Agenda item

GRANTS AND COMMUNITY UPDATE

REPORT OF THE COMMUNITIES MANAGER

To update the Committee on the activities and actions of the Communities Officer, to advise on the current expenditure and balances of the delegated budgets and to consider applications for grant funding.

Decision:

Prior to any discussion regarding Hitchin Educational Foundation, Councillor Paul Clark declared a declarable interest as he was the Council’s representative on this body. As there was no decision to be made in respect of this organisation, he would remain in the room and take part in any debate.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Development Ward Budgets as set out in Appendix A – Hitchin Area Committee Budget for 2017/18 be noted;

(2) That the sum of £11,131 be allocated from the 2017/18 Discretionary Budget to Community Initiatives;

(3) That the Communities Officer be requested to investigate the possibility of organising a forum for grant funders in the Hitch9n area;

(4) That the Committee endorses the actions taken by the Community Officer to promote greater community capacity and well-being for Hitchin;

REASON FOR DECISION: To keep Members of the Committee apprised of the latest developments in community activities in Hitchin.

Minutes:

The Communities Officer presented the report of the Communities Manage entitled Grants and Community Update and drew attention to the following:

Hitchin Stroke Group

Thanks to the generous grant award by this Committee, the Communities Officer was able to gain the support of the local Rotarians, who had agreed to provide the design and printing of new leaflets and posters to advertise the group.

Also, following a meeting, NHCVS were helping the group with a recruitment drive for volunteers.

The group would now be more sustainable for the future.

Funding Advice

There had been a number of groups that NHDC had been unable to help with grant funding, due to the grant criteria, however the Communities Officer had signposted them to their County Councillor, who had provided some funding from their Locality Budget.

Community Facilities Grant Panel

The Panel had held a meeting in January and there were two community facilities in Hitchin that the Panel had recommended grant funding be awarded to.

The recommendation of the Panel would be considered by the Deputy Chief Executive, who would make the final decision.

Budgets and Grant Funding

There had been a large amount carried forward from the 2016/17 budget, therefore 2017/18 budget had only stated to be used at the last meeting.

Following the grant awards this evening the remaining balance was £11,131 and the Communities Officer suggested that Members might like to allocate this sum to Community Initiatives.

Members noted that the 2018/19 budget had been reduced by 30 percent.

Councillor Billing informed Members that the County Councillor’s Locality Budgets had been reduced by 50 percent in 2016/17 and that County Councillors could not carry forward any funds to the following year.

She observed that, due to the reduced funding, some County Councillors had been more careful in allocating funds and therefore had not spent all of their allocation.

Councillor Billing reminded Members that, groups and projects in the area could apply for grant funding from their County Councillors and information regarding this could be found on the Hertfordshire County Council website.

The Communities Officer advised that often the effect of budget cuts was that the community thought that there was no longer any money available and asked Councillors to encourage groups to put in funding applications.

The Chairman agreed, as an exception, to allow a member of the public to address the Committee.

Mr Doggett suggested that there should be a forum where all organisations that had grant funds available could share their criteria, that in turn would help grant funding organisations signpost applicants to funding sources.

The Communities Office advised that she did work closely with other grant funders, however she would investigate the possibility of organising a forum for grant funders in the Hitchin area.