Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITIES ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

To advise the Committee on the current expenditure and balances of the Area Committee budgets.

To bring to the Committee’s attention details of recent requests received for Area Committee Grant Funding, made by community groups and local organisations, which conform to the Authority’s Grants Policy approved by Cabinet on June 14th 2016.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That Members discretionary budgets be included within the Base budget of £5,900 as outlined under item 10,Financial Implications;

(2)       That the Ward budgets for Councillor Henry and Councillor Spencer-Smith be removed from the  Budget sheet for 2019/20;

(3)       That the actions taken by the Community Officer to promote greater community capacity and well-being for the Southern Rural Area be endorsed.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)       To ensure the Committee is kept informed of the work of the Community Engagement Team;

(2)       To inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee. It draws attention to the current budgetary situation by assisting in the effective financial management of the Area Committee’s budget. This ensures that all actions are performed in line with the Authority’s Financial Regulations, the Council’s Constitution, and the guidance of the existing Grants policy as agreed by Cabinet in June 2016.

Audio Recording – 14 minutes, 25 seconds

The Community Engagement Team Leader presented the report entitled Grants and Community Update and drew attention to the following:

·               There was £14,121 left in the budget;

·               The total amount requested for grant funding was£1,889;

·               If Members were minded to award all of the requested grant funding this would leave £12,232 to be spent at the remaining two meetings this financial year;

·               The amount allocated to each Ward Member from the Discretionary Budget had reduced each year and was currently £280;

·               It was recommended that the Ward budgets be absorbed into the discretionary budget.

The following Members raised questions and took part in the debate:

·                Councillor Sam North;

·                Councillor Claire Strong;

·                Councillor David Barnard.

In response to questions, the Chairman advised the following:

·                That it was more logical to have one pot of funding;

·                That other Area Committees did not have individual Ward Member Budgets.

The Community Engagement Team Leader advised that::

·                The Ward Budgets for Councillor Spencer-Smith and Councillor Henry should have been removed from the  19/20 budget sheet as they were no longer District Councillors;

·                The deadlines for grant applications were as follows:

·                October 25 2019 for the December Committee meeting;

·                February 26 2020 for the March Committee meeting.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That Members discretionary budgets be included within the Base budget of £5,900 as outlined under item 10,Financial Implications;

(2)       That the Ward budgets for Councillor Henry and Councillor Spencer-Smith be removed from the  Budget sheet for 2019/20;

(3)       That the actions taken by the Community Officer to promote greater community capacity and well-being for the Southern Rural Area be endorsed.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)       To ensure the Committee is kept informed of the work of the Community Engagement Team;

(2)       To inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee. It draws attention to the current budgetary situation by assisting in the effective financial management of the Area Committee’s budget. This ensures that all actions are performed in line with the Authority’s Financial Regulations, the Council’s Constitution, and the guidance of the existing Grants policy as agreed by Cabinet in June 2016.