Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Julie Mayhew be elected Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

To elect a Vice-Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Jim Halliday be elected Vice-Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2005/06 Municipal Year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were recorded from Councillors Paul Bizzell, Richard Gibson, Janet Morgan and Laurel Symons.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Abingdon Area Committee held on 30 March 2005.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Abingdon Area Committee held on 30 March 2005 were adopted and signed as a correct record.

To receive any declarations of Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

In accordance with Part 2 of the Local Code of Conduct and the provisions of Standing Order 34, any Member with a personal interest must disclose the existence and nature of that interest to the meeting prior to the matter being debated.  Where that personal interest is also a prejudicial interest, then the Member must withdraw from the room in which the meeting is being held and not seek improperly to influence any decision about the matter unless he/she has obtained a dispensation from the Standards Committee.

Declarations of Interest were made as follows: -

To receive notification of any matters, which the Chair determines, should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances, which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the Chair.

None.

Any statements and/or petitions from the public under Standing Order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting.

It was noted that two members of the public had each given notice that they wished to make a statement at the meeting as follows: -

Mr Colin Trinder made a statement in support of a grant application from the Peachcroft Christian Centre.  He explained that only £100,000 was needed to build the extension.  He reported that with substantial grant assistance from the District Council it would be possible to secure a loan to complete the funds required and proceed with the work.  He appreciated the financial position of the Council but emphasised the considerable benefit of the extension and hence improved facilities to all people in Abingdon.  Finally, he advised that there was a family fun day on Saturday 16 July 2005, to which all Members were invited to attend.

Mr Allen made a statement in support of the grant application from the Child Contact Centre.  He explained that the Contact Centre met in the Church Hall of the Baptist Church as this was a convenient place with suitable facilities.  He explained the running of the Centre reporting that there were 24 volunteer helpers. The clients were various people from all cultures, usually where relationships had broken up.  He commented on the safe, secure environment provided for children and outlined the operating arrangements in detail.

The Chair thanked Mr Trinder and Mr Allen for their statements.

Any questions from members of the public under Standing Order 32 will be asked at the meeting.

None.

At the last meeting of the South East Area Committee, Members had requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  The Strategic Director, Steve Bishop, has produced a briefing note which is being circulated to all Area Committees for information.

Recommendation

that the agenda report be received.

The Committee received and considered an agenda item which advised that at the last meeting of the South East Area Committee, Members had requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  A briefing note prepared by the Strategic Director (Finance) was considered.

RESOLVED

that the agenda report be received.

To receive and consider report 50/05 of the Head of Innovation and Enterprise.

Introduction and Report Summary

The purpose of this report is to set out the budget position for this Committee in respect of Community Grants for 2005/06 and to invite Members to consider and determine the grant applications received since the last meeting.

The contact officer for this report is Lorna Edwards, Community Strategy Officer (Tel: 01235 547626).

Recommendations

(a)     Members are asked to note that the Committee’s approved budget total for 2005/06 is £38,849.12 (including £8,231.12 carried forward from 2004/05), which is apportioned as follows: -

(b)         Members are asked to note that grants totalling £3,000 are to be awarded to the  following two twinning organisations in the Abingdon Area, as directed by the Executive on 6 August 2004, subject to the completion of a service level agreement: -

(c)         Members are asked to: -

(i)            note the recommendations made by the Executive and the subsequent decision taken by the Council  in  respect of  funding towards the cost of extending the Peachcroft Christian Centre, Abingdon; and

(ii)          to consider the application again in the light of this and determine the grant award, Council agenda and priority.

(d)         Members are asked to determine the grant award, the agenda and the Council priority in respect of the following : -f

(i)            Abingdon Child Contact Centre - £1,500, towards running costs for the next five years, Social Agenda, Access priority;

(ii)          Mr Kirby, Sympson Close, Abingdon - £641.60, towards the cost of crown reduction and deadwooding of a large chestnut tree and installation of a cable brace plus routine maintenance to a yew, Environmental Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(iii)         Abingdon Marathon -  £750, towards the cost of organising a marathon, £750, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(iv)        Abbey Sailing Club -  £2,000, towards the cost of purchasing two boats to be available to beginners, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(v)         HistoricBuilding Grant Scheme:  Mr Bax, Pusey Cottage, Drayton -  £1,250, towards the cost of re-thatching and restoration of a local historic feature, Environmental Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(vi)        The NET Management Committee - £4,563, towards the cost of increasing holiday activities, Social Agenda, Access priority;

(vii)      The Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre (Oxford) - £750, towards the cost of installing an electrically operated automatic door for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility, Social Agenda, Access priority.

(e)         Members are asked to determine the following parish cleansing grant bids for 2005/06: -

The Committee received and considered report 50/05 of the Head of Innovation and Enterprise which set out the budget position in respect of community grants for 2005/06 and invited Members to determine grant applications.

The Committee considered each of the applications in detail having regard to the statements made earlier in the meeting as appropriate.

In considering the applications, Members were mindful of the Committee’s current budget, noting that there were less funds to allocate than had been the case previously.  Furthermore, Members concluded that further guidance on appropriate levels of funding, including appropriate percentage levels together with advice of how other area committees allocated their grant funds would be helpful.  To this end it was agreed that the concerns of this Committee should be flagged up to the Executive, with the Chair of the Informal Working Group reviewing the grants criteria being encouraged to complete the review as soon as possible.

(1)        Twinning Organisations in the Abingdon Area

(Councillors Mike Badcock, Peter Green, Peter Jones, Julie Mayhew-Archer, Monica Lovatt and Alison Rooke had each declared a personal and prejudicial interest in part of this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they withdrew from the meeting).

Councillor Jim Halliday, the Vice-Chair took the Chair for this part of the item.

Members queried the content of the Service Level Agreements (SLA).  It was noted that the Officer had drafted the SLA which had been sent to the Drayton Twinning Association for consideration.

It was reported that having talked with the Abingdon and District Twin Town Society, the Officers needed to clarify both with the Town Council and the Society what their relationship would be and how they would work in partnership. Until the Officers were satisfied with any proposals, they would not be recommending that an SLA be entered into.

In response to a question raised it was noted that several parishes were involved in twinning and that the Abingdon and District Twin Town Society covered the whole of the Vale in respect of the Vale twin towns Colmar and St Niklaas.

(2)        Peachcroft Christian Centre

(Councillors Alison Rooke, Mary de Vere, Tony de Vere and Roz Smith had each declared a personal interest in part of this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration).

Members supported the awarded a grant in view of the valuable facilities that were offered to the community.

(3)        Abingdon Child Contact Centre

One Member suggested that a Service Level Agreement (SLA) should be entered into with the Centre although this was not supported in view of the amount of grant awarded and the hidden costs of Officers’ time in preparing an SLA.

In response to a question raised, the Officers explained the level of grant aid sought and confirmed that the centre provided a service for residents across the whole of the Vale and that it might be appropriate to refer the application to the Executive.  However, this was not supported.

(4)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Attached is a Briefing Note for consideration, together with a timetable which Councillor Roz Smith, being the Executive Member assigned to the ABITS project will explain.

The Committee received and considered a Briefing Note together with a timetable prepared by the Head of Innovation and Enterprise and Councillor Roz Smith, being the Executive Member assigned to the AbITS project.

It was reported that works were due to start later this year and that the County Council had agreed to continue to fund the project. 

Reference was made to details in the Briefing Note regarding congestion and it was noted that this information needed updating.  One Member suggested that as this was such an important project for Abingdon, an item should be included on the agenda for the next meeting it being noted that work would have started on the gateway projects.

It was proposed by Councillor Roz Smith and

RESOLVED (nem com)

that an information report be included on the agenda for the next meeting.

To consider delivering the Community Strategy having regard to the papers attached.

The Committee received and considered a Briefing Note prepared by the Head of Innovation and Enterprise on targeting grants for the benefit of Abingdon.  Also, the Committee was asked to consider whether it wished to pursue any of the issues previously discussed.  It was suggested that these matters could be included in a prospectus shaped by the framework of the Community Strategy which was very broad. A possible format for such a prospectus was set out.  It was commented that publishing a prospectus would be a help to the local community and would set out how support was to be given to the local community and organisations. 

One Member commented that whilst this briefing note was a prompt to look at all of these things, he considered that the prospectus needed a further column containing a message back up to the partnership.  He commented that it would be unwise of the Committee to take on everything and then only do the things that it was responsible for.  He suggested that further work was needed with a view to adopting such a prospectus at a future date.

One Member referred to the former meetings of the Abingdon Forum, suggesting that the representatives on that forum should be invited a future meeting of the Committee to give advice on this matter.  She suggested that support either financially or through Officer assistance could be offered to them.

However, other Members disagreed with the suggestion commenting that it could be seen as giving organisations false hope for support.  Furthermore, it was considered that this Committee should prepare a prospectus in the first instance and that comments on that should then be sought.  It was considered premature to effectively reactivate the Forum without the Committee knowing its own priorities and objectives.

One Member suggested that this matter should be included on the agenda for the next meeting, prior to the Community Grants item. She referred to her recollection of forums, commenting that more needed to be done for young people.  She referred to the Community Strategy document, suggesting that the needs of young people were not emphasised enough.  She suggested that the Committee needed to put its own “gloss” on that document for the Abingdon area. She advised that with a limited budget the Committee needed to target its money. 

RESOLVED

that this matter be included on the agenda for the next meeting.

Members are reminded that future meetings of the Committee have been schedule to take place on the following dates: -

Tuesday 11 October 2005

Wednesday 1 February 2006

Tuesday 28 March 2006

Members were reminded of the dates for future meetings of the Committee.  Members noted that the next meeting coincided with the Abingdon Fair.  The Democratic Services Officer reported that she would endeavour to rearrange that meeting in consultation with the Chair of the Committee.

RESOLVED

that the agenda report be received.

None.