Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item

22 January 2002

Community Support Grants 2001/02

Report of the Director of Arts, Countryside and Community

Contact: Margaret Plumridge Ext: 6173

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

i) that the Community Support Budget for 2001/02 be re-allocated within the existing budget limit to reflect actual and anticipated applications in this financial year;

ii) that grants totalling £12,574 be approved for allocation from the Community Grants Fund;

iii) that a grant of £23,750 be made to Wickham Community Association to support their scheme to reduce noise pollution

2. Reason

To support organisations that seek to enable local people to meet the recreational, educational, social, cultural and environmental needs of their local communities.

3. Other Options considered and rejected

- Making grants at higher and lower levels.

- Making no grants at all.

4 Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted. - None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: (signature) Date: (date of decision)

Councillor J Waddington

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item

22 January 2002

Community Support Grants 2001/02

Report of the Director of Arts, Countryside and Community

Contact: Margaret Plumridge ext 6173

1. Summary

1.1 The County Council works in partnership with specific community organisations particularly community associations and village hall committees who seek to enable local people to meet the recreational, educational, social, cultural and environmental needs of their local communities. These organisations give local people an opportunity to participate in local activities and encourage local initiatives by people of all ages.

2. Purpose of Report

2.1 The purpose of this report is:

i) to provide details of the current financial position of the community support budget, and

ii) to provide details of requests for financial support from the Community Grants Fund, from voluntary village halls and community centres.

3. Community Grants Fund 2001/02

3.1 The Sport and Community Panel at its meeting on 18 February 1999 agreed the policy, conditions and criteria for grant aid from this fund. The Recreation and Heritage Committee at its meeting on 25 March 1999 ratified this policy. An amendment regarding lottery partnership funding was agreed at the panel meeting on 17 February 2000.

3.2 The projects outlined in Appendix 1 meet all the terms and conditions of the fund and have been allocated funding according to those conditions as agreed within the policy document.

3.3 At the Sport and Community Panel in June 2000 a policy relating to general and project reserves retained by applicant organisations was adopted. All the applicants in this round have reserves within the terms of that policy.

4. Community Support Budget 2001/02 - Current Financial Position

4.1 The original budget set out in Appendix 3 was agreed by the Sport and Community Panel on 15 February 2001. Allocations and adjustments to date are recorded in the Appendix.

4.2 It is proposed to adjust the allocations within the overall budget to accommodate current and anticipated applications for funding between now and the end of the financial year. Details are set out below and summarised in Appendix 3.

4.3 The Neighbourhood Initiatives budget has been reduced by £34,000 to reflect the situation that a number of planned projects will not now begin until the next financial year.

4.4 The cost of seconded staff has increased from £91,800 to £104,600. This reflects the increased cost of salaries and also now includes all items relating to these staff e.g. transport, training budgets, etc.

4.5 The balance of Annual Revenue funding of £15,500, is being held as emergency funding. Horndean Community Association may need some limited financial support before 31 March 2002

4.6 The allocation for repairs to county owned properties has been increased by £6,000 to reflect a scheme at Bishopstoke Community Association that will now start before the end of February.

4.7 The training grant scheme allocation has been used throughout the year for activities such as fire safety training and time management. Proposals from District Councils of Community Service are anticipated later this month which will account for the unallocated balance.

4.8 The other projects allocation is largely spent covering events, networks, both at District and County level and publicity.

4.9 The proposed allocation from the Community Grants Fund is £12,654 and details are set out in Appendix 1.

5. Wickham Community Association

5.1 An application from the Wickham Community Association has been received. For some time they have experienced major problems with noise nuisance from their building.

5.2 The association's project proposal will provide acoustic insulation to resolve the noise nuisance problem and make the building more energy efficient. A statement from the association that accompanied their application is attached at Appendix 2. The Association has reduced the cost of this project as far as they are able to £75,637. At the present time they have been awarded funding of £23,750 payable over two years from Winchester City Council and

£11,875 from the Parish Council. They have £20,000 in their contingency reserves some of which they need to retain.

5.3 If funding is allocated from the Community Grants Fund the maximum contribution towards this project would be £12,500 which would still leave a substantial shortfall that could not be covered even if they exhaust their entire contingency reserve. However, it could be allocated monies from the Capital Grants allocation on the basis that this project will reduce energy use, thus supporting the County Council's Corporate Sustainability Strategy as well as reducing the noise nuisance.

5.4 This organisation is participating in the Southern Parishes Partnership and it is envisaged that it will become a `hub' for the area providing services and activities for the surrounding villages. It already houses Meon Valley Homestart (a support service for parents with children under five) and other local organisations and is hoping to set up an ICT centre.

5.5 It is also important to note that the Southern Parishes Partnership is set to be an innovative project building on the principles of sustainable communities - another key strand of the County Council's Corporate Sustainability Strategy. Although a sum of £25,000 could be allocated from the Capital Grants allocation a grant of £23,750 would match the Winchester City Council contribution and result in the association using £16,262 of their contingency reserve.

Recommendations

i) that the Community Support Budget for 2001/02 be re-allocated within the existing budget limit to reflect actual and anticipated applications in this financial year.

ii) that grants totalling £12,574 be approved for allocation from the Community Grants Fund.

iii) that a grant of £23,750 be made to Wickham Community Association to support their scheme to reduce noise pollution.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

Published works

Documents, which disclose exempt or confidential information as, defined in the act.

Title Location

Applications for financial assistance Community Support Unit.

Appendix 1

Summary of recommended Grants from the Community Grants Fund that meet the agreed criteria

Details of requests for Community Grants to voluntary Village Halls and Community Associations that meet fully the agreed criteria.

The application criteria for the scheme is as follows:

Grants are given for:

· Building repairs, extensions and refurbishments

· Health & Safety issues

· Equipment to improve the buildings and increase usage

· Feasibility studies

Who can apply:

· Village Halls ( not parish run halls)

· Community Associations

· Other similar community groups

· Church organisations that have a separate community programme on their property

Funding criteria:

· For projects costing less than £15,000, the funding criteria is up to one-third of the cost.

· For projects costing more than £15,000, the maximum grant is £12,500. This is allocated using the following formula - 50% of the combined district and parish contribution up to a maximum 25% of the project costs.

· Feasibility Studies - 50% of the cost to a maximum of £500

Name: Conford Village Hall

Project: Installation of fire alarm system as requested by Fire Officer.

Repairs to Bell Tower

Criteria: Health and Safety

Cost: £4,268

General Reserves : £500

Project Reserves:

Statement: This organisation has recently decided to increase the use of its hall and encourage wider participation by the surrounding communities. There has been an assessment by the fire officer of the risks associated with holding social events in the hall. These works are essential in order to comply with the fire officer's report and obtain their public entertainment licence.

Funding: East Hampshire District Council - £1,000 requested.

Parish council - Nil

Recommendation: £1,423 (one-third) Subject to the Village Hall Trust being responsible for the maintenance. (The hall is leased from the National Trust)

Name: Kings Somborne Village Hall

Project: Replacement of existing flat roof

Criteria: Building repairs

Cost: £5,500

General Reserves : £2,500

Project Reserves: £3,800

Statement: This organisation needs to complete this repair in order to maintain their programme of activities

Funding: Test Valley Borough Council - £1,250

Parish - £750

Recommendation: £1,833 (one third)

Name: Long Sutton Village Hall

Project: Extension including disabled toilets

Criteria: Health & Safety/DDA compliance

Cost: £100,900

General Reserves: £4,585

Project Reserves: £29,845

Statement: A structural report was received by the trustees in March 1998 that disclosed rot spread at the east end. As a consequence remedial work is required. The village hall trustees (management) have therefore taken this opportunity to make much needed improvements at the same time.

£

Funding: Community Fund 61,901

Own funds 32,675

Hart District Council 4,098

Parish Council 1,000

99,674

Recommendation: £2,549 (50% of combined District and Parish contributions).

Name: Medstead Village Hall

Project: Replace Fire Doors with UPVC doors.

Replace two hall windows with UPVC

Installation of Hearing Loop system

Criteria: Building Repairs/Health and Safety/DDA compliance

Equipment to improve building use.

Cost: £8,500

General Reserves: £3,500

Project Reserves:

Statement: The doors and windows no longer fit well and are difficult to secure. The loop system will assist the hard of hearing to enjoy the village hall entertainments.

Funding: East Hampshire District Council - £1,000 (applied for)

National Lottery £5,000 (applied for)

Recommendation: Up to a maximum of £2,833 (one-third) to be allocated subject to the outcome of the lottery and other bids. Funding conditional on the provision of appropriate fire doors.

Name: Shalden Village Hall

Project: Refurbishment of kitchen

Criteria: Health and safety

Cost: £1,500

General Reserves : £1,900

Project Reserves:

Statement: This hall is over 60 years old. An extension which houses disabled toilets has been built using money from the Community Fund and this is the final part of the refurbishment of this village hall .

Funding: East Hampshire District Council -£500 (applied for)

Parish - £100 (applied for)

Recommendation: £500 (one-third)

Name: Silchester Village Hall

Project: Replacement Windows

Criteria: Building repairs

Cost: £9,115

General Reserves : £5,000

Project Reserves: £6,500

Statement: Several of the windows are beyond repair and need replacing. There will be increased heat retention with the new windows which will lower the running costs of the building.

Funding: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council - £6,836 (applied for)

Community fund - £9,115 (applied for)

Recommendation: Up to £3,038 (one-third) depending on the outcome of the bid to the Community Fund and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Name: Worthies Jubilee Hall

Project: Upgrading of the facilities, disabled toilet, improved access and internal and external refurbishment

Criteria: Building repairs/refurbishment

Cost: £24,637

General Reserves :

Project Reserves: £10,637

Statement: This organisation was disappointed not to obtain lottery funding for a more major project and have decided to use their Improvement Fund to complete a smaller refurbishment project themselves. They have undertaken some research about their current needs including user feedback, an access and energy audit. This has confirmed the lack of disabled facilities.

Funding: Winchester City Council - £8,917 (applied for)

Parish - £1,880 (applied for)

Recommendation: £5,398 (£5,000 already allocated towards the major project at the meeting on 6 September 2001. Therefore £398 additional funding)

Appendix 2

CAPITAL GRANT APPLICATION 2001/02

WICKHAM COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

1. Ever since it was built in 1989, Wickham Community Centre has been causing noise pollution to the neighbouring houses and we have come under increasing pressure to alleviate the problem. Additionally, the range of uses of rooms within the Centre have been restricted because the building has poor acoustic properties internally.

2. We have been put under pressure, by Environmental Health of Winchester City Council, to deal with the escape of noise. Our entertainment licence contains restrictions which makes it difficult to operate effectively.

3. In 1999 we made an application to National Lottery for £250,000 to deal comprehensively with the problems. The grant application was not acceptable and the application was withdrawn.

4. Winchester City Council has been sympathetic to the problem and invited us to make an application for a grant from its Leisure, Sports & Community capital grants fund. We pruned back the specification to be 75% efficient and applied for 50% of our estimated cost of £77,000 including VAT.

5. Winchester City Council made provision for a grant of £23,750, spread over two years and the Parish Council also contributed £11,875 (50% of the City Council's contribution), making £35,625 in all.

6. A condition of the grant is that the work is approved by the City Council's Building Control officer. In consideration of this we could proceed with the appointment of one contractor (M. Evenden Building & Maintenance of Walton on Thames), being the firm that had provided the best value for money quotation in the 1999 lottery bid.

7. During 2001 we have been working with the contractors to provide a specification which would give the best value for the limited funds available. However, it has not been possible to get the figures below (about) £75,637 excluding VAT. The principle difference lies in the cost of providing mechanical ventilation, so that rooms can be used for functions with windows and doors closed, to stop the escape of noise.

8. In addition to this project, the Association has been working on the conversion of its constitution to a Company Limited by Guarantee with a wholly owned subsidiary trading company (Wickham Social Club). One of the consequences will be the ability to recover VAT on building work.