure on NHS services and finances. Their prescription? Get gardening!
The research, published in the Journal of Public Health, shows that gardening - particularly on allotments - can boost mental well-being. It also found that gardeners are less likely to be overweight or obese, so the health benefits are physical as well as mental.
One of the researchers, Dr. Carly Wood, said that getting more people to take up gardening, “could result in substantial savings to the UK economy, particularly in the treatment of health conditions such as mental illness, obesity, cardiovascular disease and loneliness”. She suggested that “Local authorities should seek to provide community allotment plots to allow residents to have regular opportunities to partake.”
Her comments were echoed by Professor John Ashton, from the UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH), who said “We cannot have good physical health without also looking after our mental well-being. FPH would welcome more community allotments and opportunities for people to have access to safe, green spaces."
We'd like to know what you think. Take our snapshot poll to give us your opinion and see what others are saying:
Should allotments and gardening groups play a role in local health services?
Miles Sibley
Executive Director
Healthwatch Devon Highlights
Help shape our work and win a hamperTell us what topics you think we, as your local consumer champion for health and social care, should be working on. We’ve given you a few options within the survey, but also welcome your ideas. For every person who contacts us with their chosen topic,there’s a chance to win a hamper. Click here to take part.
Gender Identity Services - your voice countsHealthwatch Devon started a survey last month, to gather the experiences of those accessing these services. So far we have had a very substantial response with 125 completed surveys so far. You can find out more here and take part.
Patients in the Picture updateHealthwatch Devon is currently looking into the way the NHS handles feedback and concerns locally. In order to do this, we want to hear from people who have provided feedback to a hospital, GP Practice or any other health service about their experience. So far 130 people have contributed to our survey. There's still time to take part, just click here to participate.
Staying safe on the internet
Our young people's service What The Health! will be broadcasting its next show, through Exeter's Phonic FM, on Saturday 14th November between 2 and 3pm. The show will feature Carmel Glassbrook of The Safer Internet Centre. Click here to find out more.
Your Feedback
We have recently published the following on our website:
More of your published feedback is here, plus you can always offer feedback via our website or by calling us on 0800 520 0640.
Speak OutYour feedback makes a difference to how health and social care is managed and delivered in Devon. The following are opportunities to give feedback or contribute in other ways:
Recent NewsThe following stories have been published recently:
- Trust’s pharmacy team ask patients to “tell us about your medicines”
- Moretonhampstead Youth Engagement Report
- People as partners – Healthwatch England Annual Report 2014/15
- CQC Inspectors listen to local people in Devon
- Nominate your healthcare heroes for a Blue Shield Award
- Care Quality Commission announce Torbay and South Devon inspection
- Keeping your mouth as healthy as your smile
- CQC inspectors find Litchdon Medical Centre in Devon to be Outstanding
- Healthwatch Devon Voices Magazine autumn issue published
Dates for your diary
Below are events coming up this month. More events are listed on our website.
17/11/2015 Alcoholics Anonymous public meeting Torquay
18/11/2015 Special Care Dental Service Van Newton Abbot
24/11/2015 Special Care Dental Service Van Torquay
27/11/2015 Sparkle Ball hosted by the Torbay Community Partnership Torquay
Get your health or social care event listed by emailing matthew@healthwatchdevon.co.uk
What the Health!
You can catch up on current What the Health! news here. We've updated our radio shows archive with a new media player, plus added published findings, based on the feedback and experiences of young people in Devon.
In addition we're very keen to hear from young people - both of their experiences of health care and specifically about their views on health and wellbeing.
Missed the last bulletin?View past e-bulletins in our archive. You can also download the latest issue of Healthwatch Voices magazine and view past issues here.
| dcrf_newsletter_december_2015.pdf |
Devon Voluntary Action (DeVA)
HeadlinesLatest DeVA Newsletter is out now!
It's the essential quarterly newsletter for voluntary and community groups in Devon providing technical and practical support.
To get your copy you can:
Happy Reading!
Voluntary Voice Elections 2015
As more than one Expression of Interest has been received for the representative opportunities at six Strategic Partnerships, Voluntary Voice is running a full election following the prescribed procedures. Each VCS group in Devon will have one vote for each opportunity in the election.
To cast your organisation's vote please read the supporting statements at www.devonva.org/elections
The following Strategic Partnerships are included in the elections:
Voting closes at midday Friday 20th November 2015.
For more information on Voluntary Voice and the election including full details on the six partnerships in the election please visit www.devonva.org/elections.
Social Action Conference 2015
We would like to say thank you to all our keynote speakers, workshop leaders and market place stand holders for attending our Social Action Conference last week.
If you were able to join us as a delegate, we hope you enjoyed it and the presentations from the day will be available soon.
In the meantime, Darin Halifax, one of keynote speakers has written a blog since the conference 'We all do what we do because we want people to have better lives' reflecting on the conference. Read his blog at http://www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-all-do-what-we-do-because-we-want-people-have-better-lives#sthash.Rmfmecbr.dpuf
Invest in ecoe’s rooftop solar power projects and help establish the first community-owned renewable energy project in Exeter and East Devon.
Earn returns on investment. Support green energy on a roof near you.
Generate funds for our local communities. Be part of the change.
Attend the Share Launch Event on Tuesday 17th November 18.45 at Stephens Scown Solicitors, Southernhay West, Exeter
For more information about the benefits and how to invest visit www.ecoe.org.uk
Training and Events
Volunteer Managers Forum (North Devon and Torridge)
Delivered by DeVA Partner NDVS in conjunction with TTVS.
25th November 2015 at ASDA Community Room, Clovelly Road, Bideford EX39 3QU
1pm to 3pm
‘Devon Supported Volunteering (DSV) - Lending a Supportive Hand’
We are pleased to announce the start of the DeVA Supported Volunteering (DSV) project.
Supporting volunteers with additional needs in the community who may be experiencing problems of physical disability, mental health issues, learning difficulties, social isolation or damaging life experiences (including, for example, ex-offenders).
The meeting is open to representatives from any organisation involving volunteers and also offers an opportunity to network with other Volunteer Managers.
To book on to the forum email barbarag@torridgecvs.org.uk or phone 01237 420130.
NOCN Level 2 Award in Community Development
Delivered by DeVA Partner Teignbridge CVS
Starts 1st December 2015
The NOCN Community Development Awards aim to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of those involved in community development practice in a voluntary or paid capacity. The qualifications enable people to enhance the effectiveness of their community development work either as volunteer activists, community representatives, community development staff, community centre staff, or as personnel of organisations or services within a community development approach.
The course will include 3 or 4 half day trainer led sessions and some home learning assignments. The course will run between December 2015 and March 2016, with one trainer led session a month. Dates are to be confirmed. Assessment will be carried out by Teignbridge CVS staff who hold the NOCN Level 2 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement.
The full cost of the course is £260.
For more information including full course details visit:
www.teigncvs.org.uk/events/cvs/83-nocn-level-2-award-in-community-development
or contact Katie Chaplin at Teignbridge CVS on 01626 326125 or email services@teigncvs.org.uk
Adult Safeguarding provided by Devon County Council
Devon County Council provides a range of Safeguarding Adults, Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty safeguards training - which is currently delivered for free as it is fully funded by Devon County Council.
A1: Level 2 Raising Safeguarding Concerns Timings: 9.15 am—12.30 pm
Visit: https://new.devon.gov.uk/devonsafeguardinglearning/
Email: safeguardingadultstraining-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01392 383000 and ask for Steve Dixon who will assist with all your Safeguarding Adults Workforce training and development enquiries.
All the training is Care Act compliant, quality assured by Devon Safeguarding Adults Board.
Child Protection Group 2 Training provided by VOYC
£25 for VOYC Members
Funding Opportunities
BIG Lottery FREE Support Webinars
Applying for funding from Big Lottery Fund can be overwhelming at times. You may be looking for advice on Big Lottery website or perhaps you are not even sure how to begin.
They hold weekly webinars hosted by their helpful and knowledgeable funding officers who will give you tips on applying for funding, including how to evidence the need for your project and how to demonstrate the outcomes of your work. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions at the end of the session.
The webinar will talk you through what they could help to pay for, examples of successful projects, hints and tips on how to put together your application including sources of evidence and understanding project outcomes.
Please find a list of the November webinars below:
Awards for All
Lloyds Bank Foundation - ENABLE Programme
Deadline 20th November 2015
The Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales provides the Enable Programme to registered charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) in England and Wales that have identified clear development needs.
The funding is intended to strengthen charities and CIOs which work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage at one of the critical points in their life, and to help them deliver their 'mission' more effectively.
W: http://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/our-programmes/enable
Lloyds Bank Foundation - INVEST Programme
Deadline 20th November 2015
The Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales has created the Invest Programme to provide longer term core or delivery funding for charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) which are delivering clear outcomes as a result of their work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage at one of the critical points in their life.
W: http://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/our-programmes/invest
Tesco Community Greenspace Grants Programme
Deadline 27th November 2015 (midday)
The Community Greenspace Grants programme is funded by Tesco customers from the proceeds of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags which was introduced in England on 5 October 2015 and is already in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The programme is managed by Groundwork, an environmental charity, in England and Wales and in partnership with Greenspace Scotland in Scotland.
Funding is available for capital improvements to local community green spaces, such as parks, play areas and community gardens. There will be two voting rounds a year. Nominations will be whittled down to three good causes that customers can choose from to vote for in each area. This means that more than 2,500 different projects will receive funding each year.
W: http://www.groundwork.org.uk/News/tesco-local-community-scheme-launches
Building Better Opportunities
Deadline 30th November 2015 (midday)
The Big Lottery Fund is for the first time matching funds from the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020 to provide joint investment in 71 local projects tackling the root causes of poverty, promoting social inclusion and driving local jobs and growth.
Projects will provide opportunities for people to improve numeracy, literacy and digital skills, build confidence and self-esteem, and better understand and manage their finances. Extra support will be given to hard to reach and socially-excluded groups, including people with disabilities, mental health or addiction issues, those who are homeless, ex-offenders and people living in isolated rural areas.
The Big Lottery Fund is working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England who have identified projects that best meet local need and priorities. From 5 June 2015 organisations can apply for funding to deliver these projects.
W: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/esf
Spirit of 2012 Youth Advisory Panel Challenge Fund
Deadline 30th November 2015
Spirit of 2012 is an independent Trust, established with a £47 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund to ensure the spirit that radiated from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games is felt across the UK.
The Spirit of 2012 funding strategy sets out the Trust's commitment to empower all people equally to get out, be involved and feel better. Each open fund will challenge organisations to propose projects that meet a small number of the Trust's target outcomes by working through one of the priority themes: arts and culture, physical activity and volunteering.
Spirit's Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is looking to fund two innovative projects, one in South West England (excluding Bristol and Bath) and one in Northern Ireland, that provide opportunities for socially isolated young people aged 18-30 to get involved in their communities and connect with different generations, through either sport and physical activity or arts and cultural activities. The project should also provide high quality volunteering opportunities for participants from different generations, as well as opportunities for young people to shape the project itself.
The two successful applicants will receive grants of between £35,000 and £50,000 to deliver a project of one years' duration.
W: http://www.spiritof2012trust.org.uk/youth-advisory-panel-challenge-fund
BBC Children in Need - Small Grants
Deadline 1st December 2015
BBC Children in Need distributes the funds raised each year as grants to organisations that work with disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.
BBC Children in Need’s focus is firmly on children and young people experiencing disadvantage. They fund organisations working to combat this disadvantage and to make a real difference to children and young people's lives.
Organisations that already hold a grant from Children in Need can apply for further funding to keep running the same project or for a different project. Applicants will need to be able to provide convincing evidence of the differences the grant has made to the lives of the disadvantaged children and young people the organisation has worked with.
W: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fJVTzz5QmQx5rx0S4NVg0Q/small-grants
Grow Wild (BIG Lottery Project)
Deadline 1st December 2015
Grow Wild is awarding funding of £1,000 to £4,000 to community groups that want to bring people together to transform a communal space by sowing and growing UK native plants.
Apply now to be part of our 2016 community projects. Successful projects will be awarded funding in March 2016. They are looking to fund at least 60 groups across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
All of our funded community groups have a dedicated profile page to share their journey and achievements. Get ready to put your brilliant ideas into action and inspire others to join you in bringing colour and wildlife to your community.
W: https://www.growwilduk.com/content/community-project-funding
Weavers Benevolent Fund
Deadline 1st December 2015
The scheme is intended to support local organisations undertaking projects for young people who are vulnerable and at risk of becoming involved with crime.
The scheme particularly wishes to fund projects that work:
Exeter Board Community Grant Fund
Deadline 3rd December 2015
The Exeter Board Community Grant Fund is jointly provided and administered by Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.
Members of Exeter City and Devon County Councils established a Joint Board comprising the nine County Councillors for Exeter and five members of the City Council to be able to work together to support initiatives and new developments that will benefit the city through this fund.
The scheme aims to address issues of common interest for projects of community benefit across the City and to help give access to a wider pool of funding supporting neighbourhood and community development.
W: http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12412
First Steps Enterprise Fund
Deadline 11th December 2015 (midday)
The First Steps Enterprise Fund is a £300,000 pilot partnership between the Asda Foundation and the Social Investment Business Foundation. The Social Investment Business Foundation (SIB Foundation) is the parent charity of the Social Investment Business. It focuses its activities and funds on providing investment to community enterprises that have the potential to transform neighbourhoods across the country.
The fund is offering loan-grant packages to charities and social enterprises working in communities in England to help them grow their services and become more sustainable. The investments are the first steps towards accessing the wider social investment market and more financing options.
The fund intends to catalyse other UK corporate foundations to use their money innovatively to create social impact in communities across the country. It will complement Asda Foundation’s other programmes and will meet their aim of creating stronger and more sustainable communities.
W: http://www.sibgroup.org.uk/firststeps/
Wallace and Gromit Children's Charity
Deadline 11th December 2015
The Wallace and Gromit Children's Charity offers grants to registered charities in the UK working to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices.
The Charity aims to fund projects which are not funded directly by the NHS. For example, arts, play and music programmes for patients, facilities for parents such as parent accommodation, a wide range of projects in children's hospices, capital building programmes for children's hospitals and hospices and state of the art equipment.
W: https://wallaceandgromitcharity.org/about#grant-making
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all the details included in this e-bulletin are correct at the time of publication, Devon Voluntary Action (DeVA) does not accept legal responsibility for the accuracy of any information quoted above. Reference to any products, services, hypertext link to third parties or other information does not constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by DeVA. This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient.
HeadlinesLatest DeVA Newsletter is out now!
It's the essential quarterly newsletter for voluntary and community groups in Devon providing technical and practical support.
To get your copy you can:
- read it on-line by clicking here
- or download a pdf copy at www.devonva.org/news/107
Happy Reading!
Voluntary Voice Elections 2015
As more than one Expression of Interest has been received for the representative opportunities at six Strategic Partnerships, Voluntary Voice is running a full election following the prescribed procedures. Each VCS group in Devon will have one vote for each opportunity in the election.
To cast your organisation's vote please read the supporting statements at www.devonva.org/elections
The following Strategic Partnerships are included in the elections:
- Devon Strategic Partnership (DSP)
- Devon Safer Partnership
- Children, Young People and Families Alliance Executive Group
- Provider Engagement Network (PEN)
- Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Steering and Development Group
- Devon Local Nature Partnership
Voting closes at midday Friday 20th November 2015.
For more information on Voluntary Voice and the election including full details on the six partnerships in the election please visit www.devonva.org/elections.
Social Action Conference 2015
We would like to say thank you to all our keynote speakers, workshop leaders and market place stand holders for attending our Social Action Conference last week.
If you were able to join us as a delegate, we hope you enjoyed it and the presentations from the day will be available soon.
In the meantime, Darin Halifax, one of keynote speakers has written a blog since the conference 'We all do what we do because we want people to have better lives' reflecting on the conference. Read his blog at http://www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-all-do-what-we-do-because-we-want-people-have-better-lives#sthash.Rmfmecbr.dpuf
Invest in ecoe’s rooftop solar power projects and help establish the first community-owned renewable energy project in Exeter and East Devon.
Earn returns on investment. Support green energy on a roof near you.
Generate funds for our local communities. Be part of the change.
Attend the Share Launch Event on Tuesday 17th November 18.45 at Stephens Scown Solicitors, Southernhay West, Exeter
For more information about the benefits and how to invest visit www.ecoe.org.uk
Training and Events
Volunteer Managers Forum (North Devon and Torridge)
Delivered by DeVA Partner NDVS in conjunction with TTVS.
25th November 2015 at ASDA Community Room, Clovelly Road, Bideford EX39 3QU
1pm to 3pm
‘Devon Supported Volunteering (DSV) - Lending a Supportive Hand’
We are pleased to announce the start of the DeVA Supported Volunteering (DSV) project.
Supporting volunteers with additional needs in the community who may be experiencing problems of physical disability, mental health issues, learning difficulties, social isolation or damaging life experiences (including, for example, ex-offenders).
The meeting is open to representatives from any organisation involving volunteers and also offers an opportunity to network with other Volunteer Managers.
To book on to the forum email barbarag@torridgecvs.org.uk or phone 01237 420130.
NOCN Level 2 Award in Community Development
Delivered by DeVA Partner Teignbridge CVS
Starts 1st December 2015
The NOCN Community Development Awards aim to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of those involved in community development practice in a voluntary or paid capacity. The qualifications enable people to enhance the effectiveness of their community development work either as volunteer activists, community representatives, community development staff, community centre staff, or as personnel of organisations or services within a community development approach.
The course will include 3 or 4 half day trainer led sessions and some home learning assignments. The course will run between December 2015 and March 2016, with one trainer led session a month. Dates are to be confirmed. Assessment will be carried out by Teignbridge CVS staff who hold the NOCN Level 2 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement.
The full cost of the course is £260.
For more information including full course details visit:
www.teigncvs.org.uk/events/cvs/83-nocn-level-2-award-in-community-development
or contact Katie Chaplin at Teignbridge CVS on 01626 326125 or email services@teigncvs.org.uk
Adult Safeguarding provided by Devon County Council
Devon County Council provides a range of Safeguarding Adults, Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty safeguards training - which is currently delivered for free as it is fully funded by Devon County Council.
A1: Level 2 Raising Safeguarding Concerns Timings: 9.15 am—12.30 pm
- 19th Nov 2015 Filleigh Village Hall, Barnstaple
- 23rd Nov 2015 Venue to be confirmed—Exeter
- 3rd Dec 2015 Newcourt CC, Exeter 1
- 5th Dec 2015 Passage House, Kingsteignton
- 12th Jan 2016 Newcourt CC, Exeter
- 27th Jan 2016 Passage House, Kingsteignton
Visit: https://new.devon.gov.uk/devonsafeguardinglearning/
Email: safeguardingadultstraining-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Telephone: 01392 383000 and ask for Steve Dixon who will assist with all your Safeguarding Adults Workforce training and development enquiries.
All the training is Care Act compliant, quality assured by Devon Safeguarding Adults Board.
Child Protection Group 2 Training provided by VOYC
£25 for VOYC Members
- 18th Nov 2015 Whiddon Valley Community Centre, Barton Road, Barnstaple
- 2nd Dec 2015 Newcourt Community Centre, Exeter
Funding Opportunities
BIG Lottery FREE Support Webinars
Applying for funding from Big Lottery Fund can be overwhelming at times. You may be looking for advice on Big Lottery website or perhaps you are not even sure how to begin.
They hold weekly webinars hosted by their helpful and knowledgeable funding officers who will give you tips on applying for funding, including how to evidence the need for your project and how to demonstrate the outcomes of your work. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions at the end of the session.
The webinar will talk you through what they could help to pay for, examples of successful projects, hints and tips on how to put together your application including sources of evidence and understanding project outcomes.
Please find a list of the November webinars below:
Awards for All
- Thursday November 19 November 2015 3.00pm – 4.00pm
- Thursday November 26 November 2015 3.00pm – 4.00pm
- Tuesday 17 November 2015 2.00pm – 3.00pm
- Tuesday 10 November 2015 2.00pm – 3.00pm
- Tuesday 24 November 2015 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Lloyds Bank Foundation - ENABLE Programme
Deadline 20th November 2015
The Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales provides the Enable Programme to registered charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) in England and Wales that have identified clear development needs.
The funding is intended to strengthen charities and CIOs which work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage at one of the critical points in their life, and to help them deliver their 'mission' more effectively.
W: http://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/our-programmes/enable
Lloyds Bank Foundation - INVEST Programme
Deadline 20th November 2015
The Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales has created the Invest Programme to provide longer term core or delivery funding for charities and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs) which are delivering clear outcomes as a result of their work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage at one of the critical points in their life.
W: http://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/our-programmes/invest
Tesco Community Greenspace Grants Programme
Deadline 27th November 2015 (midday)
The Community Greenspace Grants programme is funded by Tesco customers from the proceeds of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags which was introduced in England on 5 October 2015 and is already in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The programme is managed by Groundwork, an environmental charity, in England and Wales and in partnership with Greenspace Scotland in Scotland.
Funding is available for capital improvements to local community green spaces, such as parks, play areas and community gardens. There will be two voting rounds a year. Nominations will be whittled down to three good causes that customers can choose from to vote for in each area. This means that more than 2,500 different projects will receive funding each year.
W: http://www.groundwork.org.uk/News/tesco-local-community-scheme-launches
Building Better Opportunities
Deadline 30th November 2015 (midday)
The Big Lottery Fund is for the first time matching funds from the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020 to provide joint investment in 71 local projects tackling the root causes of poverty, promoting social inclusion and driving local jobs and growth.
Projects will provide opportunities for people to improve numeracy, literacy and digital skills, build confidence and self-esteem, and better understand and manage their finances. Extra support will be given to hard to reach and socially-excluded groups, including people with disabilities, mental health or addiction issues, those who are homeless, ex-offenders and people living in isolated rural areas.
The Big Lottery Fund is working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England who have identified projects that best meet local need and priorities. From 5 June 2015 organisations can apply for funding to deliver these projects.
W: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/esf
Spirit of 2012 Youth Advisory Panel Challenge Fund
Deadline 30th November 2015
Spirit of 2012 is an independent Trust, established with a £47 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund to ensure the spirit that radiated from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games is felt across the UK.
The Spirit of 2012 funding strategy sets out the Trust's commitment to empower all people equally to get out, be involved and feel better. Each open fund will challenge organisations to propose projects that meet a small number of the Trust's target outcomes by working through one of the priority themes: arts and culture, physical activity and volunteering.
Spirit's Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is looking to fund two innovative projects, one in South West England (excluding Bristol and Bath) and one in Northern Ireland, that provide opportunities for socially isolated young people aged 18-30 to get involved in their communities and connect with different generations, through either sport and physical activity or arts and cultural activities. The project should also provide high quality volunteering opportunities for participants from different generations, as well as opportunities for young people to shape the project itself.
The two successful applicants will receive grants of between £35,000 and £50,000 to deliver a project of one years' duration.
W: http://www.spiritof2012trust.org.uk/youth-advisory-panel-challenge-fund
BBC Children in Need - Small Grants
Deadline 1st December 2015
BBC Children in Need distributes the funds raised each year as grants to organisations that work with disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.
BBC Children in Need’s focus is firmly on children and young people experiencing disadvantage. They fund organisations working to combat this disadvantage and to make a real difference to children and young people's lives.
Organisations that already hold a grant from Children in Need can apply for further funding to keep running the same project or for a different project. Applicants will need to be able to provide convincing evidence of the differences the grant has made to the lives of the disadvantaged children and young people the organisation has worked with.
W: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fJVTzz5QmQx5rx0S4NVg0Q/small-grants
Grow Wild (BIG Lottery Project)
Deadline 1st December 2015
Grow Wild is awarding funding of £1,000 to £4,000 to community groups that want to bring people together to transform a communal space by sowing and growing UK native plants.
Apply now to be part of our 2016 community projects. Successful projects will be awarded funding in March 2016. They are looking to fund at least 60 groups across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
All of our funded community groups have a dedicated profile page to share their journey and achievements. Get ready to put your brilliant ideas into action and inspire others to join you in bringing colour and wildlife to your community.
W: https://www.growwilduk.com/content/community-project-funding
Weavers Benevolent Fund
Deadline 1st December 2015
The scheme is intended to support local organisations undertaking projects for young people who are vulnerable and at risk of becoming involved with crime.
The scheme particularly wishes to fund projects that work:
- With disadvantaged young people between the ages of five and 30, to ensure that they are given every possible chance to meet their full potential and to participate fully in society.
- To address the social and economic problems faced by offenders and ex-offenders under the age of thirty and their families and provide them with the support and training they need to return to employment or education.
Exeter Board Community Grant Fund
Deadline 3rd December 2015
The Exeter Board Community Grant Fund is jointly provided and administered by Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.
Members of Exeter City and Devon County Councils established a Joint Board comprising the nine County Councillors for Exeter and five members of the City Council to be able to work together to support initiatives and new developments that will benefit the city through this fund.
The scheme aims to address issues of common interest for projects of community benefit across the City and to help give access to a wider pool of funding supporting neighbourhood and community development.
W: http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=12412
First Steps Enterprise Fund
Deadline 11th December 2015 (midday)
The First Steps Enterprise Fund is a £300,000 pilot partnership between the Asda Foundation and the Social Investment Business Foundation. The Social Investment Business Foundation (SIB Foundation) is the parent charity of the Social Investment Business. It focuses its activities and funds on providing investment to community enterprises that have the potential to transform neighbourhoods across the country.
The fund is offering loan-grant packages to charities and social enterprises working in communities in England to help them grow their services and become more sustainable. The investments are the first steps towards accessing the wider social investment market and more financing options.
The fund intends to catalyse other UK corporate foundations to use their money innovatively to create social impact in communities across the country. It will complement Asda Foundation’s other programmes and will meet their aim of creating stronger and more sustainable communities.
W: http://www.sibgroup.org.uk/firststeps/
Wallace and Gromit Children's Charity
Deadline 11th December 2015
The Wallace and Gromit Children's Charity offers grants to registered charities in the UK working to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices.
The Charity aims to fund projects which are not funded directly by the NHS. For example, arts, play and music programmes for patients, facilities for parents such as parent accommodation, a wide range of projects in children's hospices, capital building programmes for children's hospitals and hospices and state of the art equipment.
W: https://wallaceandgromitcharity.org/about#grant-making
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all the details included in this e-bulletin are correct at the time of publication, Devon Voluntary Action (DeVA) does not accept legal responsibility for the accuracy of any information quoted above. Reference to any products, services, hypertext link to third parties or other information does not constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by DeVA. This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient.
Tony Hogg's monthly report brings you news from your Police and Crime CommissionerMonthly report - November 2015Tony Hogg has shelved plans to consult the public over a 15% police council tax increase.
His decision follows the announcement from Mike Penning, the policing minister, that the Government has abandoned the Home Office review in the police funding formula, which would have taken an additional £15m of funding from Devon and Cornwall, in favour of a new independent survey.
“I have responded to changing circumstances in my consideration of the budget requirement for policing in Devon and Cornwall,” said Mr Hogg.
“Mike Penning’s welcome decision to delay the review of police funding means it is no longer necessary to make a decision on a large council tax increase this year.”
Read the full story here >
Prior to the Government's decision Mr Hogg made this video to explain why he felt a public consultation was necessary. Watch our video here >
Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has spoken of his delight after Policing Minister Mike Penning (above) withdrew the Home Office review into the police funding formula.
Read more >
For all other news from Tony Hogg's office click here >
In early November Tony Hogg gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee to explain why he feels the Government’s proposed police funding formula was disadvantageous to Devon and Cornwall. Read more >
If you want to know what events Tony Hogg and his team will be attending in the coming months have a look at our public events calendar >
Read our blogs
Devon and Cornwall Police plans to close police stations and offices across Devon and Cornwall in the next five years as the Force strives to save £29m from its current budget. Read more >
To view all our videos including questions we have asked the chief constable on the public's behalf click here
His decision follows the announcement from Mike Penning, the policing minister, that the Government has abandoned the Home Office review in the police funding formula, which would have taken an additional £15m of funding from Devon and Cornwall, in favour of a new independent survey.
“I have responded to changing circumstances in my consideration of the budget requirement for policing in Devon and Cornwall,” said Mr Hogg.
“Mike Penning’s welcome decision to delay the review of police funding means it is no longer necessary to make a decision on a large council tax increase this year.”
Read the full story here >
Prior to the Government's decision Mr Hogg made this video to explain why he felt a public consultation was necessary. Watch our video here >
Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has spoken of his delight after Policing Minister Mike Penning (above) withdrew the Home Office review into the police funding formula.
Read more >
For all other news from Tony Hogg's office click here >
In early November Tony Hogg gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee to explain why he feels the Government’s proposed police funding formula was disadvantageous to Devon and Cornwall. Read more >
If you want to know what events Tony Hogg and his team will be attending in the coming months have a look at our public events calendar >
Read our blogs
Devon and Cornwall Police plans to close police stations and offices across Devon and Cornwall in the next five years as the Force strives to save £29m from its current budget. Read more >
To view all our videos including questions we have asked the chief constable on the public's behalf click here
THANK YOU LETTERS
From: Moorland Parish Link [mailto:link@marionkaye.com]
Sent: 14 November 2015 07:58
To: clerk@dartmoorforestpc.net
Subject: Thanks
Nigel
Please pass on our thanks for the donation cheque from the DFPC received yesterday.
Donations like this allow us to continue to print and deliver the Parish Link free of charge to most households on the Moor.
Many thanks once again
All good wishes
Marion
Sent: 14 November 2015 07:58
To: clerk@dartmoorforestpc.net
Subject: Thanks
Nigel
Please pass on our thanks for the donation cheque from the DFPC received yesterday.
Donations like this allow us to continue to print and deliver the Parish Link free of charge to most households on the Moor.
Many thanks once again
All good wishes
Marion
