SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS - COMMUNITY BUILDINGS FUND 2004/05 AND 2005/06, AND REVENUE SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS, 2005/06

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. 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 under Section 19 of the 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.

2. These grants enable the community sector to maintain the quality of Hampshire's cultural assets, namely their village halls and community association buildings, some of which are listed. This finance enables improvements to be made to those buildings and can assist with the development of new facilities where appropriate. The provision of these buildings by the voluntary sector enables local communities to access the services and facilities they need. Such financial support enables the County Council to work in partnership with the community sector to achieve the corporate aim of Stewardship of the Environment.

3. For 2004/05, the value of decisions taken by the Executive Member totals £203,057. The most recent decisions taken by him, totalling £22,648 give a flavour of the type of projects aided; they include an extension to provide accessible entrance to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act at Catherington Village Hall, the purchase of tables for Emsworth Community Association, repairs to the roof of the Kingsley Centre, various works at the Ridley Hall, South Warnborough, and the final phase of renovation of the Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney.

4. In respect of 2005/06 the Recreation and Heritage Capital Programme has an allocation of £200,000 for the Community Buildings Fund. It is proposed to set £50,000 aside to allocate to major schemes in line with previous years' practice. However, because of the continued pressure on the Fund, it is proposed not to make any commitments to major schemes until later in the year. Accordingly, the first tranche of funding for this year totals £22,330 and includes the resurfacing of the car park at Appleshaw Village Hall, the replacement of doors at Broughton Village Hall, various works at the Colden Common Community Association Hall, the replacement of a roof at the Hardway Elson and Districts Community Association, provision of disabled toilets and other works at Tangley Parish Village Hall, and repairs to the floor and windows at Dibden Purlieu WI Hall.

5. In addition to the capital funding referred to above, the County Council provides revenue support to community associations to provide social and recreational activities such as, for example, providing adult education classes, expanding young people's activities and developing websites. The Executive Member has approved revenue support in 2005/06 totalling £162,032 to 24 community associations with sums ranging from £1,500 to £15,000.

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