| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City |
| PRESENT: | Councillor D.J. Barnard (Chairman), Councillor Cathryn Henry (Vice-Chairman), Councillor Alan Bardett, Councillor John Bishop, Councillor Jane Gray, Councillor Steve Hemingway, Councillor Sal Jarvis, Councillor Harry Spencer-Smith, Councillor Mrs C.P.A. Strong |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Stuart Izzard (Communities Manager), Ashley Hawkins (Communities Officer) and Hilary Dineen (Committee and Member Services Officer). |
| ALSO PRESENT: | At the commencement of the meeting 14 members of the public. |
| Meeting attachment |
Agenda Front Sheet |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 14 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Faye Frost. |
Noted | ||
| 15 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 June 2015 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 16 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS There were no notifications of other business. |
Noted | ||
| 17 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, particularly those giving a presentation; (2) Members were reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest which requires they leave the room under Paragraph 7.4 of the Code of Conduct, can speak on the item, but must leave the room before the debate and vote. |
Noted | ||
| 18 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - GREAT ASHBY PARTNERSHIP Mr Owen Smith, Great Ashby Partnership, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the activities of the Partnership as follows: WHAT IS THE GREAT ASHBY PARTNERSHIP - An informal partnership/network of local organisations, bodies, groups and others; - Each organisation was either based in Great Ashby, served Great Ashby or wanted to help in Great Ashby community. AIMS & OBJECTIVES - To deliver additional events and activities for the benefit of the Great Ashby local community; - To pool stretched resources to enable events and activities to happen that otherwise would not have happened. VISION - To have a network that worked in partnership to deliver extra help, support, advice or leisure activity that meet needs. MISSION - To meet needs and bring extra benefit; - To maximise stretched resources. WHO WILL BENEFIT - The local community; - The local providers; HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT - Specific individual, family or community needs met; - More opportunities for help/advice/support/leisure activity than currently available; - More opportunities for greater community engagement and involvement and a deepening sense of community; - Raising of perceptions of local ‘partners' as being community focussed, engaging and supporting; - Being perceived as part of the local community, not just in it. WHAT IT IS NOT - An alternative or replacement or competitor to any existing organisation, body, group or provider; - An attempt to take over anyone's work, service, provision or role or to replace or replicate anything; - A business development or business generation means' - Financially motivated. WHAT IT IS - About making things happen that wouldn't have otherwise happened; - About working together and pooling resources' - A means of providing additional help/support/advice/leisure activity to the local community' - Community motivated by harnessing existing and encouraging more community involvement and engagement; - Committed to making a difference. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR - A new website and Facebook page; - A soft launch in GASBAG; - 10 new partners signed up; - A 6 week parenting course and a CEOP scheme session have taken place; - Work has started on 2 other new activities. WHAT IS PLANNED - A guide to Great Ashby consisting of a leaflet including a map and essential details such as doctors, dentists, schools and other useful agencies and organisations. This would be made available through estate agents, shops and the Community Centre as well as online; - Great Ashby Festival (2016) which would likely be an event or series of events showcasing local organisations in a variety of locations. OTHER IDEAS - First aid (to children) courses; - Activities to help/support lonely, homeless or isolated people; - A community library; - Sessions on managing stress/trauma and getting back to work. NEXT STEPS - Continue to approach local organisations in order to introduce ideas and seek interests; - Seek volunteers from within the community; - Continue to develop an online & social media presence; - Continue to promote the Partnership; - Survey the community, through GASBAG, to find out what is needed/wanted; - Explore possible sources of external funding. Members praised the progress made and commented that the local Councillors had supported the organisation with some seed funding. They suggested that the County Councillor be approached for Locality Budget funding. The Chairman thanked Mr Smith for his interesting presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 19 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - JOHN CLEMENTS SPORTS CENTRE Mr Jim Park, John Clements Sports Centre, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding the Centre as follows: - The Centre had so far been very successful, with 500 members and a profit made every month; - The builder will have been paid in full by September 2015 and money was available to pay the retention fee; - Viability had now been proven, it was now time to address sustainability; - Capital and enhancement projects were planned for which fund raising had already started. Members were asked to note that the Southern Rural Committee meeting due to be held on 3 December 2015 will take place at the John Clements Centre. The Chairman thanked Mr Park for his presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 20 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - CODICOTE TENNIS CLUB Ms Maxine Sanders, Chair of Codicote Tennis Club, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant application. Ms Sanders informed Members that the Tennis Club had 160 and played on courts in Codicote, which were owned by Codicote Parish Council. Recently, due to bad weather, two of the courts had been damaged by voids appearing. A ground survey had been undertaken which found no further voids and a technical consultant had recommended a patch repair. The Parish Council was pursuing an insurance claim, but the outcome of this was uncertain. The Club currently had 160 members, who were temporarily playing with other Tennis Clubs. Funding was being sought to support the repair of the courts and thus enable the Club to continue. Members were unclear on the amount being requested and were concerned regarding the progress of the insurance claim. The Chairman thanked Ms Sanders for her presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 21 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - CODICOTE HISTORY SOCIETY Mr Colin Barker, Codicote History Society, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant application in respect of Codicote Museum as follows: - The Codicote History Society was started in 1979; - In 2011 took over a premises in very poor condition, which members renovated using grant funding, fundraising and donations; - In 2014 the Codicote Museum was opened; - The aim now was to open once a month; - The electrics in the building needed updating at a cost of £600; - The grant application was for £200 towards this work. The Chairman thanked Mr Barker for his presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 22 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - ICKLEFORD PARISH COUNCIL Parish Councillor Philip Crowe, Vice-Chairman of Ickleford Parish Council, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant application. Parish Councillor Crowe informed Members that the car park servicing the play area, sports club and new burial ground required essential repairs. The play area was regularly used and maintained, although the safety surfacing needed improvement. The costs of these works were £1,200 for the play area surfacing and £1,000 for car park works. The Chairman thanked Parish Councillor Philip Crowe for his presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 23 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - OFFLEY PARISH COUNCIL Mr David Sample, Clerk to Offley Parish Council, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation regarding their grant application as follows: - Offley was a growing Parish, with 63 new homes being built in the next few months; - S106 funding had been secured to refurbish the tennis courts and provide adult play equipment; - The Recreation Centre was well used and had 8 youth teams and other teams; - The aim was to install a defibrillator, which would cost £1,375 of which the Parish Council would pay £500. The Chairman thanked Mr Sample for his presentation. |
Noted | ||
| 24 |
COMMUNITY UPDATE AND GRANT APPLICATIONS Report Appendix 1 - Budget Appendix 2 - Work Programme Appendix 3 - Grant Application - Codicote Tennis Club Appendix 4 - Grant Application - Codicote History Society Appendix 5 - Grant Application - Ickleford Parish Council Appendix 6 - Grant Application - St Ippolyts Parish Council Appendix 7 - Grant Application - Wymondley Parish Council Appendix 8 - Grant Application - Offley Parish Council The Communities Manager presented the report entitled Community Update and Grant Applications and drew attention to the following: BUDGETS The current level of unallocated funds within the Committee's Budgets were Development Budget £26,310 Ward Member Budgets £6,800 Pre-allocated Community Projects Budget £3,256. JOHN CLEMENTS CENTRE The Communities Manager drew attention to the update previously provided by Mr Park regarding the John Clements Centre and asked the Committee to formally note the progress made. TITMORE GREEN VILLAGE POND ENHANCEMENTS The District Council was working to enable enhancements to this village pond. ICKLEFORD VILLAGE HALL The Communities Manager was supporting the management committee to access grant funding from other organisations, however an application may come to this Committee in the future. UU/S106 CONTRIBUTIONS AND FUNDING ADVICE The Communities Team were constantly working to access S106 funding for Parishes around the District. RURAL GRANTS PROGRAMME 2015/16 - PARISH CHALLENGE All Parish Councils, Meetings and other village based organisations had been notified of the three funding programmes and the timescales to apply. The Panel would meet in December to consider the applications for the fund, which stood at £30,000. The Communities Manager asked that Members remind Parishes in their area about the fund and the timescales. GRANT FUNDING SOURCES/RURAL DISADVANTAGE The Communities Manager advised that Parishes and organisations could apply to other organisations for grant funding including Luton Airport, Lafarge and Awards for All. Members acknowledged that there was some uncertainty regarding the future of Area Committee grant funding. They expressed concern that rural areas started from a less advantageous position and then were further disadvantaged. An example of this was that Parishes have to raise a precept that has to pay for local play areas, yet Towns get their play areas paid for by the District Council. The Communities Officer confirmed that severe efficiencies had been seen in North Herts over a number of years and that, as a consequence, rural funds had been significantly reduced. He also reminded Members that funding from other sources was often dependent on support from the District Council. A Member reminded the Committee of the resolution made by this Committee in March 2014 that the Head of Service be requested to consider rural funding. She stated that there were pragmatic ways of making funding of rural areas fairer. Residents of villages were consistently told to use facilities in a Town, but this was not a sensible argument for rural people whether they were 2 or 80 years old. Other Members of the Committee were supportive of these comments and added that a move away from Area Committee funding would disadvantage rural areas and in some places services/organisations would be lost, this could be demonstrated clearly by looking at the grants being considered at this meeting. The Head of Policy and Community Services advised that the Grant Review was being considered by Councillor Hunter, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Rural Affairs. She advised that the review had been delayed as Cabinet Office guidance on Local Authority Grant Protocol had not yet been received. Members could consider the grants system as part of the Budget Workshops. LATE GRANT APPLICATIONS The Communities Manager advised that he had received two grant applications after the deadline for this meeting. Members discussed that they understood that small local groups had worked hard on projects and events and that it was then disappointing for consideration of a grant application to be delayed. However the deadlines were clearly advertised and the Communities Officers remind groups of these deadlines. It was also not appropriate to allocate grant funding before the correct paperwork had been received. HIGHWAYS Members reported the following highways issues around the Southern Rural area: - Hitchin Road, Pirton (towards Hexton Road) - Gullys require cleaning; - B197 past Weston Recycling Centre - There is often debris on the highway causing danger to traffic. RESOLVED: (1) That the activities and schemes with which the Communities Manager has been involved with, as set out in the report, be noted; (2) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards within the Area Committee Development Budget spreadsheet, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be noted; (3) That the initial period of operation at the John Clements Sports and Community Centre be noted; (4) That the Committee and Member Services Officer be requested to forward details of the highways issues to the relevant County Councillor for consideration. REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the Southern Rural Committee is kept informed of the work of the Communities Manager and to inform Members of the financial resources and current budgetary position. |
Agreed | ||
| 25 |
GRANT APPLICATION - CODICOTE TENNIS CLUB Members acknowledged that the tennis courts should be repaired as soon as possible, but they felt that the insurance claim should be pursued prior to any payments being made. It was therefore proposed, seconded and RESOLVED: That, subject to non payment of the insurance claim regarding damage to the tennis courts, grant funding of £1,500 be awarded from the 2014/15 Community Project Budget to Codicote Tennis Club towards the cost of repairs to the damaged tennis courts. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 26 |
GRANT APPLICATION - CODICOTE HISTORY SOCIETY RESOLVED: That grant funding of £200 be awarded from the 2014/15 Community Projects Budget to Codicote History Society towards the cost of essential electrical works at the local museum facility. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 27 |
GRANT APPLICATION - ICKLEFORD PARISH COUNCIL RESOLVED: That grant funding of £1,190 be awarded from the 2014/15 Community Project Budget to Ickleford Parish Council towards the costs of essential repairs to the Children's Play Area and access road to the burial ground. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 28 |
GRANT APPLICATION - ST IPPOLYTS PARISH COUNCIL The Communities Manager advised that the memorial bench installed by NHDC Members in memory of Councillor Alan Calder was beyond economical repair and needed replacing. RESOLVED: That grant funding of £800 be assigned to St Ippolyts Parish Council from the 2015/16 Development Budget to be drawn down as and when required to assist with the cost of renewing the commemorative bench in memory of Councillor Alan Calder at Gosmore Green. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 29 |
CHESFIELD WARD - GRANT APPLICATION - WYMONDLEY PARISH COUNCIL RESOLVED: That grant funding of £300 be awarded to Wymondley Parish Council from the 2015/16 Chesfield Ward Budget towards the costs associated with the construction of a new pavilion and the Village Day. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 30 |
GRANT APPLICATION - OFFLEY PARISH COUNCIL RESOLVED: That total grant funding of £875 be awarded to Offley Parish Council from the budgets listed below towards the cost of installing a defibrillator unit at the Recreation Centre: £366 from the 2014/15 Community Project Budget and £509 from the 2015/16 Development Budget REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 31 |
HITCHWOOD, OFFA AND HOO WARD - GRANT APPLICATION - WHITWELL PLAY AREA RESOLVED: That grant funding of £400 be awarded to Whitwell Play Area from the 2015/16 Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo Ward Budget towards the costs of phase 1 of the regeneration works to the local children's play area. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 32 |
HITCHWOOD, OFFA AND HOO WARD - GRANT APPLICATION - TEA GREEN RESOLVED: That grant funding of £100 be awarded to Tea Green from the 2015/16 Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo Ward Budget towards the costs of installing No Parking signs. REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community. |
Agreed | ||
| 33 |
WARD AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS - MEMBERS' REPORTS No Ward or Outside Organisation matters were discussed. |
Noted | ||