Agenda item

To consider the head of corporate strategy’s report. 

The committee considered the head of corporate strategy’s report on new homes bonus grants and capital grants.  The council had received six applications for new homes bonus grants relating to the Abingdon area, and four applications for capital grants. 

 

New Homes Bonus grant applications

 

Each new homes bonus grant application had been assessed against the new homes bonus grants criteria and scoring matrix.  The officer’s recommended scores were set out in the report.  The committee assessed the applications against the grants criteria and the officer’s recommended scores as follows.

 

Dean Court Community Association (Cumnor) VNHN\25

 

Car park improvements (with Sovereign) and acoustic panels in the hall.

 

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

Councillor Judy Roberts declared an interest in this application as the chair of the trustees. She stood down from the committee to speak in support of the application then left the meeting taking no part in any discussions or voting on this item.

 

RESOLVED (for 15; against 0; abstentions 0)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

The Abingdon Bridge VNHB\27

 

Outreach work on legal highs

 

The officer recommendation was to award 75% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

Tricia Wormald, a representative of the Abingdon Bridge, spoke in support of this application.

 

RESOLVED (for 14; against 0; abstentions 2)

To increase the score awarded for the community benefit criterion from 1 to 3 points after receiving additional information about the number of beneficiaries and level of need from the applicant at the meeting.

 

Abingdon on Thames Town Council VNHB\16

 

Fun in the Park 2016

 

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

Councillor Alice Badcock declared an interest in this application as an Abingdon town councillor. She stood down from the committee to speak in support of the application then left the meeting taking no part in any discussions or voting on this item.

 

Councillors Mike Badcock, Margaret Crick, Robert Hall, Vicky Jenkins, Monica Lovatt and Sandy Lovatt declared an interest in this application as Abingdon town councillors. They stood down from the committee and left the meeting taking no part in any discussions or voting on this item.

 

In the chair’s absence, Cllr Ed Blagrove took the chair.

 

RESOLVED (for 9; against 0; abstentions 0)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance (SOFEA) VNHB\23

 

“Futures placed” (recruitment service linked to their “Get to Work” programme)

 

The officer recommendation was to award 75% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

Richard Kennell, a representative of SOFEA, spoke in support of this application.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

To increase the score awarded for both the funding the project and organisation’s contribution criteria from 1 to 3 points and the community benefit score from 1 to 2 points following an update from the applicant at the meeting.

 

South & Vale Carers Centre VNBH\2

 

Five replacement laptops

 

The officer recommendation was to award 75% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

To increase the score awarded for the community benefit criterion from 1 to 2 points as there was a secondary benefit to the carers that the outreach workers will visit so increasing the range of benefit.

 

My Life My Choice VNHB\4

 

Expanding support groups

 

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

Capital grant applications

 

Each capital grant application had been assessed against the capital grants criteria and scoring matrix.  The officer’s recommended scores were set out in the report.  The committee assessed the applications against the grants criteria and the officer’s recommended scores as follow.

 

North Hinksey Preschool ValeCG\24

 

Toilet refurbishment and replacement flooring

 

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

RESOLVED (for 15; against 0; abstentions 1)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

Abingdon Vale Cricket Club ValeCG\39

 

Replacement mower

 

The officer recommendation was to award 75% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd. ValeCG\30

 

Mezzanine floor and tools

 

The officer recommendation was to award 75% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

Richard Snow, a representative of Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd., spoke in support of this application and reported that the outcome of the organisation’s application for Big Lottery grant funding was pending.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

(1)  To increase the score awarded for the new facilities or activities criterion from 2 to 3 points and for community benefit from 1 to 2 points after receiving additional information from the applicant at the meeting.

 

(2)  To reduce the maximum award amount to £8,157 if their lottery grant application was successful.

 

Drayton (Abingdon) Parish Council ValeCG\36

 

Playground refurbishment

 

The officer recommendation was to award 100% of the amount requested based on the grant scoring system.

 

RESOLVED (for 16; against 0; abstentions 0)

To agree the officer recommendation

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)          award new homes bonus grants as follows:

 

Applicant	Project	Grant
Dean Court Community Association (Cumnor)	Car park improvements (with Sovereign) and acoustic panels in the hall	£8,050
The Abingdon Bridge	Outreach work on legal highs	£5,000
Abingdon on Thames Town Council	Fun in the Park 2016 equipment	£3,000
South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance (SOFEA)	‘Futures Placed’ recruitment service linked to the ‘Get to Work’ programme	£4,493
South and Vale Carers’ Centre	Replacement laptop computers	£1,101
My Life My Choice	Expanding support groups	£1,131
		Total £22,775

 

(b)          award capital grants as follows:

 

Applicant	Project	Grant
North Hinksey Preschool	Toilet refurbishment and replacement flooring	£10,000
Abingdon Vale Cricket Club	Replacement mower	£2,475
Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd	Mezzanine floor and tools	£8,790 reducing to £8,157 if their lottery grant application is successful.
Drayton (Abingdon) Parish Council	Playground refurbishment	£7,500
		Total £28,765 (reducing to £28,132 if the Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd lottery grant application is successful).