Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Margaret Foster, Stuart Potter and Phil Smith.

Councillor Ryan Brent declared an interest in agenda item 4 - Support services for people aged 16-25 living in isolation - in that he has been appointed by the City Council as an observer to Motiv8.

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the Housing and Social Care Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 26 June 2015 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the chair of the panel.

Councillor Gemma New asked if Councillor Sanders had received a response to his email, from Portsmouth College. Councillor Sanders responded by saying that an email had been received explaining that PUSH was part of the public health team who went into the college last year and carried out tutor group talks highlighting the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse.

Councillor Sanders also reported that the scrutiny management panel had agreed the next review topic of 'Housing need and empty properties in Portsmouth and the impact of Government Policy on those two things'.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2015 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the chair of the panel.

The panel will continue to receive evidence in relation to this topic from a representative of Motiv8.

Charlie Adie, Chief Executive of Motiv8 was welcomed to the meeting and outlined the following points with regards to the current review.

Charlie explained to the panel that this is his 10^th year at Motiv8 and that over that time period the organisation has grown. However, now it is massively contracting as there has been a significant change in funding for the organisation.

Motiv8 covers three areas: Gosport/Fareham, Havant and Portsmouth. Motiv8 also runs Bicycle Recycling, a social enterprise which offers repairs and servicing of bicycles, and training and employment opportunities to local young people and volunteers. Bicycle Recycling has two shops, in both Gosport and in Portsmouth. Bicycle Recycling in Gosport is also a training venue which is situated next to the Gosport ferry and the Portsmouth venue is situated in the Community Cycle Hub, Winston Churchill Avenue. 

Charlie explained that as an example of budget cuts affecting services and the lives of young people, the ITYSS service contract had been terminated. This service was for young people (13-19yrs) and up to 25 with special needs, who were able to get advice and guidance about issues which young people face. Now the 'You Choose' service is under risk. You Choose provides age appropriate positive activities, focusing on areas that have the highest need, deprivation and concentration of children and young people. Charlie felt that it was easier to be a young person living in a deprived housing area rather than the rental sector because the support and facilities for young people run by the housing service in council estates is great. He continued to explain that there are three main issues which can affect young people:

1.    not having a stable place to live,

2.    not having relationships of trust and

3.    not having something positive to do (e.g. work and/or activities).

Removing one of these will lead to isolation. Motiv8 provide support and coaching to help focus and move young people to make the right life choices. He felt that early intervention and prevention was key.

When asked what changes he would like to see to break down barriers, Charlie said the main one was cultural. He felt that recent personnel changes at the council made that more likely, and he envisaged greater acceptance of alternative ways of working that could deliver good services for less money. An example given was to have relatively small (approximately 5% of specific budgets) innovation and development grants, to fund early intervention and prevention alongside the core statutory delivery. He hoped that, in future, there would be greater dialogue with voluntary groups about such alternatives, as many of them felt that, especially in the last couple of years, this had been lacking. 

The next meeting has been arranged for Thursday 8 October 2015 at 9am in the executive meeting room, floor 3 of the Guildhall and the panel will hear evidence from the Teenage Pregnancy Re-integration Officer, the Manager of the Young Parents Support Team and a representative from the Positive Family Future Transformation Team.

The panel members noted the date of the next meeting.