Yvonne Willington

REPORT OF: HEAD OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT AUTHOR: YVONNE WILLINGTON TELEPHONE: 01737 276026 E-MAIL: [email protected] TO: EXECUTIVE DATE: 10TH DECEMBER, 2003 EXECUTIVE MEMBER: COUNCILLOR J.B.P. JONES

AGENDA ITEM NO: KEY DECISION REQUIRED: NO WARD(S) AFFECTED: ALL

SUBJECT: CAPITAL AND TRIPARTITE GRANTS 2004/5 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT: TO CONSIDER THE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR CAPITAL GRANTS FOR 2004/5 AND AN APPLICATION UNDER THE TRIPARTITE GRANT SCHEME RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Executive is asked to determine the applications for Capital Grant and the Tripartite Grant set out in paragraphs 3 and 4.

Executive has authority to determine the above recommendations.

Background

1. As part of the review of support for the voluntary sector, the Council has agreed to identify both capital and tripartite grants (Surrey Community Buildings Grant Scheme) as separate categories within the regime of support for the voluntary sector. It was agreed on 26th September 2002 that the Executive should determine these applications.

2. The Executive further agreed in December, 2002 that the sum of £20,000 would be included in the capital programme for the years 2004/5 to 2006/7.

3. This report outlines the applications received for determination by the Executive. Copies of the applications have been placed in the Members’ Room.

Capital Grants

4. Three applications for grant were received as indicated at Annex 1. Comments on the applications are set out below: a. CG1 – Rotary Club of Horley

This application seeks a contribution towards the purchase of a replacement minibus. The Rotary Club provide transport for the blind and other disabled and elderly people for regular meetings and outings. Other users currently include the charity “Kids Out”, the Horley branch of the Mothers Union and the sheltered accommodation at Delta House and Atkinson Court, Horley. All drivers are volunteers and none receive any payment. No charge is made to people carried on the bus. The amount of grant requested is £25,000 and the total cost of the minibus is £33,857. The balance of the funding will be found from Rotary Club funds and the sale of the existing minibus.

The outcomes delivered by this project meet the Corporate and Community Plan priorities relating to a prosperous local economy, helping the elderly to stay independent, healthy living and leisure and improving travel.

The Council is currently in the process of undertaking a review of Community Transport in the Borough and it is therefore suggested that the Executive defer consideration of this application until the outcome of the review is known in 2004. b. CG2 – Life Education Centres, Surrey

The Life Education Centres are seeking a grant of up to £60,000 for the purchase and equipping of a fourth mobile classroom, which will provide a facility for a drugs education and prevention programme to primary school children in the County. Two of their mobile classrooms are used in each half of Surrey and the third has been funded by Woking Borough Council and is used exclusively in that Borough. The mobile classrooms visit primary schools across the County. Last year, out of a total of 150,000 primary school children in Surrey, 30,000 children took part in the programme and it is anticipated that an additional classroom would enable 10,000 more children a year to be educated on the dangers of drug, alcohol; and tobacco abuse, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The organisation received a grant of £11,000 in 2002/3 from the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership’s Communities Against Drugs budget towards the funding for their third mobile classroom.

The outcomes delivered by this project meet the Corporate and Community Plan priorities relating to safer communities, healthy living and leisure and the provision of facilities for young people.

This organisation have also applied for a core funding grant of up to £29,000 to enable them to employ an additional Educator to deliver the drugs prevention education. The Core Funding Grants Panel considered this core funding application on 11th November. The Panel recommended to the Executive that no core funding grant be awarded to the Life Education Centres because of the constraints on the budget available.

The Executive is requested to determine this application. c. CG3 – The Woodhatch Park Project

The application is for £10,000 towards the provision of a sensory garden and seating within the Park (estimated cost £16,596). The total cost of the Park Project is £150,000 and will provide a park area including a children’s play area. The Project has obtained pledges towards the funding for the main project and is making a range of applications to other funding bodies. Last year, the Council agreed to make a contribution of £5,000 towards the cost of a meet and greet facility, subject to the Project securing the other funds required.

The overall Project has been developed in consultation with local people and meets the Council’s Corporate and Community Plan priorities relating to the provision of safer communities; caring for the environment; tackling travel problems, healthy living and leisure; the provision of facilities for young people; raising levels of learning and helping families with young children.

The Council has already given £15,000 to the project from Leisure funding as seed money for the project, together with a further £5,000 capital grant for a young person’s meet and greet facility in 2003/4.

The Executive is requested to consider whether they wish to make a further grant to the Woodhatch Park Project.

Community Buildings Grants (Tripartite) Grant Scheme – The Lord Riddell Memorial Hall, Walton on the Hill

5. An application has been submitted under this scheme in relation to the The Lord Riddell Memorial Hall, Walton on the Hill for a grant of £58,877.50 of which £19,500 each would be met by this Council and Surrey County Council and £19,877.50 by the applicant. The grant is required to undertake major roof repairs. This application was deferred at the meeting of the Executive held on 11th December, 2002 to give the applicant the opportunity to raise their share of the funding which they have now done.

6. The Surrey Community Buildings Grants Scheme, administered by Surrey Community Action, provides for tripartite funding arrangements where community organisations may apply to Surrey County Council and their local Council for up to one third each of the total cost of a project. The remaining one third or more must be found by the applicant.

7. Roofing specialists have inspected the roof and they have highlighted considerable degradation. The applicant has confirmed that the remainder of the building is sound. The hall is widely used by the local community, including many local clubs and societies as well as for children’s parties, discos and sequence dancing, keep fit etc. 8. The local community has been involved in the fundraising for the project. It meets the Council’s Corporate and Community Plan priorities relating to prosperous local economy; healthy living and leisure; the provision of facilities for young people; helping older people stay independent; and the provision of facilities for young people. 9. The application is supported by the Head of Leisure. The Council does not provide an alternative facility (eg Community Centres) in the immediate area. The diverse section of the community it supports, linked to prudent financial management and control, indicates that the hall is well run.

10. The Executive is requested to determine this application.

Resource Implications

11. The Executive, at their meeting on 11th December 2002, approved a capital budget of £20,000 for each of the financial years from 2004/05 to 2006/07, for grants to voluntary organisations.

Conclusions

12. The availability of Capital Grants provides an important element of the overall grant regime. It is important that applicants are able to evidence overall funding plans for their schemes and to demonstrate that they have appropriate project management procedures/contract supervision in place. As with the core funding applications the Executive needs to evaluate the bids against the Council’s Corporate Plan and Community Plan priorities.

Policy Framework

13. The Council has adopted policies in relation to voluntary sector support with the intention of ensuring the grant process is open and transparent. The policy links the award of grant to community and corporate plan priorities. The policy recognises that allocations must be made within the overall budget made available by the Council.

Options

14. The grants are before the Executive for determination. The budget available is insufficient to meet all the bids in full. It is open to Members to agree a lesser amount in respect of Horley Rotary Club and the Life Education Centres but in relation to the Lord Riddell Memorial Hall, the grant must be approved for the sum requested in order to attract the partnership funding from Surrey County Council. 15. It is also possible for the Executive to increase the capital and tripartite grant budget to meet a grant allocation in excess of the budget currently set.

Background Papers: Grant applications and accompanying papers Annex D:\Docs\2018-04-17\0e2d98f98c620d66e93d8d32b3cc4bc9.doc 2/12/03 11.00am