Agenda item

DECISION:           That Area East Committee agreed:

·           To extend the allocations approved in June 2018 to Milborne Port Parish Council for the Springfield Road car park improvement project and Ilchester Parish Council for allotment purchase, for a further 6 months.

·           That a grant be awarded to Caryford Community Hall Association of up to £12,500, as a 19% contribution, for phase 1A, (the preliminaries, foundation and structure) of a new link corridor and plant room which will facilitate the Caryford Hall extension and refurbishment project. The grant to be allocated from the Community Grants Capital Budget and subject to the standard grant conditions.

Reason:                To consider a request for grant funding towards an extension and refurbishment of Caryford Community Hall

(voting: unanimous)

The Neighbourhood Development Officer presented her report to members.

She hoped that members would agree to extend the funding approved to Milborne Port Parish Council and Ilchester Parish Council in July 2018, could be extended for a further 6 months.

She explained that the works to the Milborne Port Village Hall had begun and were due for completion within the next month; however the time extension had been requested in case the project ran behind schedule.

She explained that funding for Ilchester Parish Council had been agreed towards the purchase of allotment land, however advised that following a valuation, the purchase price was still being negotiated and any reduction would result in a commensurate reduction in grant funding. This was the reason for the 6 month time extension.

The Neighbourhood Development Officer tabled a list of standard conditions, referred to as Appendix A, which had not been published as part of the agenda. She confirmed that the standard conditions had not been amended in any way and explained that they should have been included within the agenda.

She explained to members that there was only one new application for community grant funding which was from the Caryford Community Hall Association. She explained that the total cost of the project was over £500,000 and that the project would be completed in stages. She further explained that the application was requesting a grant of £40,000 however in line with the scheme of delegation, grants could only be awarded for up to £12,500 by an Area Committee. She therefore advised that the application was for phase 1A of the project, which would enable the project to start and would hopefully encourage further funding from other sources once the decision from other key funders is known it is anticipated that a further request for funding will be made to the Committee in early 2019. She also pointed out that funding from S106 agreements might be possible in the future.

The Chairman on the Caryford Community Hall Association addressed the Committee. She advised that support from Area East Committee would be essential to ensure that the project could progress. She was pleased to advise members that enough money had been raised to cover the cost of design fees and other professional fees. She was hopeful that once the project had started, that funding from other sources might follow. She explained that the hall was successful and was able to meet all of its day-to-day expenses, however was in need of remodelling of refurbishment. 

During the discussion, members commented that this was an excellent project and one member commented that a loan for further funding would be appropriate and that DX or Full Council should consider offering additional funding, however the Chairman advised that there were reasons why this approach had been taken. He felt that the grant funding of £12,500 would enable the project to begin.

Following the discussion, it was proposed and seconded that the contribution of up to £12,500 be awarded to the Caryford Community Hall Association towards phase 1A of the project to extend and refurbish the Caryford Community Hall.

It was also proposed and seconded that members agreed to extend the allocations approved in June 2018 to Milborne Port Parish Council for Springfield Road Car Park improvements and to Ilchester Parish Council for allotment purchase, for a further 6 months.

On being put to the vote, this was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:  that members agreed

a)    a contribution of up to £12,500, as a 19% contribution, from the community Grants Capital Budget towards phase A1 of the project to extend and refurbish the Caryford Community Hall (the preliminaries, foundations and structure of a new link corridor and plant room which will facilitate the Caryford Hall extension and refurbishment project) subject to the standard conditions set out in Appendix A.

b)    to extend the allocations approved in June 2018 to Milborne Port Parish Council for Springfield Road Car Park improvements and to Ilchester Parish Council for allotment purchase, for a further 6 months.

(Voting: unanimous)