Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the usual Chair, Councillor Jose Hales. Councillor Sue Ellington assumed the role of Chair for the meeting.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To authorise the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2024 as a correct record.

Minute 5 was amended to read “St Nicholas Church” rather than “St Nicholas Chruch”. With the amendment, the Committee authorised the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2024 by affirmation.

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There were no Public Questions.

The Project Officer (Climate & Environment) presented the report and clarified that the guidance listed in Appendix B was the guidance proposed to be used for the 2024-25 grant cycle. In response to a Member question, officers advised that a number of applications to the “Community engagement on climate change” category had been funded in previous funding cycles and various successful projects had been completed as a result of this. Members supported the changes to the guidance, including the methodology for calculating carbon emissions, and agreed that they would be helpful to prospective applicants. The Committee commended the grants scheme and the successes of previous funding cycles.

By affirmation, the Committee recommended that Cabinet approve the proposed changes to the Zero Carbon Communities Grant criteria for the 2024-25 grant cycle.

The Development Officer (Communities Team) presented the report. The Committee reviewed the applications to the Community Chest Grant funding scheme received between 7 January and 7 February 2024. After consideration of the applications, the Committee recommended to the Lead Cabinet Member for Resources that the application from:

·       1^st Cambourne Scout Group (CNXFFJJL) be approved and awarded the full amount requested of £2,000.

·       CamCare UK (VKHVHFLF) be approved and awarded the full amount requested of £2,000. The Committee requested that the constitution of the charity be published as an appendix to the decision notice, given that the Councillor Dr Shrobona Bhattacharya was a trustee.

·       Hardwick Pre-School (NHLSTMSP) be approved and awarded the full amount requested of £2,000. The Committee requested that assurances be sought from the headteacher of the Primary school, before funding was to be awarded, that if the Primary school were to become an academy the Pre-school would still be able to operate on school premises.

·       Girton Local Nature Recovery Plan Group (GHRCJLKF) be approved and awarded the full amount requested of £2,000.

The Committee was informed that the next meeting was to be held on Thursday 28 March 2024.