Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence. 

Apologies were received from Councillors Julia Reynolds and Janet Shelley.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Wantage Area Committee minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2017 and to note any matters arising. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2017 were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and were signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Councillor Chris McCarthy declared that members of his family were involved with Grove District Guides and that he had helped the organisation to write their application. He did not feel able to come to the committee with an open mind, so he would step down from the committee for this item. If the registered speaker was unable to attend, he would speak in support of the application.

Reg Waite declared that he knew the trustees of the Harwell Village Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), and had gifted them some pot plants. However he felt that he could come to the committee with an open mind and had not predetermined the application.

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

None.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

Speakers were present for all three applications. They also had the opportunity to respond to questions of clarification from the committee. They would speak when their application was under consideration:

Grove District Guides: Katherine Staples

Hanney War Memorial Trust: Graham Garner

Harwell Village CIO: Susan Greatbanks

To consider the communication and grants manager’s report (attached).

The officers’ update on previous grants awarded was noted.

To consider the communication and grants manager’s report (attached).

CAPITAL COMMUNITY GRANTS FUND SCHEME

Hanney War Memorial Hall

Graham Garner from the Hanney War Memorial Hall Trust was available to answer questions from the committee. He confirmed that Hanney Parish Council own the land and the War Memorial Trust pay the ground rent.

The committee debated this item.

RESOLVED

1.     To approve the officers’ recommended score of 8 points out of a possible 9.

2.     To approve the officers’ suggested grant of 50 per cent of the total cost, capped to £6,750

Harwell Village CIO

Susan Greatbanks was available to answer questions from the committee and gave an update to the application. She confirmed that the plans now include the provision of free community food in their soft landscaping plans.

The committee debated this item.

RESOLVED

1.     To raise the score on community benefit from 1 to 2 (out of 3) due to the improved community benefit of the landscaping.

2.     To raise the score of new facilities or activities from 0 to 1 (out of 3) as there would be opportunities for the community to take part in gardening.

This gave a total score of 6 out of 9, but retained the project in the medium priority category.

3.     To approve the officers’ suggested grant of 37.50 per cent of the total cost, capped to £2,250.

NEW HOMES BONUS GRANTS SCHEME

Grove District Guides

Councillor Chris McCarthy stepped aside from the committee but spoke on behalf of the Guides. He was later joined by Katherine Staples who was able to answer questions from the committee.

The committee was informed that the guides loan the equipment out to the community first responders as first aid tents for events, and to the church to undertake garden parties. Since the application had been submitted they had decided to vire money from other accounts to fund the remaining costs of the project.

The officer suggested a revised score of from 1 to 2 (out of a possible 3) for community benefit and from 2 to a maximum score of 3 for the funding of the project. This gave a revised total of 9 points and elevated the project to the high priority for funding category.

The committee debated this item.

RESOLVED

1.     To approve the officers’ revised recommended score of 9 points out of a possible 12.

2.     To approve the officers’ revised grant of 50 per cent of the total cost, capped to £1,447.