Archived decisions

Contact: Margaret Plumridge, ext 6173 e-mail: [email protected]

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage

Item 4

16 November 2006

Community Buildings Fund - 2006/07

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

1. Introduction

1.1 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.

1.2 The purpose of this report is:

    i) to provide details of the current financial position of the Community Buildings Fund for 2006/07.

    ii) to provide details of requests for partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund.

1.3 The partnership funding distribution criteria is set out in Appendix 1.

1.4 Projects listed in Appendix 2 meet fully the criteria and have been allocated a proposed level of partnership funding in line with the criteria.

2. Background

2.1 Partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund enables 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.

2.2 By providing financial support to these organisations for the maintenance of their buildings the County Council is able to work in partnership with the community sector to achieve the Corporate Priority - Enhancing our sense of place.

3. Impact Assessment

3.1 Organisations applying to this scheme are by their nature defined as accessible to all members of the community. This is embodied within their charitable objects, therefore no groups or organisations should be excluded from any benefit arising from these decisions. Furthermore a new application procedure has been introduced which includes equalities monitoring information agreed as part of the corporate review of grants programmes and procedures.

4. Financial Implications

4.1 On 23 March 2006 £100,000 was set aside from the 2006/07 capital programme for Recreation and Heritage to fund applications that meet the criteria during this financial year. Allocations totalling £75,338 have been approved to date leaving a balance of £24,662. The proposals in this report amount to £19,607 and if approved would leave a balance of £5,055 for the remainder of the year.

5. Legal Implications

5.1 The Council has wide powers under Section 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.

Recommendations

The following decision is sought:

    i) that partnership funding totalling £19,607 be approved for allocation from the Community Buildings Fund for 2006/07 as listed below:

Hall/Centre

District

£

Abbotts Ann War Memorial Hall

Test Valley

9,513

Bighton Village Hall

Winchester

873

Farnborough Baptist Church

Farnborough

1,125

Four Marks Village Hall

East Hampshire

5,550

St Matthews Church Hall, Netley Marsh

New Forest

2,546

Total

19,607

LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

                  Yes No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all _

Maximising well-being _

Enhancing our quality of place _

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

    The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

    NB the list excludes:

    Published works

    Documents, which disclose exempt or confidential information as, defined in the Act.

    Title Location

Applications for financial assistance Community Support Service

              Recreation and Heritage Department

              Mottisfont Court

              Winchester

Appendix 1

The partnership funding distribution criteria for the Community Buildings Fund is as follows:

    Partnership funding is granted for:

      · Building repairs, extensions and refurbishments

      · Health and safety issues

      · Equipment to improve the buildings and increase usage

      · Feasibility studies

    Who can apply:

      · Village halls (not parish run halls)

      · Community associations

      · Church organisations that have a separate community programme on their property

    Funding criteria:

      · For projects costing less than £15,000, the funding criteria is up to one third of the cost.

      · For projects costing more than £15,000, the grant is calculated at 50% of the combined district and parish contribution up to a maximum of 25% of the project costs or £12,500, whichever is the lesser.

      · Feasibility studies - applications will be considered for 50% of the cost up to a maximum of £500.

    Priority Criteria:

      1. Health and safety issues that could result in the building being closed or activities seriously curtailed if the work is not carried out.

      2. The work is absolutely essential in order to meet the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act. (It has been widely publicised that these types of buildings will not be closed provided reasonable steps have been taken to meet the terms of the Act).

      3. The project is part of a phased development and this element is essential to it's overall completion.

      4. Non priority work.

Appendix 2

    Summary of grant applications received

Priority 1 Health and Safety

Hall/Centre

District

£

Abbotts Ann War Memorial Hall

Test Valley

9,513

Bighton Village Hall

Winchester

873

Farnborough Baptist Church

Farnborough

1,125

Four Marks Village Hall

East Hampshire

5,550

St Matthews Church Hall, Netley Marsh

New Forest

2,546

 

Total

19,607

Priority 2 Disability Discrimination Act

Hall/Centre

District

£

     

Total

    

Priority 3 Phased Development

Hall/Centre

District

£

Total

    

Priority 4 Applications for General Improvement Works

Hall/Centre

District

£

     

Total

    

Name:

Abbotts Ann War Memorial Hall

Consultation:

The local member, Councillor Michael Woodhall, has been consulted.

Project:

Complete overhaul of the roof, including modern insulation.

Priority:

1 - Health and Safety

Criteria:

Building repairs, extensions and refurbishment.

Equipment to improve the building and increase usage.

Corporate Priority

Equalities Assessment

Improving buildings to provide excellent local facilities.

Organisation defined as a Village Hall Trust. Objects include an equalities statement.

Users defined as Children/Young people/Elderly/Old People
/General public/Mankind

Cost:

£38,054

General Reserves:

£13,000

Project Reserves:

£10,000 of the above reserves have been allocated to this project

Statement:

The roof is over 50 years old and needs regular maintenance. With new legislation requiring scaffold erection each time a repair is carried out, costs have escalated.

Funding:

Abbotts Ann War Memorial Hall Committee £9,514

Abbotts Ann Parish Council £4,756

Test Valley Borough Council £14,270

Recommendation:

£9,513 as 50% of the combined Borough and Parish Council contributions subject to confirmation.

Name:

Bighton Village Hall

Consultation:

The local member, Councillor Jackie Porter, has been consulted and she supports the application.

Project:

Replace worn out flat roofs on part of the village hall.

Priority:

1 - Health and safety

Criteria:

Building repairs, extensions and refurbishment

Equipment to improve the building and increase usage

Corporate Priority

Equalities Assessment

Improving buildings to provide excellent local facilities.

.

This project will improve the facilities and extend their use to the community.

Organisation defined as a Village Hall Trust. Objects include an equalities statement.

Users defined as Other defined groups/General public/Mankind.

Cost:

£2,620

General Reserves:

£5,500

Project Reserves:

£1,347 of the above reserves have been allocated to this project.

Statement:

Roofs are leaking and beyond repair.

Funding:

Bighton Parish Council £400

Recommendation:

£873 as one third of the total project cost.

Name:

Farnborough Baptist Church

Consultation:

The local member, Councillor Pat Devereux, has been consulted.

Project:

Replacement of heating system.

Priority:

1 - Health and safety

Criteria:

Building repairs, extensions and refurbishment.

Equipment to improve the building and increase usage.

Corporate Priority

Equalities Assessment

Improving buildings to provide excellent local facilities.

.

This project will improve the facilities and extend their use to the community.

Organisation defined as a Church Hall part of the Baptist Union Corporation Limited whose objects are to promote the advancement of the Christian religion especially by the means and in accordance with the principles of the Baptist Denomination.

It should be noted that in addition to use by faith based groups the applicant has demonstrated the church hall is used by the wider community for breakfast and after school clubs, child's play clubs and musical tots groups on a weekly basis and is also used as a meeting venue on a regular basis by groups such as North Camp Matters Association, the Borough Council and CREW awareness.

Drinking and smoking is not allowed on the premises.

Objects do not include an equalities statement.

Users defined as general public/mankind

Cost:

£3,376

General Reserves:

£4,379

Project Reserves:

£2,251 of the above reserves have been allocated to this project.

Statement:

The heating system has failed and has to be replaced as the building is used every school day by three different community groups which cannot function without heating in the cold weather.

Funding:

No other funders have been approached.

Recommendation:

£1,125 as one third of total project costs.

Name:

Four Marks Village Hall

Consultation:

The local member, Councillor Mark Kemp-Gee, has been consulted.

Project:

Refurbishment of kitchen.

Priority:

1 - Health and safety.

Criteria:

Building repairs, extensions and refurbishment.

Equipment to improve the building and increase usage.

Corporate Priority

Equalities Assessment

Improving buildings to provide excellent local facilities.

This project will improve the facilities and extend their use to the community.

Organisation defined as a Village Hall. Objects do not include an equalities statement.

Users defined as general public/mankind.

Cost:

£18,200.

General Reserves:

£15,315

Project Reserves:

£4,000 of the above have been allocated to support the project.

Statement:

Current kitchen is old and worn out and does not meet modern health, safety and hygiene requirements. Facilities and equipment do not meet the needs of hall users.

Funding:

East Hampshire District Council £9,100

Four Marks Parish Council £2,000 Confirmed

Four Marks Village Hall Committee £4,000

Recommendation:

A maximum of £5,550 as 50% of combined District and Parish Council contributions subject to confirmation.

Name:

St Matthews Church Hall, Netley Marsh

Consultation:

The local member, Councillor Mel Kendal, has been consulted.

Project:

Refurbishment of toilets

Priority:

1 - Health and safety.

Criteria:

Building repairs, extensions and refurbishment.

Equipment to improve the building and increase usage.

Corporate Priority

Equalities Assessment

Improving buildings to provide excellent local facilities.

Organisation defined as a Church Hall and part of the Winchester Diocese whose objects are to promote, aid and further the objects and work of the Church of England, particularly in the Diocese of Winchester. It should be noted that in addition to use by faith based groups the applicant has demonstrated the church hall is used by the wider community including line dancing and yoga groups along with scouts, cubs, beavers, guides, brownies and a stay and play after school club. There is also a Tuesday Club meeting which is for the general public.

Users defined as other defined groups.

Objects do not include an equalities statement

Cost:

£7,640

General Reserves:

£5,420

Project Reserves:

£5,094 of the above reserves have been allocated to this project

Statement:

The toilet facilities are dilapidated and beyond repair. The current facilities prove detrimental to our ability to rent the hall out.

Funding:

No other funding has been sought.

Recommendation:

£2,546 as one third of the total project cost.