Agenda item

To provide the Committee with an update to ensure Members are kept informed of the work of the Community Engagement Team.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That £777 be allocated to the Cambridge Russian School towards social and English language sessions for Ukrainian residents as outlined in paragraphs 8.1.1-8.1.4 of the report.

(2)   That £2086 be allocated to Roman Way Supporters towards overhauling their nature garden as outlined in paragraphs 8.1.5-8.1.11 of the report.

(3)   That the Committee agreed that any unspent funds from the 2022/23 financial year be allocated to the Royston Area Committee budget for the 2023/24 period.

(4)   That the Committee endorsed the actions taken by the Community Engagement Team to promote greater community capacity and well-being for Royston.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)   To ensure Members are kept informed of the work of the Community Engagement Team.

(2)   This report is intended 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 Grants Policy as agreed by Cabinet in July 2021.

(3)   The awarding of financial assistance to voluntary organisations and the use of discretionary spending allows the Committee to further the aims of the Council Plan.

 Audio recording – 40 minutes 38 seconds

The Chair invited the Community and Partnerships Team Leader to provide an update on the grant funds remaining to the Committee, including that:

·       The base budget for the year was £6k, with £3130 remaining from 2021/22, which totalled £9130 for this year.

·       £5452 had been allocated to date, which meant £3679 was remaining for the Civic Year.

·       Grant requests at this meeting totalled £2863, which would leave £816 outstanding to carry forward into next year.

Councillor Hunter noted that the £1500 for the Free After 3pm scheme had not been allocated this year and therefore, if all grants were approved this evening, this would leave a shortfall to cover that scheme and funds to cover this would need to come out of the budget for next year, should Members wish to continue with funding this scheme.

Following a discussion amongst Members it was agreed that the Committee would proceed to decide on the grant applications tonight and would look for other ways to fund the Free After 3pm scheme.

Councillor Adam Compton proposed to grant the funds requested to the Cambridge Russian School, and this was seconded by Councillor Ruth Brown and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That £777 be allocated to the Cambridge Russian School towards social and English language sessions for Ukrainian residents as outlined in paragraphs 8.1.1-8.1.4 of the report.

Councillor Adam Compton proposed to grant the funds requested to Roman Way Supporters, and this was seconded by Councillor Ruth Brown and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That £2086 be allocated to Roman Way Supporters towards overhauling their nature garden as outlined in paragraphs 8.1.5-8.1.11 of the report.

The Chair invited County Councillors Fiona Hill and Steve Jarvis to provide the Committee with an update on Highways Issues. County Councillor Hill advised that:

·       Integrated Works Programme and Highways Locality Budget schemes for 2022/23 were mostly completed. There had been a delay to the footpath works in Serby Avenue, as it was agreed to wait until utility works were complete before starting on the footpath.

·       Works had been completed around the A10 and Barkway Road area, Priory Close, and King James Way.

·       Work had also been completed on Morton Street, Honey Way, Yeats Close, Shepherd Close, Thackeray Close and Masefield Way.

·       Work scheduled for 2023/24 included resurfacing works in Mill Road, Queens Road, Melbourn Road, Eliot Road, Grays Close, as well as parts of the A10. Drainage work was planned for Grange Bottom and footpath works scheduled for Gage Close and Icknield Walk.

·       Further patching work was included in 2023/24 for Serby Avenue, Studlands Rise and Burns Road. 

County Councillor Jarvis advised that:

·       All current work for the 2022/23 year had been completed.

·       In 2023/24 work was expected on the Briary Lane footpath, village gateways in Therfield and the footway on Orchard Road.

·       Investigations were due to begin to explore how to improve crossing London Road. This was initially suggested as a crossing, but this was deemed unaffordable, and it may now be an island, but this would also present complications.

·       Work had begun on surface patching the A505.

The Chair noted that it was not always easy to deal with potholes, especially the number on the roads currently, but he had been reporting these and they were being dealt with.

In response to a question from Councillor Adam Compton, County Councillor Hill advised that she would look into road markings and the status of the Kingsway traffic island.

The Chair invited the Community and Partnerships Team Leader to provide an overview of the ongoing work of the Community Engagement Team, who advised that:

·       The team had supported the North Herts Heroes award ceremony, which saw two winners from the Royston area.

·       A professional videographer had been funded to support this and groups could use these as their own promotional materials.

·       They had supported the All About Us conference, alongside the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and North Herts CVS. Further funding was being provided by NHDC to cover daytime and evening sessions to attract more people from the voluntary sector to attend.

·       Had assisted with organising and running the Holocaust Memorial Day service which took place at the end of January 2023.

Councillor Tony Hunter proposed and Councillor Ruth Brown seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Committee agreed that any unspent funds from the 2022/23 financial year be allocated to the Royston Area Committee budget for the 2023/24 period.

(2)   That the Committee endorsed the actions taken by the Community Engagement Team to promote greater community capacity and well-being for Royston.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)   To ensure Members are kept informed of the work of the Community Engagement Team.

(2)   This report is intended 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 Grants Policy as agreed by Cabinet in July 2021.

(3)   The awarding of financial assistance to voluntary organisations and the use of discretionary spending allows the Committee to further the aims of the Council Plan.