For publication

Bedford Borough Council – The Mayor

January 2012

Report by the Assistant Director (Revenues, Benefits & Customer Services)

Subject: GRANT REQUESTS FROM PARISH COUNCILS

1. Executive Summary

This report invites The Mayor to consider requests for financial assistance towards capital expenditure projects from rural Parish Councils and other rural organisations.

2. Recommendation

It is recommended that;

In respect of the application from Cricket Club;

A grant of £4,500 is awarded for the purpose of capital expenditure on a project to improve shower and toilet facilities at the cricket club in order to provide separate male and female changing facilities and to improve the accessibility of the club for persons with disabilities, subject to the following conditions;

(i) Alternative funding for the remaining cost of the project, £8,567, being obtained by 31 March 2013, (ii) In the event that the specified goods and services are obtained for a lower amount than estimated that the grant is reduced accordingly.

In respect of the application from Bromham Parish Council;

A grant of £15,000 is awarded for the purpose of capital expenditure on the purchase of equipment and works necessary to create 30 new allotments as set out in the application, subject to the following conditions;

(i) The project as set out in the application being fully funded, (ii) The successful completion of the purchase of the land and building as set out in the application, (iii) Planning consent being obtain for the change of use,

Rural Grants – January 2012 (1) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

(iv) In the event that the specified goods and services are obtained for a lower amount than estimated that the grant is reduced accordingly, (v) In the event that the land should no longer be used as allotments within a period of 10 years from payment of the grant that the Parish Council repay an amount of £1,500 in respect of each remaining full year of the 10 year period.

3. Reasons for Recommendation

Podington Cricket Club

(i) The application meets the criteria for the award of a rural grant, (ii) The application is supported by the Parish Council, (iii) The cricket club was previously awarded a grant in March 2010, (iv) The club has not, as yet, identified any other sources of funding to assist with the project, (v) The project will encourage participation in sport and improve the accessibility of the cricket club.

Bromham Parish Council

(i) The application meets the criteria for the award of a rural grant, (ii) The application is made by the Parish Council who are contributing £65,000 towards the overall cost of the project, (iii) No rural grants have been awarded for projects in Bromham Parish since 2006/07, (iv) To promote the continued use of the land for the purposes of allotments.

4. Key Implications

4.1 Legal Issues

Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 enables the Council to incur expenditure where it believes it would promote or improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the Borough provided the Council (which means the Committee in deciding whether to award a grant) has regard in each case to the Secretary of State’s Guidance set out in:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/155514.pdf

and also the Council’s Sustainable Communities Strategy:

http://www.bedfordboroughpartnership.org.uk/aboutus.aspx?sID=2.

Organisations applying for rural grants are required to show how the award of a grant will assist the Council’s in achieving its Corporate Objectives which contribute to the Sustainable Communities Strategy.

Rural Grants – January 2012 (2) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

Financial regulations enable the Council to capitalise grants given to organisations for purposes that constitute capital expenditure.

4.2 Policy Issues

The Committee has previously agreed guidelines which will be used in the evaluation of applications for rural grants. The current guidelines are shown at Appendix A.

4.3 Resource Issues

The Council’s agreed Capital Programme for 2011/12 includes a sum of £100,000 for Rural Grants. The Committee has previously awarded grants to a total of £60,868 which leaves an amount of £39,132 available for further awards. (£10,000 of the amount previously awarded is subject to the recipient obtaining matched funding).

There are two applications for consideration for a total of £28,067.

4.4 Risk Implications

In awarding any grant there is a small risk that funding may be used for purposes other than that for which the award is made. To safeguard against this risk rural grant awards are only released to the applicant upon receipt of evidence that the work for which the award was made has been completed.

4.5 Environmental Issues

No adverse environmental implications have been identified as arising from the projects for which funding is sought.

4.6 Equality Impact

In preparing this report, due consideration has been given to the Borough Council’s statutory Equality Duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations, as set out in Section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010.

A relevance test for equality has been completed. The equality test determined that the activity has no relevance to Borough Council’s statutory duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. An equality analysis is not needed.

5. Details

The Mayor is requested to consider the applications shown at Appendix B, having regard to the approved criteria, which are attached at Appendix A.

To assist the Mayor in reaching a decision details in respect of the following are also attached:

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Appendix A

The criteria and guidelines for the award of rural grants that were previously agreed by the Committee.

Appendix B

Details of the applications for consideration.

Appendix C – for each parish;

(a) the Council Tax Base (number of band D equivalent properties); (b) the total precept; (c) the precept charged for a Band D property; (d) the additional Band D precept required to raise a total of £1,000.

Appendix D – for each Parish;

The sums previously awarded under the current scheme to each Parish Council.

Appendix E

A list of the current band D parish precepts ranked from highest to lowest.

Appendix F

A list of the rural parishes ranked from highest to lowest by their Council Tax base,

6. Summary of Consultations and Outcome

The following Council Units or Officers and/or other organisations have been consulted in preparing this report:

The Members of the Rural Affairs Committee Relevant Managers

No adverse comments have been received.

The Director of Finance & Corporate Services has disclosed a conflict of interest in the application from Bromham Parish Council arising from his role as a Bromham Parish Councillor and the Chair of their Finance & General Purposes Committee, and has not participated in any discussions about the content or value of that application.

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Report Contact Lee Phanco, Assistant Director (Revenues, Benefits & Officers: Customer Service) E-mail: [email protected]

File Reference:

Previous Relevant None Minutes:

Background Papers: Applications from Parish Councils

Appendices: A – Criteria Rural Grants B – List of Grant Requests C – Council Tax 2011/12 D – Rural Grants Approved to date E – Parish Band D Council Tax (charges ranked high to low) F – Parishes ranked by size of the Council Tax base

Rural Grants – January 2012 (5) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

APPENDIX A CRITERIA – RURAL GRANTS

Agreed by the Rural Affairs Committee 15th December 2009

(a) An application can be made by a rural organisation or a rural Parish Council. The Borough Council must be satisfied that the Rural Parish Council considers the application to be in the interests of their local inhabitants. An application will not be accepted unless it has been signed by the Chairman or Clerk to the Parish Council stating it to be in the interests of their local inhabitants.

(b) Applications can be made at any time, although they will only be considered three times a year, in April, September and January. To ensure an application is considered please ensure that it is submitted by the 20th of the previous month.

(c) Grants may only be made for capital projects.*

(d) Applicants seeking funding towards building projects valued at £100,000 or more are required to submit a Business Plan in support of the project and to make a presentation to the Rural Affairs Committee.

(e) Applicants seeking funding towards a project of £25,000 or more will be required to make a presentation to the Rural Affairs Committee at the first meeting that will consider the application.

(f) The Borough Council must have the statutory power to make a grant for the purpose applied for (for example, community premises improvements/ refurbishments to such premises and provision of recreational facilities).

(g) Applicants are required to demonstrate that their projects meet one or more of the objectives set out in Section 3 of the application form.

(h) Projects which would normally be funded by statutory agencies, are unlikely to be eligible for grant (e.g. improvements to street lighting, improvements to educational premises (unless to facilitate community use)).

(i) Funding for projects on land not directly in the ownership of the organisation concerned will ordinarily only be considered if the organisation can demonstrate that the land will be available for use for the purpose of the grant for a period of at least 10 years (e.g. the construction of a multi use sports area on third party land leased to an organisation for a period of over 10 years).

(j) The Borough Council wishes to see its assistance maximised and, in any event, it may not have sufficient resources to assist all the requests put forward by a rural organisation or a rural Parish Council. The Borough Council would prefer to give assistance to a Rural Parish Council or an organisation approved by the Parish Council that has made efforts to provide an initial realistic percentage from its own resources or other sources particularly when larger amounts are being requested and the Borough Council might then contribute towards the balance. In order to help the Council in its decision a Rural Parish Council or organisation should be able to satisfy the Council that it has made the effort to fund the balance by looking at the following areas:

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(i) Fundraising generally; (ii) Grant applications from other bodies; (iii) Seeking loan assistance from the Association of Local Councils; (iv) Loan from the Public Works Loan Board; (v) Fundraising from the Parish Precept; and (vi) Contribution by the Parish Council.

A grant will not normally be approved unless at least 10% of the cost of the project for which a grant is requested is funded from other sources.

(k) In determining the grant application due regard will be given to the level of contribution proposed by the Parish Council, the level of non-earmarked reserves held by the Parish Council and level of Council Tax Precept.

(l) In determining the grant application from organisations other than Parish Councils due regard will also be given to the level of financial reserves held by the organisation, the annual income and expenditure, and the ability or otherwise to generate additional income.

(m) Levels of past funding by the Borough to individual Parish Council areas and parish precepts may be taken into account in assessing new grant requests.

(n) Where funding is awarded the Borough Council will not be responsible for meeting any ongoing revenue costs.

(o) Where funding is awarded the recipient organisation will, if considered appropriate by Bedford Borough Council, be required to display a plaque provided by Bedford Borough Council recognising the grant awarded or otherwise will be required to recognise the funding on their letter heads/publicity material.

(p) Where funding is awarded, payment will be made to the Parish Council following receipts from the organisation of payments made.

(q) Support for any project will normally be limited to £25,000.

(r) Applications in excess of £1,000 will not normally be considered unless three independent quotations are provided for each aspect of the works, goods or services, costing in excess of £1,000 for which the grant is sought.

* Capital expenditure is generally expenditure on the acquisition or enhancement of an asset. Expenditure on routine maintenance and repair cannot normally be classed as capital expenditure .

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APPENDIX B

GRANTS REQUESTS

AMOUNT PARISH DETAIL OF SCHEME REQUESTED Podington The application is submitted by Podington Cricket Club. £13,067

The project for which financial assistance is requested is the improvement of shower and toilet facilities at the cricket club in order to provide separate male and female changing facilities and to improve the accessibility of the club for persons with disabilities.

Three quotes are provided as follows (including VAT);

Quote 1 £13,067 Quote 2 £13,900 Quote 3 £13,952

The club is not seeking contributions towards the cost of the project from any other sources.

The Cricket Club has provided a receipts and payment account for the year ended 30 September 2011. This shows income of £48,218 and expenditure of £41,765 giving a surplus for the year of £6,453. The organisation’s funds at the end of the year are reported to be £21,150 held in cash and bank deposits.

The majority of income (£33,414) and expenditure (£24,464) relates to bar sales.

The cricket club was last awarded a grant by the Rural Affairs Committee on 17 March 2011 with £12,000 being awarded for the full cost (net of VAT) of refurbishment of the club car park.

Bromham The application is submitted by Bromham Parish Council. £15,000

The project for which financial assistance is requested is the creation of 30 new allotments at a total cost of £80,000 including the acquisition of the land on which the allotments will be created and an adjacent building. The Parish Council has funded the purchase of the land and building at a cost of £65,000 and is seeking assistance from the Council of £15,000 to

Rural Grants – January 2012 (8) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

fund the purchase of equipment and works necessary to create the allotments including;

• Rabbit proof fencing and gates, • Car park works, • Water supply, • Other amenities (picnic tables, dog waste bins, signage etc),

The total cost of the equipment and works is estimated to be in the region of £14,000 to £17,000, excluding VAT on the works. A detailed analysis of equipment and works is supplied and three quotes are provided for individual works (including materials) that are in excess of £1,000. The estimated costs are shown in the table below

Items less than Works more than Total Cost £1,000 £1,000 Quote 1 £5,073 £11,885 £16,958 Quote 2 £5,073 £9,670 £14,743 Quote 3 £5,073 £11,225 £16,298

The prices shown for works are net of VAT.

The Parish Council has provided details of its revenue budget for 2011/12 which shows projected income of £166,250 including £100,700 from the parish precept. Expenditure is also budgeted to be £166,250. The accounts show cash and reserves brought forward at 31st March 2011 to be £368,533. The Parish Council advises that the reserves have been accumulated through section 106 agreements and as a result are ring fenced for specific projects and must be spent by March 2013.

The change of use of the land and building requires planning consent. An application for change of use has been submitted to the Borough Council and a decision is expected by the end of February.

Rural Grants – January 2012 (9) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

APPENDIX C COUNCIL TAX 2010/2011

Band D Additional 2011/12 Total Parish Precept £1,000 Tax Base Precept 2011/12 Precept £ £ £ 1,116.93 40,000 35.81 0.90 126.59 13,080 103.33 7.90 & 337.01 9,000 26.71 2.97 Bromham 2,143.30 100,700 46.98 0.47 Cardington 140.07 7,000 49.98 7.14 Carlton & 383.96 14,892 38.79 2.60 Clapham 1,572.40 65,000 41.34 0.64 186.21 8,000 42.96 5.37 319.72 17,730 55.45 3.13 Dean & Shelton 180.56 4,286 23.74 5.54 Eastcotts 1,026.68 43,000 41.88 0.97 1,008.73 15,000 14.87 0.99 & Radwell 349.06 12,500 35.81 2.86 788.77 43,420 55.05 1.27 478.45 15,183 31.73 2.09 Harrold 703.03 73,376 104.37 1.42 Rural 499.24 17,500 35.05 2.00 Knotting & 121.81 3,349 28.24 8.21 215.16 4,928 22.90 4.65 & 205.31 4,500 21.92 4.87 338.66 13,519 39.92 2.95 Oakley 971.99 50,100 51.54 1.03 Odell 140.43 6,000 42.73 7.12 354.76 8,890 25.06 2.82 & Swineshead 167.28 5,000 29.89 5.98 Podington 182.16 10,000 54.90 5.45 705.86 6,535 9.26 1.42 1,011.87 18,000 17.79 0.99 Riseley 541.23 23,100 42.68 1.85 Roxton 214.03 13,000 60.74 4.67 955.37 48,500 50.77 1.05 167.90 6,000 35.74 5.96 136.26 6,000 44.03 7.34 285.18 10,500 36.82 3.51 382.80 60,000 156.74 2.61 285.73 5,000 17.50 3.50 Turvey 519.27 16,000 30.81 1.93 Wilden 189.34 10,000 52.82 5.28 Willington 361.57 7,000 19.36 2.77 Wilshamstead 1,225.01 57,000 46.53 0.82 Wootton 1,530.45 102,785 67.16 0.65 , & Colesd3n 304.35 10,839 35.61 3.29 297.84 15,500 52.04 3.36

Rural Grants – January 2012 (10) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

APPENDIX D RURAL GRANTS APPROVED TO DATE

2001/02 Parish to 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total 2005/06

Biddenham 28,102 10,000 38,102

Bletsoe 11,853 11,853

Bolnhurst & 8,232 1,525 16,506 2,000 28,263 Keysoe

Bromham 37,000 2,000 39,000

Cardington 2,656 12,198 14,854

Carlton & 12,042 2,500 3,000 7,950 25,492 Chellington

Clapham 25,177 4,300 20,000 2,000 7,000 25,000 83,477

Colmworth 15,000 25,000 15,000 55,000

Cople 22,154 24,300 46,454

Dean & Shelton 4,350 2,900 7,250

Eastcotts 17,500 2,960 1,385 900 22,745

Elstow 13,500 1,000 5,250 30,000 49,750

Felmersham & 5,000 10,000 15,000 Radwell

Great Barford 41,356 41,356

Great Denham - - 0

Harrold 17,617 5,000 1,500 24,117

Kempston Rural - 12,500 12,500

Knotting & 7,890 1,000 8,890 Souldrop

Little Barford - 0

Little Staughton 12,525 2,000 14,000 1,932 30,457

Melchbourne & 16,140 26,539 500 9,000 52,179 Yieldon

Milton Ernest 11,500 3,000 14,500

Rural Grants – January 2012 (11) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

2001/02 Parish to 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Total 2005/06

Oakley 49,241 5,000 25,000 79,241

Odell 475 45,000 1,500 46,975

Pavenham 8,000 5,510 1,000 5,186 19,696

Pertenhall & 12,429 207 3,000 25,000 40,636 Swineshead

Podington 11,603 11,000 12,000 34,603

Ravensden 2,121 879 25,000 28,000

Renhold 13,583 9,500 23,083

Riseley 16,763 17,205 10,000 25,000 770 69,738

Roxton 58,500 25,000 83,500

Sharnbrook 62,595 14,750 9,000 6,678 18,000 111,023

Stagsden 20,089 2,500 22,589

Staploe 10,300 8,489 18,789

Stevington 19,500 4,900 11,300 35,700

Stewartby 580 2,000 2,391 800 10,300* 16,071

Thurleigh 17,100 1,000 10,000 28,100

Turvey 8,000 2,300 4,500 8,000 22,800

Wilden 4,000 2,162 6,162

Willington 8,250 1,038 9,288

Wilshamstead 56,250 25,000 20,000 101,250

Wootton 40,234 2,000 10,815 3,600 56,649 Wyboston, Chawston & - - - 1,500 1,500 Wymington 5,750 1,500 2,000 9,250

Total 734,957 178,518 92,330 136,439 197,470 85,300 60,868 1,485,882 * Application originally received in 2009/10 and funded from 2009/10 allocation.

Rural Grants – January 2012 (12) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

APPENDIX E

COUNCIL TAX BAND D PARISH PRECEPTS 2010/11 (RANKED HIGH TO LOW)

Precept Parish 2011/12 Stewartby 156.74 Harrold 104.37 Bletsoe 103.33 Wootton 67.16 Roxton 60.74 Cople 55.45 Great Barford 55.05 Podington 54.90 Wilden 52.82 Wymington 52.04 Oakley 51.54 Sharnbrook 50.77 Cardington 49.98 Bromham 46.98 Wilshamstead 46.53 Staploe 44.03 Colmworth 42.96 Odell 42.73 Riseley 42.68 Eastcotts 41.88 Clapham 41.34 Milton Ernest 39.92 Carlton & Chellington 38.79 Stevington 36.82 Biddenham 35.81 Felmersham & Radwell 35.81 Stagsden 35.74 Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden 35.61 35.05 Great Denham 31.73 Turvey 30.81 Pertenhall & Swineshead 29.89 Knotting & Souldrop 28.24 Bolnhurst & Keysoe 26.71 Pavenham 25.06 Dean & Shelton 23.74 Little Staughton 22.90 Melchbourne & Yielden 21.92 Willington 19.36 Renhold 17.79 Thurleigh 17.50 Elstow 14.87 Ravensden 9.26

Rural Grants – January 2012 (13) Grant Requests from Parish Councils

APPENDIX F Parishes Ranked by Tax Base (High to Low)

2011/12 Parish Tax Base Bromham 2,143.30 Clapham 1,572.40 Wootton 1,530.45 Wilshamstead 1,225.01 Biddenham 1,116.93 Eastcotts 1,026.68 Renhold 1,011.87 Elstow 1,008.73 Oakley 971.99 Sharnbrook 955.37 Great Barford 788.77 Ravensden 705.86 Harrold 703.03 Riseley 541.23 Turvey 519.27 Kempston Rural 499.24 Great Denham 478.45 Carlton & Chellington 383.96 Stewartby 382.80 Willington 361.57 Pavenham 354.76 Felmersham & Radwell 349.06 Milton Ernest 338.66 Bolnhurst & Keysoe 337.01 Cople 319.72 Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden 304.35 Wymington 297.84 Thurleigh 285.73 Stevington 285.18 Little Staughton 215.16 Roxton 214.03 Melchbourne & Yielden 205.31 Wilden 189.34 Colmworth 186.21 Podington 182.16 Dean & Shelton 180.56 Stagsden 167.90 Pertenhall & Swineshead 167.28 Odell 140.43 Cardington 140.07 Staploe 136.26 Bletsoe 126.59 Knotting & Souldrop 121.81

Rural Grants – January 2012 (14) Grant Requests from Parish Councils