Contact: Stuart Nundy/ Ext: 5015

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 4

29 May 2003

Foxlease Capital Project Grant Application

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Stuart Nundy Ext: 5015

1. Introduction

1.1 Foxlease Guide Centre, Lyndhurst, are seeking to replace one of their accommodation blocks with more modern facilities, enabling young people to access the outdoor facilities at the centre from more accessible and comfortable residential provision. The centre works with very large numbers of young people from all walks of life. They work with local and national guide groups, and they are very clear that the girls in the groups will come from all backgrounds. In addition, they work with a number of County schools and youth groups.

2. The building

2.1 The building is one of three being developed nationally by the guide association. Two similar schemes are planned at their other two national centres (E. Sussex and the Midlands). The Hampshire scheme will cost £600,000, of which they have already collected £500,000.The capital currently available was achieved through a number of other donors. A number of large Charitable Trusts (especially the Garfield Weston Foundation) have been approached successfully, and several local (New Forest) businesses have expressed support, including Esso-Exxon (although the latter have indicated that they cannot give capital grants - they will provide grants for equipping the new building.)

2.2 The new building will provide full disabled facilities as well as providing more acceptable and modern accommodation for all the young people using it. The centre has a very positive view of outdoor learning/education which fits extremely well with our own Outdoor Strategy (and echoes many of the aspirations in the Corporate Strategy). They do not specifically duplicate any of our own provision, but complement it. They are becoming more `outcome' focused, and see the new building as a tool to help them deliver both the key objectives of the Guide Association, and also the more general needs of the local community (including the curriculum needs of schools).

2.3 They are very keen to ensure that they are helping to meet County Council objectives. We have directed them to the Corporate Strategy with a view to asking them to identify clearly how they may help us to address our key priorities in the future, which they are happy to engage with

2.4 The Council has wide powers under S.19 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to provide recreational facilities, and to contribute by way of grant or loan towards expenses incurred by voluntary bodies in providing such facilities.

3. Financial Implications

3.1 The centre is approaching a number of organisations, including New Forest District Council, local businesses and other charitable organisations, seeking support for a number of smaller grants to place towards the outstanding £100,000.

3.2 The Executive Member for Policy and Resources has also been approached. He has declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the matter, and has deputed the Executive Member, Recreation and Heritage to make the decision in this case. Confirmation has been given that the sum of £2,000 would be available from Policy and Resources funds should the Executive Member for Receation and Heritage be minded to approve the application. Further, it is recommended that an additional sum of £1,000 be awraded from the Outdoor Service's funds, making a total grant of £3,000.

3.3 The sum of £1000 can be found from within the Outdoor Activity Service budget for supporting outdoor activities for young people.

Recommendations

1 That £1,000 from Recreation and Heritage be granted to Foxlease Guide Centre as a contribution to their new Group Adventure building, and that £2000 be granted on behalf of the Executive member for Policy and Resources

2 That officers engage with the centre with a view to enabling it to address key aspects of the County Council's Corporate Strategy with regard to young people in the future.

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.

N.B. the list excludes:

1. Published works.

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

TITLE LOCATION

Application Form Recreation & Heritage Dept

Mottisfont Court

High Street

Winchester. SO23 8ZF