Agenda and minutes

Councillors Katie Finch, Emily Smith and Catherine Webber sent their apologies.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 January 2016 (attached) and of the meeting of the North East Area Committee held on 14 November 2014 (attached). 

The minutes of the meeting of the Abingdon Area Committee held on 19 January 2016 and of the North East Area Committee held on 11 November 2014 were agreed as correct records and the chair signed them as such.

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

None.

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.

The chair informed the committee that Carole Cumming, Acting Grants Team Leader, was unable to attend the meeting due to illness. The committee asked for its best wishes for a speedy recovery to be conveyed to her.

The following members of the public addressed the committee making statements in support of their grant applications:

·         Rita Atkinson on behalf of Sutton Courtenay Parish Council

·         James Eastwood on behalf of Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club

·         Tony Holmes on behalf of Drayton Village Hall

Report of the head of corporate strategy (attached).

The committee considered the head of corporate strategy’s report on new homes bonus grants (NHB) and capital grants.  The council had received two applications for new homes bonus grants relating to the Abingdon and Northeast area, and four applications for capital grants. 

New Homes Bonus grant applications

Each new homes bonus grant application had been assessed against the new homes bonus grants criteria and scoring matrix.  The officer’s recommended scores were set out in the report.  The committee assessed the applications against the grants criteria and the officer’s recommended scores as follows.

Sutton Courtenay Parish Council VNHB\40

Play area improvements.

Amount requested: £5,500

The grants officer reported that the recommended score for the organisation’s contribution criterion had been reviewed and increased from 1 to 2 points.  This increased the total score to 10 points. Based on the grant scoring system, the officer revised recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested.

Rita Atkinson, a representative of Sutton Courtenay Parish Council, spoke in support of this application.

RESOLVED:

To agree the revised officer recommendation.

Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club VNHB\38

New tennis court.

Amount requested: £10,000

The officer recommendation was to award 50% of the amount requested and that, as a new lease was still to be secured, the award be conditional upon a new lease being in place.

James Eastwood, a representative of Abingdon Lawn Tennis Club, spoke in support of this application.

RESOLVED:

To agree the officer recommendation.

Capital grant applications

Each capital grant application had been assessed against the capital grants criteria and scoring matrix.  The officer’s recommended scores were set out in the report.  The committee assessed the applications against the grants criteria and the officer’s recommended scores as follows.

St Helen Without Parish Council ValeCG\7

Adult outdoor fitness equipment.

Amount requested: £4,995

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested.

The committee agreed to increase the recommended score for the organisation’s contribution criterion from 2 to 3 points so increasing the total score to 12 points.  This had no effect on the recommended award.

RESOLVED:

To agree the officer recommendation.

Abingdon Chamber of Commerce ValeCG\34

PA and lighting system.

Amount requested: £4,059

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested.

RESOLVED:

To agree the officer recommendation.

Drayton Hall Management Committee ValeCG\51

Replacement front door, PA system and dishwasher.

Amount requested: £2,643

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested.

Tony Holmes, a representative of Drayton Hall Management Committee, spoke in support of this application.

RESOLVED:

To agree the officer recommendation.

Sutton Courtenay Parish Council ValeCG\43

Play area improvements.

Amount requested: £4,000

As the application to the NHB scheme for the same project had been successful (see above), this application for a capital grant was withdrawn.

RESOLVED: to

(a)          award new homes bonus grants as follows: