Issue - meetings

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public, including:

·         Plastic Free Hitchin

The Chair advised that Anni Sander from Plastic Free Hitchin was unable to attend this meeting and would be invited to a future meeting.

The Chair invited Lisa King, Treasurer at Hitchin Fun Club, to give a verbal presentation for Members in support of their grant application.

The Chair advised that Anni Sander from Plastic Free Hitchin was unable to attend this meeting and would be invited to a future meeting.

The Chair invited Lisa King, Treasurer at Hitchin Fun Club, to give a verbal presentation for Members in support of their grant application. They advised:

·         The Club was run in the Highbury area of Hitchin after school, but they also ran a day care club during the school holidays.

·         There were 35 child places available each day and most of these places were filled with students from Highbury School.

·         The club offered a safe, caring environment for the children, with well-trained and experienced staff on site.

·         The summer club was run for ages 4 to 12.

·         It was a not for profit scheme, purely for the benefit of the children, and costs were kept low to remain accessible to all.

·         Income from fees over the last couple of years had been down, due to Covid, while costs have continued to rise.

·         Repeat bookings for the holiday clubs were high.

·         The money requested would be to fund additional equipment and supplies to cover the entire programme of events throughout the year. It would also include outdoor play equipment, materials and supplies for craft activities and party supplies and games. Some of the funds would also be put towards prizes for team games and end of term parties.

·         The larger pieces of equipment need to be maintained to ensure they remain suitable for children to use.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Richard Thake

·         Councillor Sam Collins

·         Councillor Ian Albert

In response to questions Ms King advised:

·         They do charge for attendance at the Club and summer scheme, but they cannot make ends meet with the current fees, which are kept deliberately low to maintain affordability.

·         The club have reviewed their current supplies and have identified what needs to be replaced and this is what the grant funding would cover. The club have put some monies toward this themselves.

·         They had previously received funds from the Herts County Locality Budgets to fund larger items and projects.