Agenda item

Bids for funding from the Communities Capital Grants scheme

Purpose: To consider the applications for funding from the Communities Capital Grants and to make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for grants on the allocation of the funds to each application.

Minutes:

The panel considered the applications for funding from the over £15,000 Community Capital Grants Scheme, taking into account the reports of the grants officer on each application, the presentations from the registered public speakers and ward councillors, and the visits to each site carried out on 3 July 2014.

 

The panel commented that the applications before them were of a very high standard.

 

Using the criteria set out in the scheme and taking into account the grant officer’s provisional scores, the panel awarded scores for each application. After discussion the panel agreed the majority of the provisional scores but to amend those listed below:

 

Chinnor village hall:

award 20 points for broadening the range as the project would allow  the hall to host a substantially larger range of activities and number of users.

 

Thameskate park:

award 20 points for community benefit as the skate park provided very substantial benefits for the section of the community it served;

award 20 points for meeting local need as this was the only means of meeting the needs of participants in wheeled sports.

 

Thomley Activity Centre:

award 20 points for community benefit and 20 points for meeting a local need as the centre and the new facilities provided unique and much-needed services to a very disadvantaged group;

award 20 points for broadening the range as this would provide a good multi-purpose space, increase the number of core users of the centre, improve their experience, allow the centre to provide different activities directly and indirectly related to the café, and encourage non-core user groups to hire the centre.

 

Chinnor Rugby Football Club:

decrease the project viability score to 15 because a lack of complete clarity of the financial position raised concerns whether the overall package of funding would be in place and would be sufficient for the project to proceed.

 

The final scores as agreed were:

 

Ref

Organisation

Project description

Finance

Community benefit (max 20)

Broadening the range (max 20)

Meeting a local need (max 20)

Community participation (max 20)

Project viability (max 20)

Total
(out of 155)

1309

Chinnor Village Hall

Main hall upgrade

10

15

20

20

20

60

145

1316

Thame Town Council

Skate park renovation

10

20

20

20

15

60

145

1308

Wallingford Sports Trust

Replacement changing rooms

15

20

15

20

20

40

130

1313

Chinnor RFC (Thame)

New changing rooms and community area extension

10

20

20

20

15

30

115

1318

Thomley Activity Centre

Creation of café and social centre

15

20

20

20

15

40

130

 

The panel recommended that as all schemes scored above 110 points, all should receive the full amount requested as shown:

 

Ref

Organisation

Project description

Total project cost £

Request amount £

Request per cent

1309

Chinnor Village Hall

Main hall upgrade

120,230

45,930

38.20%

1316

Thame Town Council

Skate park renovation

249,997

100,000

40.00%

1308

Wallingford Sports Trust

Replacement changing rooms

924,623

100,000

10.82%

1313

Chinnor RFC (Thame)

New changing rooms and community area extension

445,000

100,000

22.47%

1318

Thomley Activity Centre

Creation of café and social centre

590,000

100,000

16.95%

 

In addition to the standard conditions on awards, on the advice of officers the panel recommended further conditions to safeguard the council’s investment:

 

Chinnor Village Hall:

·         charge on the registered title for 10 years

 

Thame Town Council

·         play inspection before last 10 per cent paid

·         restriction on the registered title for 10 years

 

Wallingford Sports Trust

·         charge on the registered title for 10 years

·         extend the grant term to 18 months to allow time to raise funds

 

Chinnor RFC (Thame)

·         charge on the registered title for 10 years

 

Thomley Activity Centre

·         charge on the registered title for 10 years

·         extend the grant term to 18 months to allow time to raise funds

 

 

RESOLVED: to recommend the Cabinet member for grants:

 

1.      to award Chinnor Village Hall Committee up to £45,930 towards the hall improvements set out in their application, subject to them placing a legal charge on the registered title of the property for ten years;

 

2.      to award Thame Town Council up to £100,000 towards the replacement skate park set out in their application, subject to them placing a legal charge on the registered title of the property for ten years, and carrying out a ROSPA (or similar) inspection and any recommended work;

 

3.      to award Wallingford Sports Trust up to £100,000 towards the changing room improvements set out in their application and for the offer to be extended from the standard 12 months to 18 months, subject to them placing a legal charge on the registered title of the property for ten years;

 

4.      to award Chinnor Rugby Club up to £100,000 towards the changing room and community space project set out in their application, subject to them placing a legal charge on the registered title of the property for ten years; and

 

5.      to award Thomley Hall Activity Centre up to £100,000 towards the new café and social area set out in their application and for the offer to be extended from the standard 12 months to 18 months, subject to them placing a legal charge on the registered title of the property for ten years.

Supporting documents:

 

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