Councillors are reminded that they will need to declare any interest they may have in budget applications, and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.
Four applications were submitted:
Application 1:
More people canoeing more often
Applicant: Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
Amount: £1,220
Project: Purchasing of waterproof jackets and trousers along with buoyancy aids. This equipment will enable more people to participate in canoeing activities across a wider range of weather conditions by allowing them to stay warm and dry. The buoyancy aids will ensure that participants have increased confidence when going on the water, knowing that they are supported by modern, fit for purpose safety equipment.
These purchases will enable LOPC to expand its opportunities for the local community to take part in a healthy, environmentally benign activity.
Application 2:
Celebration of Outdoor Adventure
Applicant: Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
Amount: £820
Project: On the 19th and 20th May 2012 Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre will host an Open Weekend. To attend will cost £1 per head which will be refunded on completion of a questionnaire. All activities throughout the weekend will be free.
The aim of the weekend is to celebrate the range of opportunities that exist in the city for participating in outdoor and adventurous activities. To this end the event will be supported by local community clubs of relevance such as PaddlePlus Canoe Club and Leicestershire Scouts and Guides.
This application is for funding to support the promotion of the weekend, posters and leaflets to be effectively distributed around the city, banners to display in two prominent locations and souvenir bags for children attending.
Application 3:
Mamta Ladies Group
Applicant: Mamta Ladies Group
Amount: £1050
Project: The Group has 58 members the majority are aged 60 years and over. Some have physical disabilities. The funding is for six months from 01/07/2012 to 31/12/2012 weather and health permitting all 58 member will participate in the events. Events – Diwali celebration party, Christmas celebration party, purchase of heaters x2, 10 exercise sessions.
Application 4:
Get Together and Fun Days
Applicant: Oshwal Association of UK
Amount:£600
Project: The proposal is to run activity days on Sundays at the Rushey Mead Recreation Centre. These activities are open to Members and non-members and will take place one Sunday a month for six months. Eventually this will be every Sunday.
The activities will include health talks, issues relating to social and welfare, as a meeting place to share ideas and have fun and games too. This is aimed at young and elderly members of the OAUK as well as non-members.
Application 5:
Yoga Sessions at Rushey Mead Recreation Centre
Applicant: Mr Rajiv Shah
Amount: £700
Project: To run Yoga Sessions at the Recreation Centre to improve Health and wellbeing – for a nominal charge.
This funding would be used to subsidise the cost of venue hire at the Recreation Centre.
Cost is £14 per week – so this grant would pay for 50 weeks of sessions.
Minutes:
The Chair explained that:-
· A written policy was followed in the making of decisions on grant applications. For example, projects had to be of benefit to local people and could not be for on-going costs such as salaries;
· A lot of the grant funding was given to voluntary groups and volunteers to help realise projects that otherwise would not happen;
· Applications for grants were determined by the Ward Councillors; and
· A newsletter was being prepared to advise residents on what funding was available.
The applications were then considered as follows:-
a) More People Canoeing More Often (Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre)
AGREED: that the request for funding of £1,220 be supported.
b) Celebration of Outdoor Life (Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre)
AGREED: that the request for funding of £820 be supported.
c) Mamta Ladies Group
AGREED: that the request for funding of £1,050 be supported.
d) Get Together and Fun Days (Oshwal Association of UK)
AGREED: that the request for funding of £600 be supported.
e) Yoga Sessions at Rushey Mead Recreation Centre (Mr Rajiv Shah)
AGREED: that the request for funding of £700 be supported
f) Birth Celebration of Shri Guru Ravidass Mahary Ji (Shri Guru Ravidass Temple and Community Centre)
It was questioned whether this celebration was confined to one community. In reply, it was noted that the Ward Members had some concerns about this application and that grants towards religious activities were not usually approved.
AGREED: that the application be rejected as it was a religious activity and not for the sole benefit of people in the Ward.
g) Don’t Just Kick It (Owen Johnson)
Owen Johnson addressed the meeting, explaining that he worked as a league football coach in Leicestershire, using sport to mentor and coach children in life skills. This included working with football academies, but it was noticeable that it was often the children with access to higher levels of funding that were able to progress through these. This project therefore aimed to address this situation.
AGREED: that the request for funding of £1,000 be supported.
h) Communal Meeting Hut (Harrison Road Allotment Gardens)
The Treasurer of the Harrison Road Allotment Gardens Sub-Committee addressed the meeting, explaining that people with ages ranging from 21 to 83 used the allotments, some of whom were disabled. Work also was done with the neighbouring school, to encourage the children there to grow things. However, there currently was nowhere on site for allotment users to meet. Garden huts therefore were be used, but they were not suitable to use in bad weather.
It was noted that a committee member had agreed to lend the Sub-Committee the money needed to provide a communal meeting hut. Various fund raising activities were being organised to repay this, including an open day on 23 June.
This was the first application that the Sub-Committee had made for funding from the Community Meeting budget.
AGREED: that the request for funding of £1,000 be supported.
i) Additional Requests
The Meeting noted that requests for funding also had been received from Sandfield Close Primary School, towards flower planting, and for funding to be provided to repair potholes in Strathaven Road.
AGREED: that funding towards flower planting at Sandfield Close Primary School and the repair of potholes in Strathaven Road be supported in principle, the final amounts awarded to be agreed by the Ward Members under the Council’s “fast track” procedure.