Agenda and minutes

It was proposed by Councillor Alison Rooke, seconded by Councillor Angela Lawrence and

RESOLVED (nem con)

thatCouncillor Richard Webber be elected Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2007/08 Municipal Year.

Councillor Richard Webber – in the Chair

It was proposed by Councillor Angela Lawrence, seconded by Councillor Laurel Symons and

RESOLVED (nem con)

thatCouncillor Alison Rooke be elected Vice-Chair of the Abingdon Area Committee for the 2007/08 Municipal Year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were recorded from Councillors Samantha Bowring; Beth Fleming; Julie Mayhew-Archer and Timothy Smith.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Section I Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee Abingdon Area Committee held on 22 March 2007, (previously circulated with the Council Summons dated 16 May 2007). 

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Abingdon Area Committee held on 22 March 2007 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 in respect of report 46/07 – Community Grants (Minute Ab.10 refers) 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.

Liz Sale and Bill Proctor had each given notice that they wished to make a statement at the meeting in support of the grant application in respect of the Farmoor Reservoir Pontoon Project.

Bill Proctor made a statement seeking support for the application commenting on how disabled people had to be carried into the boats.  He reported that the proposal would enable better access for sailors, their carers and families.  He explained that the water level could drop significantly and therefore the proposal incorporated an electric lift for use when the ramps could not be used safely.  There would be an increased harbour area which would enable increased use.  He reported that the scheme was divided into phases and he explained the shortfall in the funding required.

The Chair thanked Bill Proctor for his statement advising that it would be taken into account by members when they considered the application later in the meeting.

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

None.

The Grants Officer will outline the Council’s grants criteria at the meeting.

The Community Strategy Officer outlined details of the Grants Criteria, explaining that folders containing the Community Grants Scheme were available at each meeting.  In response to a question raised it was explained that Members were welcome to peruse the folders but were asked to return them to the Head of Community Strategy to ensure that they were updated and available for Members at other Area Committee Meetings.

RESOLVED

that the report be received.

To receive and consider report 46/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer (attached).

Introduction and Report Summary

The purpose of this report is to set out the budget position at the beginning of

2007/08 for this Committee in respect of Community Grants and to invite Members to consider and determine the grant applications received.

The contact officer for this report is Lorna Edwards, Community Strategy Officer (Tel: 01235 547626), e-mail address lorna.edwards@whitehorsedc.co.uk.

Recommendations

(a)        that Members note the budget position for the Abingdon Area Committee at the beginning of the financial year;

(b)        that Members agree in principle to the payment of the SLA grant to Abingdon Town Council and the Drayton Twinning Society subject to the required monitoring information having been received;

(c)        that Members consider and determine the grant applications, the agenda and the Council priority in respect of the following: -

(i) Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society, £500, towards an exhibition about the history of Ock Street, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(ii) Appleford Parish Council & Village Hall Committee, £6,000, towards the refurbishment and extension of the village hall, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority;

(iii) The Farmoor Reservoir Pontoon Project, £7,000, towards the construction of a pontoon for sailors with disabilities, Social Agenda, Access priority.

The Committee received and considered report 46/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer which set out the budget position at the beginning of 2007/08 for this Committee in respect of Community Grants and invited Members to consider and determine the grant applications received.

The Committee discussed the report as follows: -

(1)       Twinning Partnership Grant – Abingdon Town Council

(Councillors Jim Halliday, Angela Lawrence, Pat Lonergan and Alison Rooke had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

In response to a question raised the Officers advised that the required monitoring information was awaited.  One Member requested sight of this information commenting that it was essential to know how funding had been spent last year.  She further questioned the award of grants in view of the different twinning arrangements.  The Head of Community Strategy commented that the agreement would need to be reviewed, with a report thereon to the Executive and that grant awards could only be made subject to the fund available.

It was further commented that the Council should be consistent in terms of grant awards to the Town Council and the Twin Towns Society.

Members had some reservations in awarding a grant without the benefit of viewing the required monitoring information.  It was therefore considered that the Chair of the Committee and the Council’s representative on the Abingdon and District Twin Towns Society should view this information prior to the grant being awarded.

(2)       Twinning Partnership Grant – Drayton Parish Council

(Councillor Richard Webber had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

Councillor Alison Rooke the Vice-Chair took the Chair for this item.

            Members supported the application.

(3)       Grant Application - Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society

(Councillors Jim Halliday, Angela Lawrence, Pat Lonergan and Alison Rooke had declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration).

The Committee was advised that the Abingdon Joint Environmental Trust had offered a grant of £250 towards the exhibition.

In response to a question raised, the Committee was advised that the application was for cases to enable artefacts to be displayed.

Reference was made to the detail in the application and it was commented that applicants should be encouraged to include sufficient information in their applications for grant assistance.

(4)       Grant Application - Appleford Parish Council & Village Hall Committee

(Councillor Gervase Duffield had declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he remained in the meeting during its consideration).

The Committee was advised that further works had been identified in the sum of £4,000 and that the project had now been split into two phases.

Members supported the application noting that there would be facilities which would be available to the wider community, including sports facilities.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive and consider report 37/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer. 

Introduction & Report Summary

Following the publication of the white paper on the future of local government (‘Strong & Prosperous Communities’) in the autumn of 2007 the Vale Partnership Board (which is made up of the District Council and key agencies which influence quality of life in the Vale) has commenced a review of the Vale Community Strategy 2004-2008. The Oxfordshire Partnership has also commenced a review of the Oxfordshire Community Strategy, in preparation for negotiations with central government on the priorities and targets in the next Oxfordshire Local Area Agreement.

This report provides further information on the reviews of the Vale Community Strategy and the Oxfordshire Community Strategy and provides an opportunity for members to provide information in respect of the social issues and priorities for the Abingdon area of the Vale.

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

Recommendations

(a)       Members are requested to note the information contained in this report;

(b)       Members are invited to comment on the strategic matrix (which is the background paper for this report) in respect of the social issues and priorities for the Abingdon area of the Vale.

The Committee received and considered report 38/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer which advised that following the publication of the White Paper on the Future of Local Government (‘Strong & Prosperous Communities’) in the autumn of 2007, the Vale Partnership Board (comprising the District Council and key agencies to influence quality of life in the Vale) had commenced a review of the Vale Community Strategy 2004-2008. The Oxfordshire Partnership had also commenced a review of the Oxfordshire Community Strategy, in preparation for negotiations with central government on the priorities and targets in the next Oxfordshire Local Area Agreement.

The report provided further information on the reviews of the Vale Community Strategy and the Oxfordshire Community Strategy and also gave an opportunity for Members to provide information in respect of the social issues and priorities for the Abingdon area.

One Member made reference to climate change.  He noted that whilst climate change was mentioned in the matrix, he considered that it should be given more emphasis and should be specific to areas.  He considered that climate change should be incorporated into the Core Strategy.

Another Member welcomed the report noting that there were some minor typographic errors.  The Officers responded that the document was a working document and would be redrafted for public consultation.

One Member emphasised the need for measurability and reporting back.  She referred to the example of teaching English as a foreign language and questioned who would provide the teaching, who would monitor it, who was it aimed at, what were the benefits and how would these be measured.  She stated that there needed to be achievable, realistic and measurable targets with reporting back being included.

Some Members commented that they required further time to read the report and submit their comments on the Strategic Matrix to the Head of Community Strategy outside of the meeting.

RESOLVED

(a)       that the information contained in report 38/07 be noted;

(b)       that the comments made on the strategic matrix (a background paper to report 38/07) in respect of the social issues and priorities as set out above be noted; and

(c)        that it be agreed that additional comments be made by Members to the Head of Community Strategy by no later than 13 August 2007 on the strategic matrix in respect of the social issues and priorities.

None.