Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 5

24 January 2008

Partnership funding for voluntary bodies and other organisations

2007/08 - Countryside Service

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Peter Curbishley ext 845147 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report considers applications received for financial assistance for 2007/08 from voluntary groups and other organisations working in the field of countryside management and conservation. It recommends the distribution of an unchanged £72,000 for the year.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That 5 grants totalling £72,000 are distributed from the 2007/08 budget as set out in Appendix 1

3. Background

3.1 Voluntary organisations working in the County have been invited to apply for funding to assist them with their essential running costs. The organisations concerned make direct contributions to the County Council's Corporate Strategy and in particular, Maximising well-being and Enhancing our quality of place.

3.2 In view of current spending pressures the recommendation is that the grants awarded for 2007/08 should be at the same level as 2006/07. The intention is to undertake a review of all grants awarded by the Countryside Service, in relation to current Service priorities, prior to making any recommendations for 2008/09.

4. Financial situation

4.1 The base budget for grants in 2007/08 is £72,000.

4.2 The amount recommended is £72,000.

5. Legal Implications

5.1 The County Council has the power under the Local Government Act 2000 to do anything that is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of an area. In particular, s2 of the Act enables the County Council to enter into arrangements or agreements with any person, and give financial assistance to any person, for the promotion or improvement of the environmental well being of an area, and for the promotion or improvement of the social wellbeing of an area. Environmental wellbeing includes anything to do the locality and social well being includes heath and living issues.

6. Impact Assessment

6.1 Organisations applying for grants are either open to all the public or accessible to all the public as defined in their objects. Therefore no group or individual should be excluded from any benefit arising from these decisions.

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

NB: the list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents which disclose exempt of confidential information as defined in the Act

TITLE LOCATION

Grant applications Countryside Services, Mottisfont Court, Rm 116

Appendix 1

Schedule of Countryside Grants 2006/07

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

The Trust has enjoyed a close working partnership with the Countryside Service over many years and continues to provide support for a wide range of the County Council's priorities and in particular, working towards stewardship of the environment. The purpose of the grant is to support their programme of conservation work and in particular, their work on a number of nature reserves which are managed on a partnership basis between the Trust and ourselves.

Grant: £11,000

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers BTCV

BTCV is the leading national organisation which promotes and supports the work of conservation volunteers. In Hampshire, the organisation works with around 180 associated community groups and does work with a large number of schools. These activities are supported by a small project team which provides training, advice and other practical help for countryside conservation work in Hampshire. This work is of considerable benefit to the Countryside Service. They have been successful in attracting further outside funding. The purpose of the grant is to enable the Trust to continue its work in promoting local conservation initiatives.

Grant: £18,000

Hampshire Conservation Volunteers

HCV have requested a grant to support their programme of practical conservation work, carried out throughout Hampshire and including several projects on the County Council's countryside sites.

Grant: £500

Marwell Zoological Park

The Park carries out a wide range of educational activities and the grant is to support the conservation work of the Education Department in terms of providing expert led education sessions on a variety of National Curriculum topics.

Grant: £41,000

Butterfly Conservation

This is an independent voluntary organisation concerned with the conservation of butterflies and moths in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Trust is active in this work and has established its own nature reserves in the County. The grant is to assist them in the process of surveying and monitoring of target species of butterflies on sites managed by the Countryside Service.

Grant: £1,500