Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Richard Farrell (Vice-Chair), Terry Fraser, Ginnie Stock and Richard Stone.  

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 10 January 2006, (previously circulated with the Council Summons dated 22 March 2006). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2006 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 Jenny Hannaby declared a personal interest in item 7 'Community Grants' regarding the application from the Wantage War Memorial Committee insofar as she was an independent member of that committee in no controlling position and she was also Chairman of the local British Legion branch and a member of Wantage Town Council (minute SE.21 refers).  Councillors Eddy Goldsmith, Jim Moley and Derek Verdin also declared personal interests in the application from the Wantage War Memorial Committee insofar as they were members of Wantage Town Council.  Councillor Moley declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application from Wantage Summer Festival 2006 as he was its Chairman.  Councillor Margaret Turner declared a personal interest in the application by Harwell Parish Council as she was a member of that Council. 

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

Mrs Greta Thornbury made a statement on behalf of Wantage Summer Festival seeking a contribution towards the cost of the 2006 festival.  A draft programme was being developed for the event, a copy of which was circulated for Members' information.  The grants awarded by the Committee in previous years had been spent on programme printing, publicity and tickets.  This year's festival would be a development of the last, involving youth and family events.  It was a low cost event run by volunteers who were extremely grateful for the Council's assistance in the past. 

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

None

To receive and consider report 252/05 of the Strategic Director. 

(Councillors Eddy Goldsmith, Jenny Hannaby, Jim Moley and Derek Verdin all declared personal interests in this item regarding the application from the Wantage War Memorial Committee and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration.  Councillor Moley also declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application from Wantage Summer Festival 2006 and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he left the meeting during its consideration.  Councillor Margaret Turner declared a personal interest in the application by Harwell Parish Council and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting during its consideration.)

The Committee received and considered report 252/05 of the Strategic Director, setting out details of three community grant applications and bids for Parish cleaning.  Members noted that the Committee's remaining budget for 2005/06 was £7,689.88.  The Committee considered the applications before it.  It was agreed that any grant towards the Wantage Summer Festival should be funded from the Committee's 2006/07 budget, as funds had already been committed from the current year's budget for the 2005 festival. 

With regard to Parish Cleansing Grants, it was noted that the applications were for 2006/07.  Members discussed how the grants should be awarded and whether any limitations should be placed upon them.  The Committee considered that a level of grant should be awarded but at an hourly rate of £6.  Members also considered that grants should be limited to 40% of the total cost. 

Members noted that the report contained an application from Appleford Parish Council.  This was removed from the agenda as Appleford was in the Abingdon Area.  However, a new application was introduced, received from Chilton Parish Council, seeking a grant of £332.50 representing a proportion of the area of the parish cleaning that fell within the scheme's criteria.  The total cost of the cleaning in Chilton was £350. 

RESOLVED

(a)        Members are asked to note that the Committee’s remaining budget for 2005/06 is £7,689.88;

(b)               that the following community grant application be approved from the 2005/06 budget:

(c)        that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Committee Chairman to approve the following community grant application from the 2005/06 budget:

(d)        that it be noted that the Committee's budget for 2006/07 is £25,084, based on the percentage of the electorate in the South East Area at 1 January 2006;

(e)        that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Committee Chairman to approve the following community grant application from the 2006/07 budget:

None