Agenda item

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.

Steve Letten, Member Support Officer, will give a brief update on the current budget position.

The meeting will consider the following budget application:

B1) Budget Statement

B2) Save Our Benches

B3) Tuesday Friends Projects – Christ the King Church

B4) Boxing Club

Steve Letten, Member Support Officer, introduced applications for funding that had been submitted. He reported that three applications were received after the agenda was published, and papers were circulated at the meeting for these. He reported that, at the last meeting, it had been agreed to part fund the Police/ Mash Up bid with £1350 from the 2010-11 Ward Action Plan budget.

New applications were considered as follows:

Installation of sleepers to stop cars parking on grassed area at Paterson Close - £1069 from Community Fund

A resident outlined the problems and dangers faced at the site. Members agreed that such work was needed, but wished to defer consideration of the application for an investigation into whether the funding could come from other Council budgets. A representative of Beaumont Lodge Neighbourhood Association stated that residents should work with the Association to support each other with such issues.

RESOLVED:

that consideration of the application be deferred to allow for investigation into whether the work could be funded from other Council budgets.

Tuesday Friends Projects, Church of Christ the King – Summer outings for young parents and isolated older people - £1500 from Community Fund

It was noted that this was deferred at the last meeting for the submission of a more coherent bid. Reverend Ford gave details about the bid, stating that it offered links between local people, as some of the young people were helping out with the older people’s activities. Members discussed whether it would be more appropriate for activities for homeless families to be funded directly by the Council, but acknowledged pressures on the budget. It was agreed that the Chair would contact the Director of Housing Strategy and Options on this matter. 

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported and £1500 be allocated from the Community Fund, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.

Unity Boxing Club, ABA affiliation - £546 from Community Fund

Ajmal Butt gave an update on the success of the club, noting that ABA affiliation would offer a development path for users, even to the Olympics. The club was currently full and here was further demand. Several high profile professionals were working with the club. The meeting noted that boxing had increased in popularity and the Council had recently funded a Boxing Development Officer post, recognising boxing’s benefits and positive impact.

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported and £546 be allocated from the Community fund, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.

Boxercise4health, Boxercise to music courses - £1000 from the Community Fund

Residents and Members expressed support for the application, and it was noted that this fitted with the Ward Action Plan priorities.

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported and £1000 be allocated from the Community Fund, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.

UR Choice Young People’s Project, Youth Lead project start up - £4,300 from Community Fund

Representatives of the project were present and explained the vision of the project, stating that they would investigate what young people wanted in the area ad set up activities. The vision was for a venue for a youth café offering a variety of facilities and services. In the long term they aimed to set up a trading arm to bring in income. Members expressed full support for the project, stating that it fitted in with the Ward Action Plan priorities. They asked that the Youth Service should offer facilities such as photocopier to the volunteers. Kim Thorrington offered these services to the group. A suggestion was made that Oak Farm Neighbourhood Centre could be considered as an appropriate venue.

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported and £4300 be allocated from the Community Fund, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.

Leicester City Colts/Leicester City Ladies FC, training and equipment - £2422 from the Community Fund

It was noted that 50% of the funding was being requested, as other wards were also being approached. Councillor Dempster suggested to Ian Dix that to ensure sustainability, support and advice could be sought from Wayne Allsop from Sport in Schools and Hamish MacDonald from Leicester North West Integrated Services.

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported and £2422 be allocated from the Community Fund, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.

Cycling training scheme - £1400

This application was reported verbally and recommended for approval, subject to checks of the application. It was considered to be necessary to agree in principle to allow for funding for the summer holidays. The application was for equipment such as tabards, locks, refreshments and for the training. The aim was to increase cycle safety and reduce the impact of cycle crime. Members considered that it fitted in with the Council’s aims for a sustainable city.

RESOLVED:

that the application be supported, subject to final checks and £1400 be allocated, subject to final approval from the Cabinet Lead for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods and the Leader of the Council.