Contact: Jo White, Policy Officer (Community Strategy) Ext: 5004

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report makes recommendations in respect of an application for funding from the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership, which is subject to approval by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources.

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 £208,000 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 £10,000. Amounts exceeding £10,000 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.

2.6 The relevant local Member's views are taken into account through the LSP mechanism.

2.7 This decision supports Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone. In addition this decision supports the themes of the Community Strategy for Hampshire.

3. Current bids

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

3.2.1 The sum of £12,000 for the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership. (see attached funding form for more detail).

3.3 The unspent funds from 2003/04 (£33,470) were carried over into this financial year. Added together this gave a total of £241,470. If the bid is approved, against the 2004/05 budget, the total spent is £186,048 leaving £55,422 (see attached appendix A).

Recommendations

1. To approve the following allocation:

The sum of £12,000 for the Rushmoor Strategic Partnership for the first year of this post, (this is subject to the approval from the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration). Funding has been committed in principle for two years initially with the option to reapply on an annual basis thereafter.

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