Agenda and minutes

Apologies received from Seema Banhatti (Keep Healthy 4 Ever CIC), Uzma Nawaz (Keep Healthy 4 Ever CIC), Dawn Thomas (Northamptonshire Rape and Incest Crisis Centre)

Page 6, Item 9

NABPFA: should read ‘four women’s organisations had responded’. Take out ‘They are looking to hold satellite events internationally’.

Matters arising

Page 2, item 2: The dates have not been fixed for the workshops for the carnival and Morcea Walker will circulate when this becomes available.

Page 3, item 3: Tendai Ndongwe will circulate the Equality Assessment Impact when this is available.

Page 4, item 5: Khatija Barday-Wood to contact business groups etc. This has not been completed as yet.

Alice Morgan to contact Children’s Centres: Alice has contacted them all but has not received many responses, with the exception of Emily Riley who has attended this meeting. Alice will try contacting them again.

Page 4, Item 6: Influencing themes like crime: Jane Carr said that they are in conversations with the Police and Crime Commissioners’ office. All information will be forwarded through NVC E-bulletin and Twitter. If anyone would like to be included in the e-bulletins then to contact Priti.

Page 5, item 8: NBC website page: Alice Morgan confirmed that the website went live that morning and she will keep this updated. See link -

http://www.northampton.gov.uk/info/200124/forums/1953/women-s-forum

Page 5, Item 9: EIMAN: Survey about violence against women and children.

This has been circulated to the forum via NVC. Khatija is preparing the survey based around education.

The minutes were agreed.

International Women’s Day

Liz Carroll-Wheat spoke about the event taking place on 8th March from 11am – 3pm at the Museum. Liz said that she had sent an email through the women’s forum inviting groups/individuals if they would like to take part by promoting their work.

If anyone would like a stall that had not received this email to contact Priti.

Liz said that they also had the space across the road from the museum NN- (Number Nine) which will also hold events there. They are also looking for more people to hold a talk, run a workshop or provide well-being activities such as Reiki. If anyone is interested then to contact her.

Liz also spoke about the plans for the day, this included

 Performers on the day

 Women’s Rock Choir – performing on the steps of the Guildhall

 Various music groups/individuals and female dj’s

 Story telling

 An international women’s artist

Liz Carroll-Wheat can be contacted by lcarroll-wheat@northampton.gov.uk

Julia Bush and Khatija Barday-Wood expressed an interest in a

stall/workshop.

Ann Bodsworth spoke about the risk of refuges being closed and asked if they would be able to provide information and have a petition.

International Women’s Award

NBC have joined forces with BBC Radio Northampton. They are asking for people to nominate inspirational women. This could be a business woman, a volunteer or family member etc.

Liz will be sending out a flyer shortly. If you have not received this, then contact Priti Chavda.

Nominations are open until February 14. To nominate or go to

www.northampton.gov.uk/inspirationalwomen  or Twitter: #womensday

The final winner will be selected at the International Women’s Day event.

Publicity

There has been lots of coverage through the media. Liz will send the flyer shortly if people could circulate to their contacts.

Vicki Rockall asked if we wanted a theme or to leave it open.

Khatija Barday-Wood suggested an inspirational tree.

Any suggestions to be fed back to Vicki - vrockall@northampton.gov.uk

Cllr Danielle Stone spoke about this global initiative. February 14th is a ‘global day of rising’. They will be holding an event in the market on this day, pledging for people to sign taking a stand against gender based violence. There will be 4 stands in the market from 10.30am – 2.30pm with the actual event from 12.30pm – 1.30pm. An area around the fountain has been ring-fenced.

The four stalls are:

1) support for women against violence

2) general information for women

3) funders groups that support women

4) arts groups - promote to women

If anyone would like a stand then to let them know.

Pindy Chahal expressed in interest in a stall.

They are in the middle of arranging publicity with pledge cards/promotions being made available shortly.

Danielle invited everyone to take part in this event and to wear something red or pink ie ribbon etc.

Morcea Walker, Khatija Barday-Wood and Dawn Thomas are also part of the working group. The next steering group meeting will be held on 3rd February,

11.30am at Northamptonshire Enterprise offices in Billing Road. This meeting is open to all.

Khatija Barday-Wood said that as part of the global initiative, she has been talking to mosque leaders to encourage them to give a sermon about violence against women.

Jane Carr said that she was not sure if the police department is doing anything. Jane is seeing Helen Mason on 3rd February and will raise this then.

Cllr Anna King left 11.30am

Cllr Alan Bottwood, Cabinet Member for Finance spoke about the proposed budget for 2014/15. (Papers and survey available at the meeting). Northampton Borough Council needs to find £2m of savings over 2014/15.

This is due to cuts in Government grants and increasing demand for services.

Extended free parking including every Saturday and 2 hours free during the week

This will help to boost figures of people in the town. With more shops, this will give them more of an income from tax from shops.

Business incentives

More help for businesses in town, reduction of empty shops which will increase footfall. Money invested to improve the business environment and make the town centre a more vibrant and attractive location for shoppers and investors.

Capital budget projects

This is the Council’s Capital Budget which is used for investments in land, infrastructure and equipment. They will prioritise each project that they do and when they do this.

Wardens and park rangers

They are working with the Police, whose funds are also decreasing together with NCC and NBC’s budgets.

NBC are proposing no increase in council tax; there has been no decision made by the police yet and NCC will be increasing their percentage.

Cllr Bottwood said that out of every £ in council tax – 72p goes to NCC.

NBC/Police each retain 14%.

They are looking at creating two new posts and to provide a vehicle which will make their presence more visible and will provide better mobility to cover a greater number of parks more quickly.

Increase opening hours of NBC’s Museums

They are looking to increase the opening hours which will help to increase footfall in the town and increase tourism.

Maintaining the investment of small community grants

The budget for £50k to help community based projects in Northampton has remained the same.

There are also opportunities for funding through:

Councillors grants: £135k

Partnership funds: £50k

Senior management savings

This is on-going. They have cut down 10 senior management posts and have been able to maintain front-line services.

Staff terms and conditions

NBC to be in line with local industry

Jane Carr said that there was a consultation for the proposed budget and encouraged everyone to respond.

Questions and Answers

Q. In terms of council tax increases – what about the parish councils

A. There is a slight delay – the parish councils have until the 2nd week in February to let NBC know.

Reopening Abington Street

Discussions took place about the use of the Quaker offices and how a number of groups used this building regularly including Mind and Baby café. If

Abington Street was reopened then this would have a huge impact for these services users who had children, prams, wheelchairs or were people with disabilities.

Cllr Bottwood said that since the road had closed a lot of businesses had less football and were dying. Long term parking will not be available, it will be either short term or as a drop off point. Northampton Bid is in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The budget decisions have equality analysis behind it. She was trying to arrange for one of her colleagues to attend but this has not been possible yet.

They have over 100 budget streams and are doing a scoping exercise to see if the schemes are working.

Learning: Care pathway

They are looking to reconfigure care pathway and are at the first stage which is an internal structure.

Children Services Tender: The Children Services is up for tender in providing a quality improvement programme (QIP) – (better for less)

Jane Carr asked how they are looking to work with the vcs who are in a better place to deliver.

Tendai said that she has spoken to the Chief Executive who has said that they are looking at working more in partnership with the VCS. Tendai said that this is definitely on the agenda and will feed back when she finds out more.

Corporate Strategy Plan: They are firming up on this.

Consolidate services in key areas

They are conscious of moving around may have had an impact. She will speak to her colleague about the closure of buildings and changing services.

Q. As the last meeting, skin issues was raised and also the lack of vitamin D. The needs for breast cancer/skin cancer are not met – how can we take this forward, in particular for BME communities.

A. There is no publication for BME needs. They did have a health worker previously. She will take forward and talk to both Northampton and Kettering General hospitals and flag up to Public Health.

Tendai also said that on 14th February they will be at the LGBT event.

At the last meeting, it was requested for everyone to pick three priorities and this will be the focus for the planning for the forum. Unfortunately only 3 responses had been received.

Jane asked for everyone to take a look at the priorities again and email 3 choices to Priti Chavda by 10th February. (See list below)

· Influencing, getting out to women who are not supported

· Bringing in people from health, police – get feedback for groups

· PCC – funds

· Health – ie sexual violence

· Delivering partnership activities collectively – adding value

· Developing a work plan for next 12 months

· Communicating together better

· Influence policy and be a catalyst of change

· Involve some events

· Highlight the work of the forum

· Being creative. To be a mixture of a sounding board and be able to inform strategically

Vicki Rockall said that there was an events calendar on NBC’s website -

http://www.northampton.gov.uk/eventscalendar.

If anyone wanted to hold a large event then to get an action plan together

KhatijaBarday-Wood, Eiman

UN International Rapporteur for VAWG’s (violence against women and girls) imminent consultative visit to UK after CSW (Commission on the Status of

Women)

ACTION: Khatija to send brief summary to Priti Chavda to forward out with the dates.

Further amendments were made to the Terms of Reference (amended paper attached).

Morcea Walker spoke about the code of conduct for the forums. This has been agreed and is being re-introduced to all of NBC’s forums.

Chris Rockall, Northampton Leisure Trust

Northamptonshire will be hosting the first stage of the inaugural Women’s Cycling Tour. Northampton Leisure Trust is hosting this on the 7th May.

Northampton Leisure Trust is putting in a bid to Sport England to run a series of activities for women. The activities will all link in to local clubs and groups so the women can continue once the 6 week taster sessions have finished.

Chris asked the women’s forum for their interest and letters of support.

Suggestions included:

- Activities in the workplace

- International women’s day

- At school for girls

- Buddy system

- An outdoor space where women feel safe. For example the lack of vitamin

D is due to women being covered up completely.

- Nisha Mejer suggesting linking in the Museum ‘women on wheels’ exhibition

- Ann Bodsworth suggested contacting Vince Carroll at the Bridge project for women who have come through drugs/alcohol.

Deadline for letters is 4th February. They will know by mid-March if they have been successful. Group’s letters of support to be sent to Priti Chavda. NVC will send one on behalf of the Women’s Forum.

Khatija Barday-Wood said that sports is under represented in BME communities and asked if there are opportunities to engage.

Chris said that they have not narrowed this down yet and will be able look into this if they are successful.

Eiman: They are holding two events in April including a sponsored walk

IHWO:

They are holding an event on 7th February at Northampton College starting at

7pm. Neelam will circulate information through Priti Chavda

Diwali: The event will take place on 18th October

Faith Forum: Event on 29th March in the market square involving 7 faiths. Everyone is welcome to attend and/or bring displays/leaflets.

NABPFA:

8 women’s organisations supported.

Event on 9th February, Fundraising dinner with Palestine women at the Maharaja Restaurant in Wellingborough Road. Tickets are £15.00.

NAS

Email: juliafbush@gmail.com for tickets.

Positive Futures: Ann has now retired from NHFT and is moving into coaching people, particularly in the vcs for either personal or business. There is a charge however this is reasonable.

ACTION: Ann to send information to Priti Chavda to circulate through the

NVC E-bulletin

Voices Against Abuse: They are starting ladies health walks on Sundays at Abington Park.

Sikh Community Centre: They are starting a support surgery and will send the information out via Priti Chavda.

Northampton Museum: Various activities running in the museum including Women on Wheels and workshops during half term.

NBC: Vicki is sending a ‘Can do guide’ through NVC to circulate. This guide is for help with setting up events.

International Women’s Day – Saturday 8th March 2014

Wednesday 7th May 2014, Guildhall, Jeffrey Room