Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Officer Ext: 5122

1. Summary

1.1 This report details a bid for £60,000 funding, for the appointment of a dedicated post to be based in the South of the County to take forward a range of projects aimed at regenerating communities and increasing economic activity. The appointment will be for 2 years, with the possibility of extension

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 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.

2.5 Appendix B sets out the funding criteria for which bids will be approved. They are intended as guidelines and not prescriptive rules.

3. Current bids

3.1 The following bid is recommended to the Leader for approval

3.2 Community Strategies have identified a number of issues where the County Council and the districts will be required to co-operate to take forward a range of projects aimed at regenerating communities and increasing economic activity. It is important to co-ordinate this activity and the District/Borough Councils and the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration have agreed that a dedicated post should be appointed for this work. The post will be a County Council appointment although based in the South of the County for day to day activity. The suggestion is to make an appointment for 2 years, possibly extendable and authority is sought for an allocation of £60,000 each year for two years to support this post and on costs.

3.3 The unspent funds from 2002/03 (£119,252) has been agreed to be carried over to the budget for this financial year (2003/04). Added together this gives a total of £309,252. Following the above approved bids the total spend in relation to the budget is £133,127, leaving £176,125 (see attached appendix A).

Recommendations

The following recommendation are sought:

1. To approve the following allocation:

The sum of £60,000 for the appointment of a dedicated post to be based in the South of the County to take forward a range of projects aimed at regenerating communities and increasing economic activity. The appointment will be for 2 years, with the possibility of extension.

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

reports