Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence. 

Councillors Jeanette Matelot and Elaine Hornsby had sent their apologies for absence.  Councillor Hornsby was substituted by Councillor Lorraine Hillier. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Community Grants Panel minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2018 (attached). 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2018 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.  

There were no declarations of interest.

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 grant applications was tabled at the meeting.

The panel considered the head of community services’ report, 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.

Warborough Parish Council – Play area relocation and improvement and new outdoor gym

Jonnie Bradshaw spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Goring Village Hall – Improvements to the hall stage area (lighting, sounds, curtains etc)

Brian Urbick spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Little Milton Village Shop Ltd. – Flooring improvements and a patio area

Kevin Hunt spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Woodcote Village Hall – Lighting/electrical improvements and projector for the main hall

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

South Moreton Community Benefit Society Ltd (The Crown community pub) – Renovations to the community owned pub to bring it back into use

Paul Jackson and Andrew Searle spoke in support of the application and answered questions from the panel.

Sonning Common Parish Council – Village Hall Flat Roof Replacement and Renovation

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

Woodcote Parish Council – Pathway running from zebra crossing to school behind the village hall

Malcolm Smith 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 and videos.

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

The panel agreed the officer’s recommendations for the following applications:

Goring Village Hall – Improvements to the hall stage area (lighting, sounds, curtains etc)

Sonning Common Parish Council – Village Hall Flat Rood Replacement and Renovation

Based on the additional information provided by the applicant, the officer adjusted recommended scores for the following applications, which were agreed by the panel:

Warborough Parish Council – Play area relocation and improvement and new outdoor gym

Increase the score for New Facilities or Activities from 11 to 12, and the score for Funding the project from 11 to 14 in view of additional information supplied by the applicant.

Woodcote Village Hall – Lighting/electrical improvements and projector for the main hall

The panel voted to increase the score for New facilities or activities from 8 to 9 in light of the cinema club facility that would be provided by installing the projector. Increase the funding the project score from 11 to 14 in light of additional information about intended use of S106 money that had already been budgeted for a separate project to install extra storage.

South Moreton Community Benefit Society Ltd (The Crown community pub) – Renovations to the community owned pub to bring it back into use

The panel voted to increase the score for Community Benefit from 6 to 9 in light of additional information supplied by the applicant. The panel felt that since these planned works would not have to be undone in order to meet the equalities officer’s recommendations in the future, and contingency measures such as grab rails in the existing toilets had already been actioned, the score should be increased to 9.

After discussion, the panel voted to adjust the scores for the following applications:

Little Milton Village Shop Ltd. – Flooring improvements and a patio area

Increase the score for New facilities or Activities from 8 to 10, and the score for Finance from 11 to 12 (following officer recommendation) in view of additional information supplied by the applicant.

Woodcote Parish Council – Pathway running from zebra crossing to school behind the village hall

The panel voted to increase the score for New facilities or activities from 3 to 9 to reflect the fact that the path would create a new, safe access route which would allow pedestrians to safely access both the village hall and library which they currently could not do safely, via the footpath along Reading Road. The applicant provided extra information about safety concerns; pedestrians currently had to walk into the main road when there were cars parked in the parking spaces in front of the village hall, and the panel concluded that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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

RESOLVED: to recommend that Cabinet makes the following capital grant award decisions:

1.         To award Warborough Parish Council 25.00% of the total cost, capped to £25,000 towards a play area relocation and improvement and a new outdoor gym, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

2.         To award Goring Village Hall 33.78% of the total cost, capped to £9,999 towards improvements to the hall stage area (lighting, sounds, curtains etc), as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

3.         To award Little Milton Village Shop Ltd. 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £2,820 towards flooring improvements and a patio area, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

4.         To award Woodcote Village Hall 49.61% of the total cost, capped to £6,200 towards lighting/electrical improvements and a projector for the main hall, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

5.         To award South Moreton Community Benefit Society Ltd. 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £50,315 towards renovations to the community owned pub to bring it back into use, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

6.         To award Sonning Common Parish Council 37.50% of the total cost, capped to £13,444 towards village hall flat roof replacement and insulation, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.

7.         To award Woodcote Parish Council 50.00% of the total cost, capped to £9,812 towards a pathway running from zebra crossing to school behind the village hall, as set out in its application, subject to the conditions set out in the report.