Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Officer Ext: 5122

1. Summary

1.1 This report makes recommendations in respect of a number of applications for funding from various LSPs across the County, which have either been approved by the Chief Executive; are subject to approval by the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration; or which require referral to the Leader for approval.

2. Background

2.1 A budget for supporting projects derived from the County Council's statutory duty to prepare a community strategy has been set up and this includes a budget of £200,000 for pump priming the Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and to develop further community strategies.

2.2 Each of the 11 LSP's are encouraged to bid for money from this budget to support the development of their LSPs and for the pump priming of projects.

2.3 The budget is also available for the development and implementation of the Hampshire Strategic Partnership.

2.4 The Chief Executive can approve amounts of less than £2000. The Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration can approve amounts between £2000 and £5000. Amounts exceeding £5000 must be approved by the Executive Member and referred, with a recommendation to the Leader for decision.

3. Current bids

3.1 As approved by the Chief Executive, the following bids have been received:

3.1.1 The sum of £1,000, (or up to half the total cost), from the development group for the Rushmoor LSP for a contribution towards a stakeholder conference to launch the full LSP. The conference is to formalise the LSP working arrangements and agree a way forward and the costs will include the venue, buffet and facilitator and papers.

3.1.2 The sum of £350 (or half the cost) from the Hants Community Partnership, as a contribution towards the next full meeting of the wider partnership.

3.2 The following bids are for consideration by the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration:

3.2.1 The sum of £2,000 (or up to half the cost), from the East Hants Community Partnership towards the cost of a conference for members of the voluntary sector in East Hants to consider how they can better contribute towards the work of the partnership. The conference aims to investigate how they might be able to take part in the work of the community partnership and how they might be encouraged to take a more active part in the community planning process and delivery that underpins its work.

3.2.2 The sum of £5,000 from the East Hants Community to support the development of a pilot project aimed at developing a best practice framework for linking Parish Plans, Market Town Health checks and other local community action to the work of district and county LSP's, to take place in East Hants. This project aims to undertake a piece of action research with key partners and the Countryside Agency to develop ways of linking county level and district level community strategies with the work of communities at a local level. Key outcomes would be a shared a vision; joined up complimentary targets and avoidance of duplication and move away from raising unrealistic expectations.

3.2.3 The sum of £4,000 (or up to half the cost), from the Rushmoor LSP, towards the designing, printing and publication of the Rushmoor Community Strategy documentation. This is along the lines of requests from most district LSP's.

3.3 The following bid is recommended to the Leader for approval:

3.3.1 A bid has been received from Hart Community Partnership for an allocation of £20,000, subject to agreeing final details of matched funding from partners, to set up a `One-stop Shop' for the community in Hook as part of the work of Hart Community Partnership. This facility is to be a local community hub and will be used as a venue for a large variety of organisations working to combat rural isolation and provide community development projects involving all age groups in the local area. This facility also has the potential to become a Local Information Point - one of a network across the Hampshire supported by the County Council. The partnership is to resubmit the proposal which should be signed by the LSP chair.

3.3.3 Following the above approved bids the total spend in relation to the budget is £104,456 leaving £65,544 (see attached appendix A).

Recommendations

The following recommendations are sought:

1. To note the following allocations as approved by the Chief Executive:-

£1,000, (or up to half the total cost), as a contribution towards a stakeholder conference to launch the LSP in Rushmoor.

£350, (half the cost), as a contribution towards the next full meeting of the East Hampshire Community Partnership.

2. To approve the following allocations:-

£2,000 (or up to half the cost), towards the cost of a conference for members of the voluntary sector in East Hants to consider how they can better contribute towards the work of the partnership.

£4,000, (or up to half the cost), towards the designing, printing and publication of the Rushmoor Community Strategy documentation.

£5,000 to support the development of a pilot project aimed at developing a best practice framework for linking Parish Plans, Market Town Health checks and other local community action to the work of district and county LSP's, to take place in East Hants.

3. To note a bid has been received from Rushmoor Borough Council for an allocation of £15,000 contribution towards extending staff contracts to support the development of the Rushmoor LSP and Community Strategy. The County Council cannot support revenue or ongoing funding for staff in district councils, but would be willing to consider some time limited, one off support for the work of the LSP. It is proposed that Rushmoor BC be asked for additional information in support of this bid and that they resubmit a proposal that comes through the emerging LSP and that it is referred to the next decision day.

4. To recommend to the Leader for decision the following bids:

An allocation of £20,000, subject to agreeing final details of matched funding from partners, to set up a `One-stop Shop' for the community in Hook as part of the work of Hart Community Partnership.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

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:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

File FM Exec Member Location: Community planning/committee

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