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.

To consider the following applications for grants from the 21012/13 Thurncourt Ward Community Budget:-

a)         Improvements to Ball Court – £2,880 – submitted by Thurnby Lodge Community Forum (Appendix A1)

b)         Raven Youth Centre Fencing – £860 – submitted by Callie Buchanan (Appendix A2)

c)         Police Room Door - £600 – submitted by Mr T Taylor, Chairman of the Community Association (Appendix A3)

d)         Running a Local Youth Football Team in the Thurnby Lodge Area - £490 – Mr Liam Ferrar (Appendix A4)

a)    Grant Applications

i)     Improvements to Ball Court

It was noted that the applicant had submitted three quotes for the proposed work, as required under the Council’s financial procedures.

AGREED:

That a grant of £2,880 to Thurnby Lodge Community Forum for improvements to the ball court be supported.

ii)    Raven Youth Centre Fencing

It was noted that the replacement fencing would be more robust than that currently at the Centre and would be similar to the green fencing already in place on the other side of the Centre.  Quotes had been received for this and submitted with the application.

AGREED:

1)    That a grant of £860 to Callie Buchanan for the repair and replacement of fencing at the side of the Raven Youth Centre be supported; and

2)    That Callie Buchanan be asked to attend a future meeting to give feedback on how funding approved to the Raven Youth Centre had been used and impact it had had.

iii)   Police Room Door (Trevor Taylor, Chairman of the Community Association)

Trevor Taylor explained that it had been suggested that a door be installed as the Police needed some privacy while working at the Community Centre.  This needed to be a fire door.

The Police had been approached for a contribution towards the cost of the door and had agreed to pay half.  However, since the application had been submitted, the Police had indicated verbally that they could meet the whole cost. 

AGREED:

1)    That, subject to written confirmation being received from the Police about the proportion of this project they were able to fund, a grant of up to £600 to the Thurnby Lodge Community Association towards the purchase of a fire door for the Police room at Thurnby Lodge Youth and Community Centre be supported; and

2)    That the grant referred to in 1) above should not be paid until the written confirmation requested has been received.

iv)   Running A Local Youth Football Team in the Thurnby Lodge Area

The meeting was advised that the people playing in this team were mainly young people from Thurnby Lodge who were between 16 and 20 years old.  Many of these found it difficult to pay the fees necessary to play in local leagues as some were still in education, some were in employment and some were not in either.  Approximately 26 young people were signed up to this team.

AGREED:

That a grant of £490 to Mr Liam Ferrar towards the running of a youth football team in the Thurnby Lodge area be supported.

v)    Jubilee Event

The Members Services Officer reported verbally that an application had been received from local residents in Thurnby Lodge for a grant towards an evening event to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  It was noted that, although this event had now been held, the application had been received beforehand.

AGREED:

That a grant of £600 to residents of Thurnby Lodge towards a Jubilee evening event be supported.

vi)   Royal Horticultural Society Project

The meeting was reminded that details of this application had been circulated separately to the main agenda for this meeting.

It was noted that a grant had been given during 2011/12 towards the first phase of this project.  The current request was for a grant for tools and equipment to be used in establishing a sustainable garden at Thurnby Lodge Youth and Community Centre that would provide produce for use at the Lunch Club.  Match-funding would be provided by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Some concern was expressed that very little background information had been provided to this application and it was suggested that the applicant should be asked to provide more detail with any other applications submitted.

AGREED:

1)    That a grant of £500 to Allan Gratrix towards developing the Royal Horticultural Society Project at Thurnby Lodge Youth and Community Centre be supported; and

2)    That the Members Support Officer ask the applicant to provide more background information in any future grant applications to help the Councillors determine the applications and members of the public see what is being proposed.

b)   Budget Update

The Members Support Officer tabled an update on the Thurncourt Ward Meeting Budget, a copy of which is attached at the end of these minutes for information. 

It was noted that this did not include the grant approved towards developing the Royal Horticultural Society Project, (see above).  In addition, if the grant approved towards the door of the Police room at Thurnby Lodge Youth and Community Centre was not needed, (see above), the balance would increase by £600.