Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bill Melotti and Mike Murray. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee South East Area Committee held on 10 June 2008, (previously circulated with the Council Summons dated 16 July 2008). 

The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 10 June 2008 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.

Councillor Reg Waite declared a personal interest in item 6 ‘South East Area Community Grants’ as he was acquainted with members of the White Horse Croquet Club that had applied for a grant (minute SE.17 refers). 

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.

The Chair announced the receipt of an e-mail from Geoffrey Stokell of the Wantage Summer Festival, thanking the Committee for its grant. 

The Chair also asked that copies of the local service level agreement were supplied to all Members of the Committee. 

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

The Committee noted that requests had been received from two organisations to make statements in support of their grant applications. 

(1)       David Richardson of the Wantage Parish Music Guild made a statement seeking a grant towards a musical community project at Wantage in November 2008.  There would be a range of music and Wantage Silver Band, two school choirs and the church choir would be involved.  He believed that the community would benefit from this. 

(2)       Rita Atkinson of the DAMASCUS Project made a statement in support of its grant application.  The project provided support for young people in the villages of Drayton, Appleford, Milton, Sutton Courtenay and Steventon.  There was a gap between young children and adulthood and the project aimed to provide support and guidance for young people in this age group.  Two young people, Josh from Steventon and Jade from Milton Heights, spoke in support of the project advising the Committee of the benefits they had obtained from it.  The project sought a grant of £3,500 towards the costs of employing youth workers. 

The Chair thanked the speakers for their statements. 

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

None

To receive and consider report 90/08 of the Strategic Director. 

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

The Committee received and considered report 90/08 of the Strategic Director which set out the details of five applications for community grants.  The report also set out the Committee’s current budget position. 

RESOLVED

(a)              that the Committee’s current budget position be noted;

(b)              that the following grant applications be approved:

(c)        that the following application be deferred:

None