Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

Contact name: Margaret Plumridge

Tel: 01962 84 6173 Email [email protected]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area :

1.1 The County Council provides partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund for capital projects to Community Associations, Village Hall Trusts and similar bodies as outlined in the fund's criteria. This enables the voluntary and community sector to maintain the quality of Hampshire's cultural assets, namely community centres and village halls, some of which are listed.

1.2 This report provides details of the financial position of the Community Buildings Fund in 2008/09 and details requests for partnership funding from this fund.

2) Applications considered in this Report :

3) Recommendation:

3.1 That partnership funding totalling £15,164 as listed above be approved for allocation from the Community Buildings Fund for 2008/09.

MAIN REPORT

1. Purpose of the Report :

1.1 The purpose of this report is :

i) to provide details of the financial position of the Community Buildings Fund for 2008/09

ii) to provide details of requests for partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund in 2008/09

2. Background/ Contextual Information :

2.1 The County Council works in partnership with specific community organisations particularly community associations and village hall trusts 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.

2.2 Partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund enables the voluntary and 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 and community sector enable local communities to access the services and facilities they need.

2.3 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 Quality of Place.

3. Budget Position:

3.1 The sum of £100,000 was set aside in the 2008/09 Recreation and Heritage Capital Programme to support the Community Buildings Fund in 2008/09. A further £25,000 from the capital programme carry forward, originally set aside for landlord improvement works to the community centres owned by the county council, has been allocated to support the fund bringing the fund total to £125,000.

3.2 To date, £123,759 has been allocated in this financial year. The unallocated balance of £1,241 is insufficient to meet the recommendations in this report which amount to £15,164. However, a review of the fund for 2004/05 reveals that a number of allocations made in that year have not been followed up suggesting that the schemes did not finally proceed. This would provide sufficient funding to cover the recommendations in this report and possibly for one further allocation in January 2009 but nothing for the scheduled March 2009 meeting.

4. Criteria for Grant:

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

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

5. Other Considerations

5.1 Legal Implications

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.

5.2 Impact Assessment

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 the application procedure includes equalities monitoring information as agreed as part of the corporate review of grants programmes and procedures.

6. Summary Recommendations:

6.1 That partnership funding totalling £15,164 as listed below be approved for allocation from the Community Buildings Fund for 2008/09.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Appendix 1

CRITERIA FOR THESE GRANTS:

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 council 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

Name Fordingbridge and District Community Association (Avonway Community Centre)

Consultation The local member, Councillor Kathy Heron, has been consulted.

Project Third and final stage to replace the heaters throughout the Community Centre

Cost £13,696

General Reserves £1,000

Project Reserves £0

Statement This project will complete the total replacement of the heating system within the community centre including the installation of a second boiler and replacing the gas heaters in the east and north rooms. Without this replacement, part or all of the community centre building would need to be closed as the rooms would be unusable. The association are unable to provide temporary electrical heaters due to the health and safety implications for the children and young people who use this space.

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation £4,565 as one third of project cost.

Name Bramshaw Village Hall Trust

Consultation The local member, Councillor Kathy Heron, has been consulted.

Project Improvements to the Overflow Car Park

i) Skimming to remove treated weed growth

ii) Laying of new surfacing

iii) White lining of parking bays

Cost £12,746

General Reserves £17,000

Project Reserves £8,000

Statement The project will address a number of issues relating to the current car park at the village hall. At present, the overflow car park is unusable due to the uneven nature of the surface and large pot holes which are a hazard to users. This has resulted in congestion in the main car park. Cars are also parking on the main road causing blockages and danger to the New Forest livestock.

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation £4,249 as one third of project cost

Name Copythorne Parish Hall

Consultation The local member, Councillor Kathy Heron, has been consulted.

Project To replace the wooden flooring in the Hall

Cost £2,700

General Reserves £11,997

Project Reserves £1,000

Statement This project will replace the flooring in the main hall to prevent the tripping hazards from the uneven surface. The floor will then be sanded and sealed to prolong its life.

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation £900 as one third of project cost.

Name Ropley Coffee Room

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

Project Replacement of missing and slipped roof tiles

Cost £11,000

General Reserves £10,000

Project Reserves £3,000

Statement The Ropley Coffee Room was built in 1883 and the roof has remained largely untouched since it was built. The timber roofing structure and clay tiles are now decayed or missing and will need to be replaced to avoid the structure collapsing.

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation £2,000 to make up the funding shortfall as requested.

(The village hall trust has also applied for funding from other sources. Consequently though it is eligible for £3,667 i.e. one third of the project cost, the trust has only asked for £2,000 to make the funding up to £11,000.)

Name West Meon Village Hall

Consultation The local member, Councillor Felicity Hindson, has been consulted and she fully supports the application.

Project To replace the heating system throughout the village hall

Cost £10,350

General Reserves £20,400

Project Reserves £10,350

Statement This project will replace the heating system in the main hall and toilets as well as increasing the level of insulation in the ceiling void in order to increase energy efficiency and make the hall useable over the coming winter months.

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation £3,450 as one third of project costs.