Agenda item

(a)        Capital Funding

At the last meeting of the Committee, Members requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  The Strategic Director, Steve Bishop, has produced a briefing note. 

(b)        Grant Applications

To receive and consider report 48/05 of the Strategic Director.  

(a)        Capital Funding

At the last meeting of the Committee, Members had requested an update on the availability of capital funding if applicants could show that this would significantly increase their chances of lottery or environmental trust funding.  The Strategic Director, Steve Bishop, had produced a briefing note, which was appended to the agenda.  Members noted that any capital funding would require the approval of the Executive. 

It was suggested that the paper could be written in a more readable fashion, giving better explanations to non-accountants. 

RESOLVED

that the briefing paper on capital funding be received. 

(b)        Grant Applications

The Area Committee received and considered report 48/05 of the Strategic Director, which set out applications for community grants in the South East Area of the Vale.  The report also updated Members on the latest financial position.  The 2005/06 budget for the Area Committee had been significantly reduced from last year.  The budget for the year now stood at £24,948 plus £3,473.32 carried forward from last year.  Members noted that £2,500 had been allocated from the Committee's budget for Service Level Agreement grant funding for the Wantage, Grove and District Twinning Association (£2,000) and the Hendreds Twinning Group (£500).  With these adjustments, the remaining budget for 2005/06 was £25,921.32. 

The Committee discussed how it should deal with grant applications throughout the year, bearing in mind the reduced budget now available. 

In relation to Parish Cleansing Grants, the Committee considered that these could not be cut this year as Parish Councils had levied their precepts with the contracted costs for cleaning in mind.  It was noted that Parish Cleansing Grants were due to be reviewed during the course of the year by the Executive, possibly in September 2005.  It was noted that Parish Cleansing Grants were for cleaning of areas not within the Parish Council's ownership and not for general cleaning costs throughout the village.  It was suggested that Parish Councils should be asked to indicate how they spent their grants in the current financial year. 

Members agreed to award the parish cleansing grants on the agenda, as applied for, but asked that guidance was sought from the Executive on how applications for such grants should be treated during the course of the current financial year. 

It was suggested that a reduction could be made in all grant awards in the current financial year.  Each application would be considered on its merits.  Another suggestion was made that no grants should be paid for re-thatching historic buildings following the budget cuts.  These grants had allowed the Council to control how re-thatching was carried out in accordance with traditional local methods.  However, Members considered that alternative ways to control re-thatching should be investigated by the officers.  The grants awarded in the past year had been limited to £1,250.  This was only a small fraction of the total cost and only financially benefited the owner, not the community at large.  By 9 votes to nil, Members agreed that no re-thatching grants should be offered in 2005/06 as the reduced budget could be better used elsewhere. 

Members noted the financial position and agreed to allocate the budget carefully during the course of the year.  Applications under £500 could continue to be awarded under delegated authority. 

Updating the report, the officer reported that Wantage Blind Club was now seeking a grant for £880. 

The Committee discussed the application from Wantage Summer Festival, as detailed on the agenda.  It was noted that the festival organisers had applied for, and been awarded a grant in January 2005 for the Wantage Summer Festival.  It was believed at the time that this was towards the cost of the 2005 event.  However, it transpired that this application was for the 2004 event.  The applicant was now seeking funds for the 2005 event.  Members considered that as mistakes had been made and an application had been mislaid during 2004, the Committee should rectify the situation by amending the January 2005 grant allocation to refer to the 2004 event and award a new grant for 2005.  

RESOLVED

(a)        that the Committee’s budget for 2005/06 is £28,421.32 (including £3,473.32 carried forward from 2004/05) which is apportioned as follows:

·         Environmental Agenda  (35%)                                      £8,731.80

·         Social Agenda  (35%)                                                    £8,731.80

·         Economic Agenda (10%)                                              £2,494.80

·         Discretionary (20%)                                           £4,989.60 + £3,473.32

(b)        that it be noted that grants totaling £2,500 are to be awarded to the following two twinning associations in the South East Area as directed by the Executive on 6 August 2004, subject to the completion of service level agreements:

·         Wantage, Grove & District Twinning Association         £2,000

·         Hendreds Twinning Group                                              £500

(c)        that the following parish cleansing grants be awarded for 2005/06, subject to each Parish Council being asked to clarify how the grant will be spent and subject to the Parish Councils being advised that the future of these grants are to be reviewed during the course of the year:

·         Ardington & Lockinge                                                    £40.80

·         Blewbury                                                                        £200.00

·         Charney Bassett                                                            £160.00

·         Childrey                                                                          £77.50

·         Chilton                                                                            £172.90

·         Harwell                                                                           £1314.67

·         Milton                                                                             £450.00

·         West Hendred                                                               £150.00

(d)        that the Executive be requested to advise on how the Area Committees should determine parish cleansing grants in the current financial year;

(e)        that the grant awarded by the Committee on 20 January 2005 to Wantage Summer Festival be re-allocated to the 2004 festival;

(f)         that the following grants be awarded:

(g)        that, due to the reduction in the Committee's budget in 2005/06, no grants be awarded for re-thatching historic buildings; and

(h)        that all applications for grants under £500, continue to be awarded under delegated authority, including applications to carry out works to trees, secured by a Tree Preservation Order.