Agenda and minutes

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Section I Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee Abingdon Area Committee held on 25 October 2007 (previously circulated with the Council Summons dated 4 December 2007). 

The Minutes of the meeting of the Abingdon Area Committee held on 25 October 2007 were adopted and signed as a correct record.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were recorded from Councillors Gervase Duffield, Beth Fleming, Pat Lonergan, Janet Morgan and Timothy Smith.

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

Any Member with a personal interest or a personal and prejudicial interest in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct, in any matter to be considered at a meeting, must declare the existence and nature of that interest as soon as the interest becomes apparent in accordance with the provisions of the Code.

When a Member declares a personal and prejudicial interest he shall also state if he has a dispensation from the Standards Committee entitling him/her to speak, or speak and vote on the matter concerned.

Where any Member has declared a personal and prejudicial interest he shall withdraw from the room while the matter is under consideration unless

(a)    His/her disability to speak, or speak and vote on the matter has been removed by a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee, or

(b)    members of the public are allowed to make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter by statutory right or otherwise.  If that is the case, the Member can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the Member must immediately leave the room once he/she has finished; or when the meeting decides he/she has finished whichever is the earlier and in any event the Member must leave the room for the duration of the debate on the item in which he/she has a personal and prejudicial interest.

Declarations of interest were made in respect of report 176/07 – Community Grants 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.

None.

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

Les Clyne, a resident of Abingdon asked the following question of the Chair of the Area Committee: -

“Will the Abingdon Area Committee please publicise the availability of its funds in 2008/2009 in the Abingdon herald and local community papers at least twice during 2008?

The Chair thanked Mr Clyne and undertook to respond to him in writing within 10 working days.

To receive and consider report 176/07 of the Head of Community Strategy and the Monitoring Officer (attached).

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 the remainder of 2007/08 and in 2008/09, to invite Members to consider and determine the grant applications received since the last meeting, to invite Members to decide on their principle for awarding grants towards additional parish cleansing in 2008/09 and to determine the applications received for this purpose.

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 remaining budget for 2007/08

 is £12,271.63

(b) Members are asked to consider and determine the grant application, the agenda and the Council priority in respect of the following:

(i)                 Sutton Courtenay Parish Council, £500, towards the cost of a replacement map for the village, Environmental Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(ii)               The Church of St Michael & All Angels, Abingdon, £8,000, towards the cost of essential repairs to a listed building and redevelopment of the Community Room, Environmental and Social Agendas, Town & Village Vitality priority

(iii)             Abingdon & District Musical Society, £800, towards potential losses on a concert, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(iv)            Sutton Courtenay Cricket Club, £470, towards the purchase of kit for young people on their Youth Development Programme, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(v)              Abingdon Band, £1,000, towards the purchase of instruments for use by new members, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

 (c) Members are asked to note that the Abingdon Area Committee’s budget for 2008/09 is£25,997

(d) Members are invited to request that the Executive approves the carrying forward of any unspent grant budget from 2007/08 into 2008/09

(e) Members are asked to determine their principle for awarding grants for

Additional parish cleansing in 2008/09 and invited to determine these grants to be paid from the 2008/09 budget.

The Committee received and considered report 176/07 of the Strategic Director which set out the budget position for this Committee in respect of Community Grants for the remainder of 2007/08 and in 2008/09; invited Members to consider and determine the grant applications received since the last meeting; invited Members to decide on their principle for awarding grants towards additional parish cleansing in 2008/09 and asked the Committee to determine the applications received for this purpose.

The Committee noted an amendment to the report in that the full amount of two grant offers had not been taken up and therefore £226.34 could be added to the total budget.

Each of the applications were considered in details and the following comments made: -

(1)       Grant Application - Sutton Courtenay Parish Council

Members supported the application noting that the existing map was several years old and in need of replacement. It was considered that a Parish map was very useful.  In response to a question raised regarding the likely life span of the map, it was suggested that the parish Council should be advised to liaise with the Council Officers who might be able to provide information on weather resistant materials.

(2)       Grant Application – The Church of St Michael and All Angels, Abingdon

Councillor Alison Rooke had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she withdrew from the meeting during its consideration.

Councillor Jim Halliday had each declared a personal interest in this application and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he remained in the meeting during its consideration.

The Committee noted that the proposal would encourage a variety of community groups to use the facility. 

Members supported the application noting the proposal would benefit the community.  It was considered that it would be a well used facility in this part of Abingdon.  

Some Members considered that the grant sought was relatively small compared to the overall cost.  However, other Members considered that any grant awarded should be less than that sought.  It was commented that it was thought that this Church was less active in the community than other churches and that £8,000 was a large proportion of the total grants budget for this Committee for next year.

It was noted that the new facilities would hopefully enable the Church to be more active

One Member suggested that the applicant should be advised to seek a grant from Waste Recycling Environmental Limited (WREN).

It was considered that an informative should be added to the grant offer encouraging the applicant to apply to WREN for funding.  It was noted that to qualify for a grant under the WREN scheme, it would be necessary for the applicant to have 11% third party funding.  It was considered that the offer made by this authority might provide sufficient funding for this.  However, Members agreed to keep in mind that another application to meet any shortfall might be presented to a future meeting.

(3)               Grant Application –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

To receive and consider report number 175/07 of the Head of Community Strategy and the Monitoring Officer (attached).

Introduction and Report Summary

This report provides information about the responses at the Abingdon Area Forum held on 14^th November 2007 and the preparation of the Vale Sustainable Community Strategy.

The contact officer for this report is Toby Warren, Head of Community Strategy, Tel: 01235 547695, Email toby.warren@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Recommendations

that members note the information contained in the report

The Committee received and considered report 175/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer which provided information about the responses at the Abingdon Area Forum held on 14 November 2007 and the preparation of the Vale Sustainable Community Strategy.

It was commented that members of the public had appreciated an opportunity for discussion and debate. It was considered that the format of the Forum had been very successful and the Officers had gained lots of information about the sorts of issues which local people felt were important for the Vale in the future. 

It was noted that the Officers had analysed the responses received to the issues and options report and that information was being used to put together a draft Vale Community Strategy.  However, in discussion with Chair of this Committee it had been agreed that there should be a further Abingdon Area Forum to be held on Wednesday 30 April.  It was considered that a further forum would give residents an opportunity to be involved again in learning about the proposed actions to address the issues discussed in the autumn.  It was commented that there would be an electronic voting system.

Members agreed that the previous forum had been successful.  However, the following comments were made: -

·                    The outcome was dependant on attendees. 

·                    It was easy for specific interest groups to attend and influence the outcome. 

·                    Persistent speakers should be prevented from not allowing others to take part.

·                    The Chair felt that it would have been beneficial to have a panel of Members to field questions rather than him alone.

·                    It was suggested that it might be beneficial to have an Officer from the Communications Team present at the Forum as well as Officers specialised in the likely issues to be discussed.

·                    It was suggested that written questions could be sought from the floor and those questions of interest generally should be answered first with more specific questions only relevant to a small number of people answered thereafter. 

The Officers responded that public meetings attracted self interest groups but that it was important to let them have their say.   It was commented that the outcome of the Forum would not result in the final outcome of what should be in the Strategy, but it was one form of public consultation which was very important

Notwithstanding this, the Officers sought to seek advice from the Head of Communications of how to facilitate a meaningful debate having regard to persistent and dominant speakers.

Furthermore, the Officers undertook to provide feedback from the last forum to the next.

Arising upon consideration of this matter, one Member suggested that there was a need to address the perception held by some people about Abingdon.  He referred to paragraph 6.8 of the report noting that there was modest control of this but emphasised that the Council should address the matter and consider with the Town and County Councils how best make the town centre revitalisation a priority. 

One Member agreed commenting that there was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

None.