By: Will Farmer, Community Liaison Manager To: Mr
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By: Will Farmer, Community Liaison Manager To: Mr Alex King, deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Localism and Partnerships Subject: ALLOCATION OF SMALL COMMUNITY CAPITAL PROJECT GRANT FUNDING FOR GRAVESHAM RURAL NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM 2009/10 Classification: Unrestricted ______________________________________________________________ As set out in the paper and agreed by both Kent County Council (KCC) and Gravesham Bough Council (GBC) cabinets in Sept 2008, the ‘ Development of Neighbourhood Forums for Gravesham’, it was agreed that the Neighbourhood Forums in Gravesham would be making recommendations for the allocation of KCC small community capital funding for Gravesham during financial year 2009/10. The specific text referring to this is in annex 3. The grant funding would be allocated to each Forum on a pro rata basis according to the population of each forum area (the three electoral divisions in Gravesham), and the distribution is set out in table 1 below. It was also agreed by the County Councillors for Gravesham, that the Local schemes grant funding for Gravesham would also be divided out in a similar manner among the three Neighbourhood forums, however, the allocation of this funding will be the subject of a separate decision. Table1. agreed allocation of KCC small community capital grant and Gravesham Borough Council capital funding among the three Neighbourhood Forums in Gravesham . Forum 2007 pop % pop KCC Grant GBC Grant Total grant Northfleet & Gravesend West 38700 39.61 13586.23 15844 29430.23 Gravesham East 38700 39.61 13586.23 15844 29430.23 Gravesham Rural 20300 20.78 7127.54 8312 15439.54 97700 34300 40000 74300 It was agreed by the voting members of the three forums that each of the Forums would consider piloting ‘participatory budgeting’ in some form, to allow the local community to inform elected members on how this capital funding would be allocated, directly influencing the recommendations made by members. The Gravesham Rural forum took this opportunity and held the ‘grab a grant day’ on the 7 th November 2009 to allow the public to ‘decide’ their priorities for funding from a 10 applicants. At the ‘Grab a grant’ participatory budgeting event, 60 members of the public scored and prioritised the allocation of both the KCC and Gravesham Borough Council allocation of capital funding in the Gravesham rural area. A score of 1-5 was given by each person for each project following a short presentation (background information also give to the public) by each of the 9 capital applicant organisations. I attach a summary of the bids recommended for the allocation of the capital funding made at the Grab a Grant Day on 7 th November 09 in annex 1 and the details of each project and their rank in the scoring in annex 2. This is totalling £15439.54. It has been agreed by both GBC and KCC, following the precedent set by the Dover Neighbourhood Forums and in order to streamline the administration of the grant scheme, that KCC will be paying the full amount to the successful applicants and then reclaim the Gravesham Borough Council contribution of funding following this. Although decided by the public, these allocations have also been approved by the three voting members of the Rural Neighbourhood Forum. (County Councillor Mr Mike Snelling, Gravesham Borough Councillor Cllr David Turner and the Parish representative Cllr Leane Hornby from Shorne PC). On endorsing this allocation of funds, they have also declared any personal or prejudicial interests in the projects. I believe that this process has been carried out in the prescribed manner and therefore ask that the decision is made in accordance with the wishes of Gravesham Rural Neighbourhood Forum. If you choose to defer or refuse any award it will be necessary to provide a reason for this. Recommendation The Cabinet Member is asked to approve the grants as detailed in the annexes to this report. Encs: Annex 1: Recommended awards from the Rural Neighbourhood Forum following the participatory budgeting event held on 7 th November 2009 Annex 2: Summary information of each of the Projects recommended for funding by the Neighbourhood Forum. Annex 3 Relevant text in the paper agreed by both GBC and KCC cabinets to set up the Forums in Gravesham, Sept 2008. Background Documents : The minutes of the meeting of voting members of the Gravesham Neighbourhood Forum (April 2009), Paper agreed by both GBC and KCC cabinets to set up the Forums in Gravesham Sept 2008. Confirmation from voting members of the Gravesham rural neighbourhood forum of support of allocation of funding as agreed by meeting on 7 th November. Contact Details: Will Farmer – Community Liaison Manager (01622) 694032 Annex 1 Recommendations and Summary of grants Summary of bids for Gravesham Rural Neighbourhood Forum projects fund, 2009/10 £15439.54 in total is available for Gravesham Rural Neighbourhood Forum, comprised of both KCC Small Community Capital grant funding (£7127.54) and capital funding from Gravesham Borough Council (£8312). Gravesham Rural Neighbourhood Forum recommendations ref no Organisation Project title Bid for funding Amount recommended GR1 KCC Community Istead Rise Rock School £2,000 £2,000 warden (Istead Rise) GR2 Istead Rise Young Equipment for DJ and £2,000 £2,000 Peoples Committee Disco lessons GR3 Higham memorial hall Chair replacement £2,000 £2,000 association GR5 Shorne Parish Council Shorne Environmental £1,918 £1,918 development project GR6 Luddesdown Village Essential repairs to the £2,000 £2,000 Hall Committee roof of Luddesdown Village Hall GR7 Cobham Sports Safety Netting £2,000 £2,000 Association GR8 Vigo Parish Council Erection of Notice Board £1,945 £721 in the Bay GR9 KCC Community Rumbles breakfast club £800 £800 wardens computers GR10 Kent Police Skate Ramp at Istead £2,000 £2,000 Rise TOTAL £16663 £15439.54 GR4 is not included here, but is the subject of a separate decision for spending of Local schemes grant funding, as it is not a capital project. Annex 2 Summary of Projects recommended for KCC and GBC capital grant allocation (ranked in order of total score, given by the public on the Grab a grant day on 7 th November) Ranked position 1) GR6 Luddesdown Village Hall Committee - Essential repairs to the roof of Luddesdown Village Hall £2,000 The hall roof is in a very poor state of repair, this will help enable the repair of the roof of the village hall. Points 2) GR3 Higham Memorial Hall association - Chair replacement £2,000 This is for the purchase of new chairs to replace the existing chairs which are more than 50 years old. This will help increase and improve the available seating in the hall. 3) GR1 KCC Community warden (Istead Rise) Istead Rise Rock School £2000 The purchase of guitars, drums, keybaords for setting up a weekly rockschool for young people in Istead Rise. This is being set up to teach them to play guitar, drums etc. and will lead to bands being set up. 4) GR7 Cobham Sports Association Safety Netting £2,000 This is for the provision of safety nets to protect tennis players from cricket balls when matches and net practise are in progress very close to the tennis and multi-sports area 5) GR10 Kent Police Skate Ramp at Istead Rise £2,000 To improve the very basic half pipe currently available for skate boarders/bikers in Istead rise and give the young people a better facility 6) GR2 Istead Rise Young Peoples Committee Equipment for DJ and Disco lessons £2,000 The purchase of Disco and DJ equipment for young people to provide lessons for young people of Istead rise. They are also planning to run discos for local young people. 7) GR5 Shorne Parish Council Shorne Environmental development project £1,918 This is for the planting of 9 selected trees on Tanyard Hill, Shorne, transforming a bland and featureless area into an hospitable and agreeable area for local residents. 8) GR9 KCC Community wardens Rumbles breakfast club computers £800 To provide two laptops for the rumbles community breakfast club that will enable the community who come to the club to access the internet. 9) GR8 Vigo Parish Council Erection of Notice Board in the Bay £721 This is for the erection of a notice board in the middle of the bay which will help foster community use of shops in the bay and helping to make the area more welcoming Annex 3 Relevant paragraphs from the agreed decision paper to set up Neighbourhood forums in Gravesham, Sept 2008 2.3. …… Each Neighbourhood Forum will still be advisory to the respective councils with the ability to make recommendations on grant funding for local projects Financial implications 3.2 It is proposed that from financial year 2009-10, that Gravesham Borough Council will consider match funding Kent County Council capital grant schemes funding, adding to the grant money currently available. 3.3 It is proposed that a similar arrangement that has been set up in Dover will be established to manage the joint grant funding arrangements. The grant money would be divided between the forums based on population, with recommendations on spend being made by the three Neighbourhood Forums. In line with each of the Council’s Constitution, a report would have to be prepared to KCC Cabinet member and Gravesham Borough Council cabinet for final authorisation of the spend . .