| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City |
| PRESENT: | Councillor Mike Rice (Chairman), Councillor Paul Marment (Vice-Chairman), Councillor Clare Billing, Councillor Gary Grindal, Councillor Lorna Kercher, Councillor Ian Mantle, Councillor Mrs L.A. Needham and Councillor Deepak Sangha. |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Claire Morgan (Communities Officer) and Hilary Dineen (Committee and Member Services Officer). |
| ALSO PRESENT: | At the start of the meeting 13 members of the public. |
| Meeting attachment |
Agenda Front Sheet |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 40 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Booth, Julian Cunningham, T.W. Hone and David Levett. |
Noted | ||
| 41 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 29 July 2015 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 42 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business notified. |
Noted | ||
| 43 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) The Chairman welcomed all who had attended the meeting, particularly those who had attended to give a presentation. (2) The Chairman drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest need to be declared immediately prior to the item in question. |
Noted | ||
| 44 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - CITY CHORUS Ms Jo Johnson, City Chorus, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant application. Ms Johnson informed Members that City Chorus was a community choir which was based in Letchworth which performs all types of music from show tunes to Christmas songs. She advised that some members of the Chorus had various degrees of ill health and that attending City Chorus had helped them manage their symptoms. Patrick, a member of City Chorus, explained that he had been a member of the choir for 4 years and that this had helped with his recovery from Parkinson's disease. Singing had helped strengthen his voice and being part of the group had helped with his depression. Ms Johnson advised that, due to a change of management in June 2015, the previous grant funding for staging had not yet been spent, but this was being organised and should be in place by Christmas. The current application was for funding to support a Community Sing Day on 12 September 2015. As well as producing advertising posters they would hire a Choir Master, Assistant Musical Director and pianist to help with providing a free and inclusive day of singing workshops, culminating in a performance of the pieces for friends and family. Members asked how the event would be managed in order to prevent any misconception, due to the venue, that this was linked to a religion Ms Johnson advised that it was made clear in the advertising for the event that this was not a religious event. The Chairman thanked Ms Johnson for her presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 45 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - NORTON BOWLS CLUB Mrs Lesley Leader, President of Norton Bowls Club and Mr Derek Pettengell, Chairman, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant funding application. Mrs Leader informed Members that Norton Bowls Club was one of North Hertfordshire's hidden sporting venues, boasting a picturesque site that typified the best of English leisure pursuits. Letchworth Garden City's first bowls club was established in 1908 and was one of the founding clubs of the Hertfordshire County and Letchworth District leagues. The club had and enthusiastic core of club members who did not only play throughout the summer season, but were pro-active in the upkeep of the green and club facilities and gardens Recently the northern end of the playing surface had suffered from subsidence, resulting in games being won or lost according to gravity pulling the bowls into the ditches. To meet guidelines, the bowls green should be smooth and level and the current subsidence issues meant that this green now fell below par. Norton Bowling Club received no financial support from outside agencies and funded from their own resources all costs including the lease, services, maintenance and general running costs. The fees of £70 per year and green fees of £3 per session were amongst the highest in the area. Despite this new members were recruited by offering a first year membership of £10. To raise funds and promote the social side, various social events were held, particularly during the closed season. The Club also participated in local events in order to raise their profile. The aim was to have correction works completed professionally completed, which would cost £3,600 of which the club had raised £1,800. Members asked whether the Club had a full repairing lease; whether the cause of the subsidence had been investigated; whether facilities were provided for disabled people and whether the Club had approached Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation for funding. Mrs Leader advised Members that the Club had a full repairing lease; the cause of the subsidence was purely almost 100 years of wear and tear and that ramps were available for disabled players and spectators. The Chairman thanked Mrs Leader and Mr Pettengell for their presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 46 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - HOME START - NORTH HERTS Ms Faith Hojeer, Home Start North Herts, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant funding application. Ms Hojeer advised Members that there were many reasons for Home Start to support families including disability, a history of social care, social isolation, illness and a lack of emotional support. The volunteers had a wide range of skills, which enabled families in need to be supported on a regular basis over a period of time. Demand for this service was increasing, particularly when filling gaps left by statutory agencies and referrals were received from Health Centres, Health Visitors and Schools. Home Start was looking at a business plan to enable future proofing and would be arranging a family fun day in Letchworth to raise the profile of Home Start and raise funds. Home Start wished to support 5 families in Letchworth at a cost of £1.400 per family per year. For information she advised that the Baldock and District Committee had given grant funding of £1,900 and Hitchin Committee £3,300. Members noted that funding from Hertfordshire County Council had been stopped and asked whether Home Start could continue without this. They also queried how the requested grant funding would be used. Ms Hojeer advised that Home Start were working on fundraising and therefore could continue without the County Council funding and that the requested funds would be spent on supporting families and the provision of a fun day in Letchworth. The Chairman thanked Ms Hojeer for her presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 47 |
GRANTS AND COMMUNITY UPDATE Report Appendix 1 - Budgets Appendix 2 - Grant Application - City Chorus Appendix 3 - Grant Application - Norton Bowls Club Appendix 4 - Grant Application - Homestart The Communities Officer presented the report entitled Community Update and Grant Applications and drew attention to the following: JACKMANS OLD LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT The Communities Officer advised that work on the development was due to start on 14 September 2015 and that the £5,000 Capital Visioning grant funding had now been released with the S106 funding was being drawn down in tranches. The Community Association had engaged the services of an architect who would help project manage the works. Jackmans Community Association had invested £5,000 in the project, however there was a small shortfall in the budget for which further S106 funding may be sought. Members were concerned that the project budget was insufficient and commented that any application for further S106 funding would query why this happened. They asked that the Communities Officer keep the Committee updated on the project and suggested that Councillors be invited to visit once completed. WORK OF THE COMMUNITIES OFFICER The Communities Officer advised Members that she was continuing to work with the Jackmans Networking Group, the Wilbury Networks and Letchworth Action for Young People. COUNCILLOR SURGERIES The Communities Officer reminded Members that the next Letchworth Councillor Surgery would be held on 19 September 2015. RESOLVED: (1) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Development and Visioning Budgets be noted; (2) That the actions taken by the Community Development Officer to promote greater community capacity and well-being for Letchworth Garden City be endorsed; REASON FOR DECISION: To keep Members of the Committee apprised of the latest developments in community activities in Letchworth Garden City. |
Agreed | ||
| 48 |
GRANT APPLICATION - CITY CHORUS Members expressed some concern that the previous grant funding to purchase staging had not yet been spent and that the Free Church would benefit by being able to hire out use of the stage. There was also some concern that the current application may set a precedent for other groups to request funding for fees and that the event needed to be well advertised. The Communities Officer advised that an organisation was given 2 years in which to spend grant funding and that she generally monitored the success of events. It was proposed and seconded that grant funding of £1,000 be granted and that the Communities Officer be requested to report back to this Committee on the success of the event. RESOLVED: (1) That grant funding of £1,000 be awarded to City Chorus from the 2015/16 Discretionary Budget towards the cost of providing a Community Sing Day; (2) That the Communities Officer be requested to update this Committee on the success of the City Chorus Community Sing Day at the next meeting due to be held on 9 December 2015. . REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 49 |
GRANT APPLICATION - NORTON BOWLS CLUB The Communities Officer advised that, over the last 10 years, Norton Bowls Club had received two grants of £700 in 2005 and £500 in 2009. There was some concern that the fees for this club were high, but Members recognised the high level of rent paid to the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation. They were supportive of the application, particularly as the Club supported fitness, health and wellbeing. RESOLVED: That, grant funding of £1,800 be awarded to the Norton Bowls Club from the 2015/16 Discretionary Budget towards the cost of renovating the Bowling Green. . REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 50 |
GRANT APPLICATION - HOME START - NORTH HERTS The Communities Officer reminded Members that Home Start was applying for £7,000 towards supporting 5 families in Letchworth and £500 towards a fun day in Letchworth that would raise the profile of Home Start and raise funds. Members commented on the excellent and valuable work done by Home Start to support vulnerable families. They were concerned that organisations understood that this Committee could not fill the monetary gap left by the funding reductions of other authorities and that NHDC was also facing financial pressures, which may mean a reduction in available grant funding in future. RESOLVED: That, grant funding of £7,500 be awarded to Home Start North Herts from the 2015/16 Discretionary Budget towards the cost of volunteer training of volunteers to support families in Letchworth and a Community Fun Day in Letchworth. . REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 51 |
WARD AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS - MEMBERS' REPORTS No Ward or Outside Organisation matters were discussed. |
Noted | ||