2023 Minutes

Minutes of Meeting of Sligo Local Community Development Committee Thursday 25th May 2023 at 9.30a.m. (Council Chamber, City Hall & MS Teams)


Members Present

  • Councillor Dara Mulvey (Chamber), Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Councillor Tom Fox (Chamber), Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Councillor Joe Queenan (Chamber), Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Martin Lydon (Chamber), Local Government/CE, Sligo County Council
  • John Reilly (Online), Local Government / LEO, Sligo County Council
  • Cara O’Neill (Online), State Agency, Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan HSE
  • Peter Egan (Online), State Agency, Mayo, Sligo Leitrim ETB
  • Aidan Doyle (Chamber), Business Interests, Sligo Chamber of Commerce
  • John Feerick (Online), Local Development Sector, Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG
  • John Kennedy (Online), State Agency, Dept. Of Employment Affairs & Social Protection
  • Kathleen Henry (Online), Farming / Agriculture Interests, Farming / Agriculture Pillar
  • Noelle O’Gara (Online), Social Inclusion, PPN
  • Patrick Benson (Online), Community & Voluntary, PPN

 

Apologies /Absent

  • Brendan Lynch, Social Inclusion, PPN
  • Billy Gallagher, Community & Voluntary, PPN
  • Ms Connie Nell, Environmental Interests, Environmental Pillar (PPN)
  • Pat Fallon, Trade Union Interests, Irish Congress of Trade Unions

 

In Attendance

  • Dorothy Clarke (Chamber), Chief Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Margaret McConnell (Chamber), Senior Executive Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Mary Boylan (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Geraldine Timlin (Chamber), Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Emer McGrath (Chamber), Clerical Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Tracy Ferguson, Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Kate Gibbons (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Marcella McGarry (Chamber), Healthy Ireland Co-ordinator, Sligo County Council
  • June Murphy (Online), Programme Manager (SICAP), County Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG

 

The Chair Councillor. Dara Mulvey welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted the apologies.

 

1. Declarations of Interest

There were no Declarations of Interest.

 

2. Minutes of meeting 6th April 2023

Proposed by: Councillor. T. Fox
Seconded by: Mr. P. Benson

and agreed.

 

3. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

 

4. SICAP

(a) Update on SICAP 2023 to date

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting. Ms. J. Murphy gave an overview of the report as follows:

  • In terms of the 2023 Mid-Year Review the end of May is the mid term point at which all work is reviewed.
  • Mid – Term Targets are being met with the annual target for groups (38) currently at 53% and the individual annual target (366) at 56%. The annual target for people living in disadvantaged areas is 18%; this is currently at 19.95%
  • Examples of Actions under Goals 1 & 2, including Ukrainian Supports were also covered by Ms. Murphy, as per report circulated to members.

 

(b) Verification Visits

Options for SICAP Site Verification Visits, during July 2023 were discussed as follows:

  • Sailing Camp in Rosses Point
  • Knitting for Charity

Dates to be confirmed by Ms. Murphy and notified to Ms. K. Gibbons.

Mr. P. Benson noted that he had attended a Site Verification Visit at Sligo University Hospital, which involves a broad cohort of people and will result in a very worthwhile legacy of SICAP being left in place.

 

(c) 2023 Mid – Year Review

Members were advised of the schedule of dates for the Mid-Year Review.  It was noted that the turn around time was very tight this year in order to meet the timeframe as set out by Pobal. This is due to the necessity to bring forward the July meeting of the LCDC to 28th June 2023 to facilitate submission of the LDS by 14th July 2023.

 

(d) SICAP 2024 – 2028

Members were given an overview of the timelines associated with the new SICAP Programme 2024+.  Request for Tenders (RFT) must be published on e-Tenders on 10th July, with contracts being signed with the successful Programme Implementor (PI) by the end of December 2023.

 

(e)Correspondence

Circulated to members in advance of the meeting.  Outlined by Ms. K. Gibbons and noted by Members.

 

8. Update on Healthy Ireland – Round 4

Members agreed that Item 8 on the Agenda would be taken next.

Report circulated to members in advance of meeting.  Ms. M. McGarry, Healthy Sligo Co-ordinator provided an overview as follows:

  • Pobal Approval of Activities - Correspondence received from Pobal in early May confirming that, further to approval by Department of Health, a grant award of up to €198,122.42 under Round 4 of Healthy Ireland has been granted to Sligo.
  • The Sligo Healthy Ireland Sub Committee have approved in principle, a set of activities for 2023 – 2025 as set out in appendix 1 of the Healthy Ireland Report circulated to members in advance of this meeting.
  • A number of challenges in the delivery of activities were discussed:
    • Potential loss of Programme leads due to the timing of decisions from Pobal, as they will be competing with summer activities
    • Evaluation of the 3-year Healthy Ireland Fund Programme. It was noted that evaluation costs are an ineligible spend on this programme.  The Healthy Ireland subcommittee requested / recommended that the LCDC raise this issue with both the Department of Health and Pobal, requesting that funding for evaluation is identified as an eligible form of expenditure to be factored into the programme in Year 1.

Ms. C. O’Neill noted that in terms of the Programme of Activities - Youth Mental Health Action, the HSE will be the lead agency and have a Clinical Psychologist in place, who will be available to work on the Training in the Decider Programme.

Further to a discussion on Evaluation Mr. M. Lydon advised that clarity on Evaluation be sought and noted that it should have been included in the original programme specification.

Ms. D. Clarke suggested that the LCDC contact the Dept. of Health requesting that funding for programme evaluation be provided.

Proposed by: Councillor. D. Mulvey
Seconded by: Councillor. T. Fox

 

5. To approve Sligo LCDC Annual Report 2022

Report circulated to members in advance of meeting.  Ms M. McConnell provided an overview of the report and the statutory requirements for the Annual Report and of the work contained therein.  She also advised members that it would be going before the June meeting of Sligo County Council, for approval.

Proposed by: Councillor. J. Queenan
Seconded by: Councillor. T. Fox

 

6. Update on LECP – Sligo 2030

Ms. Dorothy Clarke gave a brief update on progress of the LECP – Sligo 2030.  She advised members that it would be launched on 7th June 2023, by Minister Joe O’Brien.  Members are invited and were thanked for their role in the consultation and development process of the LECP.

 

7. Update on PPN

Report circulated to members in advance of meeting.  Mr. P. Benson outlined the report and brought the following work / collaborations to the attention of the members:

  • Community Connections Expo held in the Sligo Park Hotel - a collaborative event focused on highlighting the wide range of supports and services for the community. Organized by Sligo PPN, Healthy Sligo, Age Friendly Sligo, An Garda Siochana and Muintir na Tire and sponsored by Sligo Leader Partnership CLG.
  • The Power to Change Mentor programme - ATU and Sligo PPN are working with groups in the community to build their capacity for positive climate action; also collaborating with Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG.
  • Supporting the role out of Street Feast 2023 in the local community with events scheduled to take place across the county on 25th

 

8. Update on PEACEPLUS Programme

Report circulated to Members in advance of meeting.  Ms. T. Ferguson provided an overview as follows:

  • The Co-design Public Consultation Phase is completed. There were over 90 attendees at the Consultation Sessions with most of the target groups also in attendance.
  • The Co-design process will continue via face-to-face meetings with groups and organisations alongside the online survey and facility for written submissions which is open until Friday, 26th May 2023. A social media and email campaign will also continue during this time.
  • In terms of next steps, project ideas will be collated, assessed and presented to the Sligo PEACEPLUS Partnership for shortlisting. It is expected that this process will be completed by mid-July.

 

9. Correspondence

Correspondence was outlined by Ms. M. McConnell and noted by members.

 

10. Date for next LCDC/LAG meeting – Wednesday 28th June 2023 – 2.30p.m.

This meeting was originally scheduled for Thursday 29th June but due to the official opening of the Strandhill Surf Centre members agreed to hold the meeting on Wednesday 28th June to facilitate attendance at this event.

 

11. Any Other Business

Mr. P. Egan, MSLETB advised members that the current REALT co-ordinator was taking up another position and had been replaced – contact details for the new REALT co-ordinator to be made available to members.

 

Meeting concluded at 10.35a.m.

 

 


Meeting Date 25/05/2023