Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Lynda Harford declared a non pecuniary interest in item 3 as a member of the Cambridge and District Citizens’ Advice Bureaux Management Committee Trustee Board.

The Portfolio Holder is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2015 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2015 were agreed as a correct record.

The Leader

AGREED        to award the following grants, subject to agreement by Council on budget, on awards from the Service Support Grant fund (subject to three year funding agreements) to run from April 2016 to March 2019:

                        General and Specialist Welfare Advice

                        Fit to Learn

                        Support for Parishes and Communities

The Leader deferred making a decision on the other applications in the report until the next meeting when it was expected that the Council’s financial position would be clearer.

The Leader introduced this item on the awards to be made for three year programmes to the community and voluntary sector from the Service Support Grant for 2016/17-2018/19. The Leader stated that, contrary to expectations, the financial implications of the Government’s autumn statement were still unclear. He therefore announced he would defer making a decision on the majority of grants to avoid committing the Council to expenditure it could not afford. The Development Officer summarised the applications made, giving reasons for the officer’s recommendations.

The Development Officer explained that as there were insufficient funds in the specific budget to meet demand, all grant applications had been evaluated and the lower scoring applications had been recommended for rejection. Full details were available in the appendices to the report, which were examined by the Leader and the other councillors present.

Councillor Bridget Smith expressed her support for the application from the organisation Arts and Minds, by stating that the benefits for the participants fully justified the high cost per service user. Councillor Smith also expressed support for the application from Cambourne Church with the Bassingbourn-Melbourn-Cambourne Children Centres Group for its work in preparing deprived children for school. The Leader recognised that this organisation could benefit from being awarded a grant now instead of made to wait until the new year and so he agreed to pledge £4,000 a year for the next three years.

The Leader recognised the benefit of the Citizen Advice Bureaux to the District’s residents and the strength of the application. He agreed to fund the services at the level requested.

The Leader recognised the support Cambridge CVS provided to the District’s community groups and parish councils. He agreed to fund the service at the level requested.

The Leader

AGREED        to award the following grants, subject to agreement by Council on budget, on awards from the Service Support Grant fund (subject to three year funding agreements) to run from April 2016 to March 2019:

                        General and Specialist Welfare Advice

                        Fit to Learn

                        Support for Parishes and Communities

The Leader deferred making a decision on the other applications in the report until the next meeting when it was expected that the Council’s financial position would be clearer.

The Leader

AGREED       

A)   that the £2,120 allocated to Melbourn Play Parks Project and the £1,000 allocated to Swavesey Village College Satellite Connections Project under the Capital Grant programme be returned to balances, following confirmation from officers that these projects had not progressed.

B)   That the £30,000 allocated to Hardwick Scout Group be returned to balances at the end of the financial year if the project had not progressed by then.

C)   To approve the continued provision of grant assistance to current grant recipients supported through the Services Support Grant fund (subject to three year funding agreements).

The Leader NOTED the delivery of all other grant programmes within the scope of this report, as currently delivered.

The Development Officer presented this item, which examined the delivery of grant programmes funded by the Council during the first six months of 2015/16.

Capital Grants programme

The Leader reviewed the capital grants programme and noted that nine projects remained uncompleted but all bar three of these were awaiting a completion certificate to enable a final payment. The Leader decided that the funds allocated to the Melbourn Play Parks Project and the Swavesey Village College Satellite Connections Project should be returned to balances unless they had progressed. He also decided that the funds allocated to the Hardwick Scout Group’s new community building project should be returned to balances at the end of the year unless the project had progressed by then.

The Leader and councillors present went through the report and its appendices page by page, highlighting matters of note.

The Partnerships Manager agreed to investigate the possibility of erecting a visual display of funded projects in the reception area of South Cambs Hall, to advertise the work of the Council for queuing visitors.

The Partnerships Manager explained that three yearly grants were subject to the Council’s budget and the authority was not legally obliged to fund a project for three years.

The Leader

AGREED       

A)   that the £2,120 allocated to Melbourn Play Parks Project and the £1,000 allocated to Swavesey Village College Satellite Connections Project under the Capital Grant programme be returned to balances, following confirmation from officers that these projects had not progressed.

B)   That the £30,000 allocated to Hardwick Scout Group be returned to balances at the end of the financial year if the project had not progressed by then.

C)   To approve the continued provision of grant assistance to current grant recipients supported through the Services Support Grant fund (subject to three year funding agreements).

The Leader NOTED the delivery of all other grant programmes within the scope of this report, as currently delivered.

Councillors are requested to bring their diaries.

The Leader agreed to hold his next meeting at 10am on Thursday 28 January 2016.