Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from councillors Julia Reynolds and Mike Murray.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the committee meeting held on 9 June 2009 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 9 June 2009 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. 

Any councillor 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 councillor 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 councillor 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 councillor can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the councillor 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 councillor 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 community grant applications as follows: -

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 raised the matter of the Executive reducing the committee’s grants budget and the cancellation of the March 2010 committee meeting.  It was also reported that any funds that were not spent in the financial year would be returned to the councils’ general funds and should not be carried forward to the forthcoming financial year.  Members expressed concern about these changes.  It was noted that the council’ standing orders allowed the committee to call for a further meeting if needed.

Any statements, petitions and questions from the public under standing order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting.

The committee received two statements from member of the public under standing order 32 both concerning community grant applications as follows: -

(1)       Mr Steve West spoke on behalf of the Wantage and Grove Street Pastors initiative.  He highlighted the work and benefits to the community of the Pastors initiative around the town of Wantage in the evenings.  He explained that at other locations across the country the presence of street pastors had been shown to have a significant and positive effect on the atmosphere of the town and cities as well as providing help and reassurance where needed.  He commented that the street pastors were all volunteers.  He explained that the pastors would initially be able to provide support and care on Friday nights but hoped that the scheme could be extended to Saturdays and to Grove in the future.  He commented that the scheme was seeking funding towards the cost of providing administrative support to the volunteers and equipment such as uniforms and mobile telephones.  He drew attention to some examples where the pastor’s intervention had had a positive effect.

(2)       Mr James Mitchell spoke on behalf of the Wantage Betjeman Festival of Literature and Poetry.  He explained that the organising committee planned to use the festival to encourage greater interest in poetry and literature especially amongst young children and young people and to raise the cultural heritage and history of Wantage.  The festival was planned to take place over a ten day period in September 2011 and would include many performers from both leading national celebrities and local amateur organisations.  He highlighted the Hay on Wye festival as an example of the type of event that he would like to aspire to provide.  He produced professional sketches from an artist which were to be used as a logo for the festival.  The festival would include an extensive educational outreach program that would benefit an area 10 miles around Wantage.

The chair thanked the speakers for their statements which she explained would be taken into account when the committee considered the respective grant applications.

To receive and consider report 57/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy regarding the awarding of community grants.

The committee received and considered report 57/09 of the Head of Community Strategy which set out details of three applications for community grants and two requests for twinning grants.  The report also set out the committee’s community grants budget position.  It was noted that £8,531 remained in the current financial year.

Twining Partnership Grants

Councillors Terry Fraser, Jenny Hannaby, and Joyce Hutchinson had each declared a personal interest in this part of the report.

It was reported that the council had service level agreements with the two twinning associations in the south east area, namely the Wantage, Grove and District Twinning Association and the Hendreds Twinning Group.  The committee agreed to fund grants of £2,000 to the Wantage and Grove association and £500 to the Hendreds group to meet the service level agreement requirements. 

Wantage Street Pastors

Councillor Zoe Patrick had declared a personal interest in this part of the report.

Councillors commented that there were many different participants involved, all giving up their time for this initiative. The pastors had helped the police to diffuse situations and had undertaken so relatively cheaply. This could reduce the need for police officers to intervene. The council has some responsibility for crime and disorder in the Vale and supporting the pastors was considered a viable project benefiting the community. However, some councillors were concerned that the pastors had to be Christians, albeit that they would help anyone.  It was reported that the Pastor’s initiative was receiving support in kind from Thames Valley Police, primarily focusing on training.  The funding required was for administrative purposes. 

It was proposed by Councillor Sue Marchant and seconded by Councillor Jenny Hannaby that a grant of £3,000 should be awarded to the street pastor’s initiative.  An amendment was proposed by Councillor Richard Farrell and seconded by Councillor Andrew Crawford that a grant of £2,000 should be awarded.  This was lost by 6 votes to 4.  A further amendment was proposed by Councillor Terry Cox and seconded by Councillor Margaret Turner that a grant of £3,500 should be awarded. This was lost by 7 votes to 3. The committee then voted on the original motion to grant £3,000 and this was carried by 7 votes to nil with 3 abstentions.

East Hendred Village Hall

The committee support the application and approved a grant of £500.

Wantage Betjeman Festival of Literature and Poetry

Councillor Jenny Hannaby had declared a personal interest in this part of the report.

Many councillors supported this project as the festival would benefit the local area. It was reported that the organiser was well experienced at organising festivals and he was fully committed to a successful outcome.  The committee supported that application and agreed an award of £1,500.

RESOLVED

(a)       that the remaining budget for community grants in 2009/10 for the south east area of the Vale be noted;

(b)       that the service level agreements grants to twinning association be agreed as follows: -

·        Wantage, Grove and District Twinning Association £2,000

·        Hendreds Twinning Group  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

None.