Agenda item

To receive and consider report 90/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer (attached).

Introduction and Report Summary

The purpose of this report is to set out the budget position for this Committee in respect of Community Grants and to invite Members to consider and determine the grant applications received.

The contact officer for this report is Lorna Edwards, Community Strategy Officer (tel: 01235 547626), e-mail address lorna.edwards@whitehorsedc.gov.uk.

Recommendations

(a)      that Members note that the current budget position for the Abingdon Area Committee is £23,871.63;

(b)      that Members consider and determine the grant applications, the agenda and the Council priority in respect of the following: -

(i)                 Dorchester Sailing Club, £2,000, towards the cost of building new on-shore facilities, Social Agenda, Access to Services priority.

(ii)               Compass Café, £5,000, towards the cost of employing a part-time youth worker, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitalitypriority,

(iii)     Abingdon Concert Band, £700, towards the cost of new banners, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(iv)             Abingdon Performance Arts Group Enterprise (APAGE), £4,000, towards the cost of producing and distributing the 2008 festival brochure, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(v)      Abingdon Festival Music Association, £500, towards the cost of holding a concerto class, Social Agenda, Town & Village Vitality priority

(c)      that Members note the update from the North East Abingdon Community Association and agree that the grant amount previously awarded by the Abingdon Area Committee is still available for the amended project as outlined in the narrative at Appendix B to this report.

The Committee received and considered report 90/07 of the Strategic Director and Monitoring Officer which set out the budget position for this Committee in respect of Community Grants and invited Members to consider and determine the grant applications received.

A number of statements were made by members of the public earlier in the meeting which the Committee had regard to when considering the applications.

Each of the applications were considered in detail and the follow comments made:-

(1)          Grant Application - Dorchester Sailing Club

One Member highlighted that approximately 35% of the membership of the Club lived in the Vale.

(2)          Grant Application - Compass Café

(CouncillorAlison Rooke had declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she left the meeting during its consideration)

(Councillors Mary de Vere, Tony de Vere, Angela Lawrence, Pat Lonergan, Julie Mayhew Archer and Laurel Symons had each declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration)

One Member commended the project in that he believed that it would be beneficial for young people.

Another Member suggested that the grant offer should be subject to the grant being used specifically for the employment of a part time youth worker and not for general administration.  This was supported by other Members of the Committee.

(3)          Grant Application – Abingdon Concert Band

(Councillors Angela Lawrence, Pat Lonergan and Julie Mayhew Archer had each declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration)

In response to a question raised, it was noted that the banners would be used to hang over the music stands and were important in terms of the Band’s appearance.

(4)              Grant Application  - Abingdon Performance Arts Group Enterprise (APAGE)

(Councillors Mary de Vere, Tony de Vere, Jim Halliday, Julie Mayhew Archer and Alison Rooke had each declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration)

One Member reminded the Committee that Members had previously been concerned regarding APAGE achieving value for money in terms of the brochure as a method of advertising. It was reported that tenders were about to be received.

One Member questioned whether the brochures were the most effective way of advertising, although other Members considered that the brochure was a good advertising tool. Another Member expressed concern that the Committee gave a grant each year to the same organisation for the same project.   It was commented that APAGE was a well organised “umbrella” organisation giving publicity for many events. It was suggested that a survey of audiences to determine how they had become aware of an individual event might be beneficial.

The Committee supported the offer of a grant, although one Member suggested that this should be subject to APAGE accepting the lowest tender for the production of the brochures.  However, this condition was not supported as it was commented that the lowest tender might not be the most appropriate.

(5)              Grant Application - Abingdon Festival Music Association

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

The Committee noted the applicant’s financial balance as at the end of April and one Member sought advice on other expenditure. The Officers responded that the Festival had running costs in the sum of £4,290. Reference was made to the Officers’ recommendation that a grant in the sum of £400 be offered it being noted that this was in line with the amount awarded in 2006.  However it was noted that costs had increased since that time.

One Member supported the application noting that the Festival was a commendable event. Whilst not promoting this any more than any other event, she suggested that Members would benefit from attending it.

(6)              Grant Application – North East Abingdon Community Association (NEACA)

(Councillor Tony de Vere, Pat Lonergan and Alison Rooke 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)

(Councillors Mary de Vere and Angela Lawrence had both declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 they remained in the meeting during its consideration)

In response to a question raised the Officers reported that the original scheme had been more than £230,000 and that if the Committee did not agree to the previous allocation in the light of the changed circumstances it could return the money to its budget.

One Member commented that NEACA had been unsuccessful in securing other grant money. He considered that NEACA would expect to be offered the grant that they had previously awarded for this scheme. He commented that he thought it would be reasonable to agree the amount previously awarded.  However, another Member noted that in effect the Committee was being asked to increase its percentage towards the scheme.

The Officers explained that the NEACA had previously asked for £100,000, half of which had been awarded. One Member commented that the Group had asked for 10% last year and the Committee had given 5%.

RESOLVED

(a)      that the budget position for the Abingdon Area Committee at the beginning of the financial year be noted;

(b)      that the grant applications received be determined as follows: -

(c)      that the update from the North East Abingdon Community Association be noted and that it be agreed that the grant amount previously awarded by the Abingdon Area Committee in the sum of £50,000 is still available for the amended project as outlined in Appendix B to report 90/07. (Proposed by Councillor Julie Mayhew Archer, seconded by CouncillorAngela Lawrence and agreed by 8 votes to nil with 1 abstention).