Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

that Councillor Terry Cox be elected Chairman of the South East Area Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year.  

RESOLVED

that Councillor Richard Farrell be elected Vice-Chair of the South East Area Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year. 

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Elsa Boyce, Andrew Crawford, Eddy Goldsmith, Jim Moley, Richard Stone and Pam Westwood. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the South East Area Committee held on 10 March 2005

The minutes of the Area Committee meeting held on 10 March 2005 were signed and adopted 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.

The following interests were declared in relation to item 9 - Community Grants (minute SE.7 refers).  Councillors Jenny Hannaby, Joyce Hutchinson and Derek Verdin each declared personal interests in the grant application from Wantage, Grove and District Twinning Association.   Councillor Terry Fraser declared a personal interest regarding the grant application from the Hendreds Twinning Group.  Councillor Richard Farrell declared a personal interest in relation to an application from Blewbury Parish Council as he was its Chairman.  Councillor Margaret Turner declared a personal interest in relation to applications from Harwell Parish Council, as a Member of that Council, and St Matthew's Harwell Parochial Church Council, as a member of the church.  Councillor Jenny Hannaby also declared a personal interest in relation to an application from the Wantage Counselling Service as a member on its Committee. 

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

(1)        The Reverend Chris Stott made a statement in support of the grant application by St Matthews Harwell Parochial Church Council.  He reported that much of the previous work at the church had been carried out by volunteers.  Now work was necessary to provide a toilet and kitchen facilities to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.  Tenders had been obtained, increasing the cost slightly to £15,851 plus VAT.  Updating the meeting, he reported that, following successful fund raising, the Historic Churches Preservation Trust had recently awarded a grant of £1,500.  This left £4,621 to fund the project.  He reported that any level of contribution the Committee could make would be gratefully received.  

(2)        Mr Geoffrey Stokell made a statement in support of the grant application by Wantage Summer Festival 2005.  He reported that the festival was a unique occasion of fellowship and festivity producing activities and entertainment for all ages.  The festival included a variety of music, dance, exhibitions, guided walks, fitness lessons, a party in the park, a teddy bears' picnic and an outdoor showing of the film 'Grease'.  The funds provided in the past had assisted with costs of the festival, including printing, ticketing and insurance costs.  He welcomed any assistance the Committee could give.  

(a)        Capital Funding

At the last meeting of the Committee, Members requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  The Strategic Director, Steve Bishop, has produced a briefing note. 

(b)        Grant Applications

To receive and consider report 48/05 of the Strategic Director.  

(a)        Capital Funding

At the last meeting of the Committee, Members had requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  The Strategic Director, Steve Bishop, had produced a briefing note, which was appended to the agenda.  Members noted that any capital funding would require the approval of the Executive. 

It was suggested that the paper could be written in a more readable fashion, giving better explanations to non-accountants. 

RESOLVED

that the briefing paper on capital funding be received. 

(b)        Grant Applications

The Area Committee received and considered report 48/05 of the Strategic Director, which set out applications for community grants in the South East Area of the Vale.  The report also updated Members on the latest financial position.  The 2005/06 budget for the Area Committee had been significantly reduced from last year.  The budget for the year now stood at £24,948 plus £3,473.32 carried forward from last year.  Members noted that £2,500 had been allocated from the Committee's budget for Service Level Agreement grant funding for the Wantage, Grove and District Twinning Association (£2,000) and the Hendreds Twinning Group (£500).  With these adjustments, the remaining budget for 2005/06 was £25,921.32. 

The Committee discussed how it should deal with grant applications throughout the year, bearing in mind the reduced budget now available. 

In relation to Parish Cleansing Grants, the Committee considered that these could not be cut this year as Parish Councils had levied their precepts with the contracted costs for cleaning in mind.  It was noted that Parish Cleansing Grants were due to be reviewed during the course of the year by the Executive, possibly in September 2005.  It was noted that Parish Cleansing Grants were for cleaning of areas not within the Parish Council's ownership and not for general cleaning costs throughout the village.  It was suggested that Parish Councils should be asked to indicate how they spent their grants in the current financial year. 

Members agreed to award the parish cleansing grants on the agenda, as applied for, but asked that guidance was sought from the Executive on how applications for such grants should be treated during the course of the current financial year. 

It was suggested that a reduction could be made in all grant awards in the current financial year.  Each application would be considered on its merits.  Another suggestion was made that no grants should be paid for re-thatching historic buildings following the budget cuts.  These grants had allowed the Council to control how re-thatching was carried out in accordance with traditional local methods.  However, Members considered that alternative ways to control re-thatching should be investigated by the officers.  The grants awarded in the past year had been limited to £1,250.  This was only a small fraction of the total cost and only financially benefited the owner, not the community at large.  By 9 votes to nil, Members agreed that no re-thatching grants should be offered in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 13 September 2005 at 7.00pm. 

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday 13 September 2005.