Agenda item

To receive and consider report 32/06 of the Strategic Director (attached)

Introduction and Report Summary

The purpose of this report is to set out the budget position for the Abingdon Area Committee for Community Grants in 2006/07 and to invite Members to consider and determine the grant application received.

The contact officer for this report is Lorna Edwards, Community Strategy Officer (Tel: 01235 547626).

Recommendations

(a)               Members are asked to note that the Committee’s budget for 2006/07 is £35,975.48 (£28,220+ £7,755.48 carried forward from 2005/06), apportioned as follows:

o        Environmental Agenda  (35%)                       £9,877

o        Social Agenda  (35%)                                     £9,877

o        Economic Agenda (10%)                               £2,822

o        Discretionary (20%)                                        £5,644 + 7,755.48

but that grants totaling £915 have already been allocated and grants of £3,000 are earmarked for twinning, leaving a budget of £32,060.48 for the rest of 2006/07

(b)        Following the resolution by the Executive on 21 April, Members are asked to consider the following application and are encouraged to fund the amount requested:

(i)         Abingdon and District Citizens Advice Bureau, £2,565, to cover the remainder of the shortfall in core funding, Social Agenda, Access priority

(c)        Members are asked to determine the grant award, the agenda and the Council priority in respect of the following applications:-

(ii)                Preston Road Community Centre Association, £6,385, to include £1,650 as third party funding for WREN application and the remainder to cover the shortfall in funding from other sources, Social Agenda, Access and Town & Village Vitality priorities.

(iii)               AbingdonMuseum, £3,850, towards a development plan for the museum, Social Agenda, Access and Town & Village Vitality priorities.

(iv)              (iv)       Peachcroft Christian Centre, £25,000, towards the shortfall in funding for the extension of the Centre, Social Agenda, Access and Town & Village Vitality priorities.

The Committee received and considered report 32/06 of the Strategic Director which set out the current budget position for the Abingdon Area Committee for Community Grants in 2006/07 and invited Members to consider and determine those grant applications received since the last meeting.

The report was considered as follows:-

(1)               Abingdon and District Citizens Advice Bureau

(Councillor Laurel Symons had declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting during its consideration).

(Councillor Peter Green had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

It was reported that parish support had increased to £10,355 against a projected income figure of £10,665.  Some Members expressed concern that the Committee was being asked to provide financial support towards core funding and that the community grants budget should be used to support new projects.  It was noted that Members of the Executive had visited the CAB to gain a better understanding of the issues facing the Bureau and the work undertaken.

(2)               Preston Road Community Centre Association

(Councillors Mary de Vere and Tony de Vere had each declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they left the meeting during its consideration).

It was reported that the Association’s balances as at 30 April 2006 were £3,205.77.  Awards for All had awarded a grant of £4,225 and Abingdon Town Council had awarded up to £800 towards a fridge freezer.  The Committee noted that the Centre was located in an area with high levels of deprivation and social exclusion.

(3)               Abingdon Museum

(Councillors Mike Badcock and Tony de Vere had each declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration).

(Councillors Peter Green, Monica Lovatt, Julie Mayhew-Archer and Alison Rooke had each declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they withdrew from the meeting during its consideration)

Some Members expressed surprise at the cost of the proposed research and consultancy fees, although it was recognised that the Museum building was unique in terms of design and any works to improve the access would need to be approved by English Heritage.  The Committee expressed disappointment at the level of financial contribution from Oxfordshire County Council.  The Council’s Community Strategy Officer confirmed the level of grant sought by the applicant.

(4)               Peachcroft Christian Centre

(Councillor Mary de Vere had declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting for consideration).

(Councillors Alison Rooke and Roz Smith had each declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

It was noted that the applicant had not applied to Awards for All for financial support.  It was suggested that due to the size of the grant requested consideration of the application be deferred to later in the calendar year.  However, it was noted that the building works were due to be completed in October 2006.

(5)        Twinning

(Councillor Mary de Vere had declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting during its consideration).

(Councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she withdrew from the meeting during its consideration).

The Committee was advised that the sum of £3,000 needed to be set aside for the two twinning Service Level Agreement grants for Abingdon Town Council (£2,500) and The Drayton Twinning Society (£500) for 2006/07.

RESOLVED

(a)               that the Committee’s budget for 2006/07 of £35,975.48 be noted and apportioned as follows:-

Environmental Agenda (35%)                        £9,877

Social Agenda (35%)                          £9,877

Economic Agenda (10%)                   £2,822

Discretionary (20%)                            £5,644 + £7,755.48,

(b)               that it be noted that grants totalling £915 have already been allocated and grants of £3,000 are earmarked for twinning, leaving a budget of £32,060.48 for the rest of 2006/07;

(c)               that the following grants be awarded:-