Agenda item

To consider report 99/10 of the head of planning. 

Councillors Jenny Hannaby and Angela Lawrence declared personal and prejudicial interests in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they left the meeting room during its consideration.  However, before leaving the meeting room, Councillor Jenny Hannaby made a statement in accordance with Standing Order 32 that the report on the trusts in the Wantage Herald had been incorrect.  She praised the trusts’ work. 

The Executive considered report 99/10 of the head of planning.  This reviewed the working arrangements of the four Joint Environmental Trusts, one each for Abingdon, Faringdon, Grove, and Wantage. 

The portfolio holder reported that the four trusts were joint committees between the council and the respective parish or town councils.  The trusts had been set up in the 1980s to carry out environmental improvement projects.  They had been examples of successful partnership working.  However, due to the council’s budget reductions in 2010 leading to staffing cuts, the council could no longer provide officer support to the trusts.  During 2010, the council had looked at alternative working arrangements.  The parish and town councils considered three options for the future of the trusts:

1.      The parish or town council runs the trust as a sub-committee, taking on responsibility for administration, project management, and contracts.  The district council provides funding through its partnership grants scheme. 

2.      The district council provides funding through its partnership grants scheme and the trust is wound up. 

3.      The district council awards a set grant to each parish or town council, which match the offer.  A task group is set up with councillors from each authority to carry out environmental improvements.  The parish/town council would take on responsibility for the administration, project management, and contracts. 

Abingdon and Wantage Town Councils preferred option 1, winding up the trusts and the town councils operating them in a new form.  Faringdon Town Council preferred option 2, winding up the trust and bidding for grant funding on a project-by-project basis.  Grove Parish Council preferred option 3, winding up the trust and running a task group with match funding from the two councils. 

The portfolio holder recommended winding up the trusts and offering any outstanding uncommitted funds to the relevant parish or town council for environmental improvements.  Administrative and financial management support for the trusts would cease at the end of March 2011.  The parish and town councils could seek grants for further environmental projects.  The Executive agreed with this recommendation. 

With regard to funding for the Letcombe Brook project, it was suggested that Grove Parish Council and Wantage Town Council reviewed the project work.  Funding for the project officer post had been secured for 2011/12; the council would continue to manage the post during the year. 

The portfolio holder considered that the Wantage Herald had inaccurately reported on the trusts and asked that this was minuted. 

RECOMMENDED

(a)       To recommend the Council to wind up the council’s joint committees (the Joint Environmental Trusts) for Abingdon, Faringdon, Grove, and Wantage; and

RESOLVED

(b)       That subject to the Council adopting (a) above, to close the Joint Environmental Trusts’ bank accounts and offer any outstanding uncommitted trust funds, due to be returned to the council, to the relevant Abingdon, Faringdon, and Wantage Town Council and Grove Parish Council for environmental improvements in accordance with the partnership grant terms and conditions, and to transfer any parish/town council funds to the respective council.