Agenda and minutes

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Community Grants Panel minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 2017 (attached). 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 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.  

Stefan Gawrysiak declared an interest in the applications from Henley Town Council as he was a town councillor. He stepped down from the panel and took no part in the consideration, scoring and award recommendation for these applications.

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. 

There was no urgent business.

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 it met 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.

Beckley and Area Community Benefit Society Ltd. - Toilet and access improvements

Sonning Common Parish Council - Play area resurfacing

Philip Collings and Becky Jenkins spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Wallingford Sports Trust – Tennis pavilion, football floodlights and overflow car park

John Atkins spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Rotherfield Peppard Parish Council – Sports pavilion extension and modernisation

Simon Crouch and Gerry Bacon spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel. They also tabled additional information.

Crowmarsh Parish Council – Play area improvements and expansion

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

Towersey Playing Fields Committee – Play area refurbishment.

Jennifer Jones spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

The Eyot Centre (Henley) – Waterfront improvements

Richard Parham and Keith Walker spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Brightwell cum Sotwell Parish Council – Play area refurbishment

Abbie Stephenson spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

The PCC of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Ipsden – Disabled wc and access improvements

Great Milton PCC – Conversion of Store room, improve electrics, insulation and other improvements

Tony Jefferis spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Henley Town Council – Outdoor gym equipment

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak stepped down from the panel.  He and Liz Jones spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Chalgrove Parish Council – Refurbishment of hall kitchen and toilet

Ann Pritchard and Angie Ziemelis spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice – Replacement ICT equipment, furniture, phone system, panic alarm and fire door closers

Anne Groom spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Henley Town Council – Replacement town hall audio system

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak stepped down from the panel.  He and Liz Jones spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Earth Trust (Little Wittenham) – New driveway, car park and fitout of new learning space

Lynda Atkins spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Chinnor Parish Council – Tennis facility improvements

Debra Standage and John Hudson spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Clifton Hampden and Burcot Sea Scout Group – Boating and camping equipment

The Chiltern Centre for Disabled Children (Henley) – Garden improvements

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:

Brightwell cum Sotwell Parish Council – Play area refurbishment

Increase the funding score from 4 to 8 in view of the additional information supplied by the applicant.

Eyot Centre (Henley) – Waterfront improvements

Increase the community benefit funding score from 8 to 9 to reflect the improved access for the emergency services.

The final scores as agreed were:

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

RESOLVED: to

a)     accept all the suggested conditions for grant awards set out in the officers’ reports.

b)     reduce the award to Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice as the furniture and ICT elements could be applied for under the councillor grant scheme.

c)     reduce the award to Henley Town Council for a replacement town hall audio system as some elements were replacements for which the need should have been forecast in their budgets.

d)     make no award to the Earth Trust (Little Wittenham) as, in accordance with the grants policy, the panel:

·           believes the applicant has sufficient unrestricted reserves/assets to fund the project themselves;

·           has serious concerns about the financial viability or appropriateness of the project; and

·           believes that the project doesn’t meet the criteria or help deliver the council’s strategic objectives.

e)     recommend that the Cabinet member for community services makes the following capital grant award decisions:

1.     to award Beckley and Area Community Benefit Society Ltd 49.94% of the total cost, capped to £101,000 towards toilets and access improvements, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

2.     to award Sonning Common Parish Council 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £18,629 towards play area resurfacing, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

3.     to award Wallingford Sports Trust 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £46,053 towards replacement of the tennis pavilion, upgrading the football floodlights and increasing the car parking on site, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

4.     to award Rotherfield Peppard Parish Council 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £169,124 towards the extension and modernisation of the sports pavilion, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

5.     to award Brightwell cum Sotwell Parish Council 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £23,979 towards play area refurbishment, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

6.     to award Crowmarsh Parish Council - 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £99,790 towards play area improvements and expansion, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

7.     to award Towersey Playing Fields Committee 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £17,392 towards play area refurbishment, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

8.     to award The Eyot Centre (Henley) 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £52,984 towards waterfront improvements, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

9.     to award The PCC of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Ipsden 21.48% of the total cost, capped to £12,000 towards disabled wc and access improvements, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

10.  to award Great Milton PCC 34.68% of the total cost, capped to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.