Archived decisions

COMMUNITY BUILDINGS FUND - 2003/04

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 and this accords with the aims of the corporate strategy. These organisations give local people an opportunity to participate in local activities and encourage local initiatives by people of all ages. The Council has wide powers to provide recreational facilities and to contribute by way of grant or loan towards expenses incurred by voluntary bodies in providing such facilities.

2. Accordingly, a community buildings fund has been established from which partnership funding is available for building repairs, extensions and refurbishments, health and safety issues, equipment to improve the buildings and increase usage and feasibility studies.

3. The Executive Member has recently approved eight grants totalling £32,000 from the fund and this leaves a balance of £1,900 in the fund during the last two months of the financial year. The legislative requirements related to the Disability Discrimination Act continue to place a strong burden on the fund. The recent grants covered such matters as additional heating and lighting systems at Blandford Hall, Martin, installation of an induction loop system at East Meon Village Hall, the replacement of the ceiling and installation of insulation at the Colonel Jenkins Memorial Hall at Wherwell and the provision of a ramp and the widening of a doorway for wheelchair access at Chilworth Community Centre.