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.
There will be an update on the Community Meeting Budget.
The following budget applications have been received:
Application 1
Applicant: Zoe and Nigel Brady
Amount: £4,782
Proposal: Spring Fair 2012 – Allendale Road / Francis Street – Stoneygate Shops. Food and Drink Festival in honour of the Golden Jubilee. Sunday 3rd June
Summary:
We would like Allandale Road and Francis Street to host a successful and exciting event in the community which entices all members of all local wards and all surrounding areas. The event will be similar to the Queens Road events which are proving very popular and growing each year. We also hope for it to be an annual event however this year is unique in that it coincides with the Golden Jubilee. A great way to start us off.
There will be circa 50 stalls as per the Queens Road events which are to be sold to local suppliers and makers in the Leicestershire Area. This will include small local suppliers/retailers to larger producers all of which will be Leicester based. Advertising will go out in local publications: Leicester Mercury, Great Food Magazine, Swift Flash (and similar) to both sell the stalls and advertise the event and they will be sold on a first come first serve basis.
We hope that event will go some way to reinvigorating the Stoneygate Area and encourage locals to shop locally! Also for it to be an annual social event to put in the diary. It is hoped that the event will serve a dual purpose, the first of which being to encourage the public to return to the Allandale Road/ Francis Street shopping district and to showcase this unique area. The second function is to also showcase the fantastic produce that Leicestershire and Rutland have to offer and to encourage the general public to buy quality produce from independent producers.
The benefit of a food and Drink theme is that it makes the event universally appealing and we feel this theme does not exclude anyone. (A brave claim but we think an accurate one!)’
Application 2
Applicant: West Knighton Senior Citizens Group
Amount: £600
Proposal: Days Outings – Sight Seeing
Summary:
The Members of our group are aged between 70 – 90+. Most of them hardly get out at all except for coffee mornings. Last year we sadly lost four members which means that numbers are dropping down making it very difficult for us to afford high coach fees.
They really do enjoy a nice day out and being together as a group they feel safe and secure, understanding each other’s problems. They are already asking if we can go anywhere so even just one day out would be very grateful. They just can’t wait.
Minutes:
a) Spring Fair 2012 – Allendale Road / Francis Street – Stoneygate Shops (Zoe and Nigel Brady) £4,782
Mr Brady explained that traders in the Stoneygate area were now competing against large commercial outlets, such as Highcross shopping centre. The proposed Fair would give a boost to the local shops and other facilities for residents and, if successful, could become an annual event.
Mr Brady confirmed that there was no element of profit in any of the costings provided.
AGREED:
that the application be supported and £4,782 allocated, subject to final approval from the Cabinet lead.
b) Days Outings – Sight Seeing (West Knighton Senior Citizens Group) £600
AGREED:
that the application be supported and £600 allocated, subject to final approval from the Cabinet lead.
c) Tennis 4 All (Carisbrooke Lawn Tennis Club) £3,000
Peter Wilkinson, Manager of Carisbrooke Lawn Tennis Club, explained that the Club wanted to encourage people of all ages and sexes to try tennis. It was recognised that some tennis clubs could be unwelcoming, so wanted to remove perceived barriers by holding at least 4 free introductory tennis sessions, with coaches, in Knighton Park, followed up with similar sessions at the Club.
The introductory sessions would not be sufficient to develop skills to properly enjoy a game of tennis. Coaching sessions therefore would be provided, at which all equipment would be provided. 10 twelve week courses would be offered, at a subsidised rate. There would be a maximum of 5 people per group.
The Club hoped that these sessions would enable people to get to a level where they could play a game of tennis with someone and to find a partner of the same level. Concerns that tennis was an expensive sport were recognised, but it was felt that, in the long run, it did not need to be. For example, a good racquet would last for many years.
A flyer would be designed to advertise the project. This would be delivered to every house in the Ward and put up in appropriate locations.
Through this scheme, the Club hoped to increase interest in sport of all kinds. There were a number of tennis clubs in the Ward, so this scheme would not just benefit the Carisbrooke Club.
AGREED:
that the application be supported and £3,000 allocated, subject to final approval from the Cabinet lead.
d) Event Infrastructure for Knighton Park Community Fun Day (Parks Services Area 4) £1,115
Infrastructure costs for the Community Fun Day included first aid cover by the St Johns Ambulance service, toilets and costs associated with the services provided by Hospital Radio Fox. These were all essential for the smooth and safe running of the event, which regularly attracted over 5,000 people.
It was noted that funding towards infrastructure costs was awarded from the Ward Community Budget every year, but the amount given varied, depending on what was needed.
AGREED:
that the application be supported and £1,115 allocated, subject to final approval from the Cabinet lead.
e) Small Goal Posts on Chiltern Green, Shrub and Bulb Planting (Reece Harris/Sam Allen) £4,000
James Schadla-Hall, Members Services Officer, reminded the meeting that an application for funding for the placing of small goal posts on Chiltern Green, plus shrub and bulb planting, previously had been approved in principle, subject to a positive formal consultation with residents in the surrounding areas, (minute 138, “Budget”, 17 October 2011 referred).
This consultation had been carried out, but some local residents had raised objections to the proposal. In addition, the Friends of Knighton Park had pointed out that the green space at Aylestone recreation ground had been turned over to football and, on foot, Chiltern Green was less than one mile from both Aylestone Recreation ground and the facilities in Knighton Park.
The Friends of Knighton Park also advised that they had undertaken a public consultation at the community fun day in 2010 on whether a basketball hoop should be erected. 84 people of a variety of ages completed that questionnaire and 83 of those said they would like a basketball hoop in Knighton Park. 83% of all respondents said they personally would use the hoop and, of those who would not use it themselves, most felt that family members would use it.
AGREED:
1) that, in view of the results of the public consultation carried out, no funding be provided for small goal posts on Chiltern Green, or associated shrub and bulb planting; and
2) that, once all other applications for funding from the 2011/12 Ward budget have been considered, any remaining funding be used for the installation of a basketball hoop in Knighton Park.