Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence. 

Apologies were received from Councillor Mohinder Kainth.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the committee meeting held on 10 October 2016 (attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2016 were agreed by the committee as an accurate record of the meeting and were signed by the chairman as such.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Robert Sharp declared an interest as a life member of the Tom Brown’s Schooldays Museum.

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. 

The Chairman announced plans to allow for the delegation of grant awards below a certain threshold, number of applications, and where there was no competition for resources; to the head of service, in consultation with the Chairman of the committee.  The views of members were sought and these would be compiled, together with those of the other area committees, and recommended to the Cabinet member for grants.  It was agreed that the grants team would work on proposals based on consultation with the three area committees.  This committee noted that the policy needed improving and welcomed the plans for change.

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

All applicants had been invited to attend the meeting to represent the interests of their bid. The following speakers attended and spoke to support their applications and to respond to outstanding questions of clarification from the committee.

Phillip Tyler, committee member for Faringdon Town Football Club, spoke in support of the New Homes Bonus application to refurbish and extend the club’s changing room.  The speaker declared that the organisation would contribute £15,000 as opposed to £10,000.  He also spoke in support of the club’s Capital Grants application to replace the clubhouse side door and security shutter to enhance safety, security and wheelchair access.

Karen Pilcher, representative of Uffington Parish Council, spoke in support of the New Homes Bonus application to carry out stonework repairs to Tom Brown’s School Museum, which has worn significantly over time and required repair.

Louise Smith, representative of the Pump House Project, spoke in support of the Capital Grants application to resurface the stage and provide outside shelter for buggies.

To consider the head of corporate strategy’s report on applications for Capital Community Grants and New Homes Bonus Grants.

1)    NEW HOMES BONUS GRANTS SCHEME

a)    Faringdon Town Football Club had applied for New Homes Bonus funding to refurbish and improve the club’s changing facilities.  This had been recommended by officers as a medium priority for funding.

Following clarification from the speaker that the organisation would contribute £15,000 as opposed to £10,000, the committee decided to increase the ‘Funding the project’ scoring from one to two points giving the application a total score of nine out of 15.

RESOLVED: to grant 67.21 per cent of the requested amount (£20,000), capped to £13,442, from the New Homes Bonus fund to Faringdon Town Football Club to refurbish and improve the changing facilities.

b)   Uffington Parish Council had applied for New Homes Bonus funding in order to carry out stonework repairs to Tom Brown’s School Museum.  This had been recommended by officers as a medium priority for funding.

The committee discussed the item and agreed to accept the officer’s recommendation of 6 points, leaving this as a medium priority for funding.

RESOLVED: to grant 67.21 per cent of the requested amount (£10,000), capped to £6,721, from the New Homes Bonus fund to Uffington Parish Council to carry out stonework repairs to Tom Brown’s School Museum.

2)    CAPITAL GRANTS SCHEME

a)    Faringdon Town Football Club had applied for Capital Grants funding to replace the existing clubhouse side door and security shutters.  This had been recommended by officers as a high priority for funding.

The committee discussed the item and agreed to accept the officer’s recommendation of 10 points, leaving this as a high priority for funding.

RESOLVED: to accept the officer’s recommendation and award 100 per cent of the requested amount, capped to £1,000, from the Capital Grants Fund to Faringdon Town Football Club to replace the existing clubhouse side door and security shutters.

b)   The Pump House Project had applied for Capital Grants funding to replace the existing stage floor and improve outside storage for buggies by creating a lean-to shelter.  This had been recommended by officers as a high priority for funding.

The committee discussed the item and agreed to accept the officer’s recommendation of 9 points, leaving this as a high priority for funding.

RESOLVED: to accept the officer’s recommendation and award 100 per cent of the requested amount, capped to £3,143, from the Capital Grants fund to the Pump House Project to replace the existing stage floor and improve outside storage for buggies by creating a lean-to shelter at the Pump House in Faringdon.