Agenda and minutes

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Community Grants Panel minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2017 (attached). 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2017 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman signs them as such.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

None.

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman. 

None.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

The list showing the members of the public who had registered to speak on the capital grant applications was tabled at the meeting.

The officers presented their reports detailing the applications from each project and gave provisional scores, recommended grants and an explanation of the project and how they meet the South Oxfordshire District Council Capital Grants Policy.

The panel heard addresses from representatives of the applicants and were given the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers.

Tetsworth Parish Council – Play area refurbishment and new outdoor gym

Karen Copson-Harris spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Clifton Hampden Parish Council – Storage facility on the recreation ground

David Croft spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Woodcote Village Hall – Replacement furniture, carpets and additional storage

Geoffrey Botting spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Checkendon Parish Council – Playground refurbishment

Alexandra West and Charlotte Nicholl spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Wallingford & District Art Club – Equipment purchases

David Booth spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

The panel will review and amend officer scores as necessary.

The panel considered the applications, taking into account the report of the grants officer on each application, the presentations from the registered public speakers and site photographs/videos. 

Using the scoring matrix set out in the policy, the grant officer’s provisional scores and any additional information received at the meeting, the panel awarded scores for each application.

After discussion, the panel adopted the grants officer’s recommended scores for all applications except for the following:

Tetsworth Parish Council – Play area refurbishment and new outdoor gym

Increase the funding score from 9 to 14 in view of the additional funding secured.

Woodcote Village Hall – Replacement furniture, carpets and additional storage

Increase the funding score from 8 to 10 in view of the additional funding secured.

Checkendon Parish Council – Playground refurbishment

Increase the new facilities or activities score from 9 to 10 in view of the fact that the refurbishment would provide new facilities for toddlers and children with disabilities.

Increase the funding score from 9 to 12 in view of the additional funding secured.

Wallingford & District Art Club – Equipment purchases

Increase the community benefit score from 8 to 10 in view of the outreach work proposed.

The final scores as agreed were:

The panel will finalise award recommendations for the consideration of the Cabinet member for grants.

RESOLVED: to

a)     reduce the award to Tetsworth Parish Council in the light of the additional funding secured.

b)     request Checkendon Parish Council to retain the kissing gate as part of the playground refurbishment.

c)     Agree that a standard condition be added to all of these awards to the effect that work on the projects must not commence prior to the release of the first instalment of the grant payment.

d)     recommend that the Cabinet member for community safety, legal, democratic services, electoral services and grants make the following capital grant award decisions:

1.     to award Tetsworth Parish Council £8,250 towards a play area refurbishment and a new outdoor gym, as set out in its application, subject to a condition that the council will not release any payment prior to receipt of written permission for the work from the land owners once the transfer to the new owner is complete.

2.     to award Clifton Hampden Parish Council £7,820 towards a new storage facility on the recreation ground, set out in its application.

3.     to award Woodcote Village Hall £5,922 towards replacement furniture, carpets and additional storage, as set out in its application.

4.     to award Checkendon Parish Council £16,600 towards playground refurbishment, as set out in its application.

5.     to award Wallingford & District Art Club £4,750 towards equipment purchases, as set out in its application.