Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1 This report considers applications received for financial assistance for 2008/09 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) Applications covered in Report:

Organisation	Proposed allocation £
Hampshire Conservation Volunteers	500
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust	11,000
Marwell Zoo	41,000
Butterfly Conservation	1,500
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers	18,000
Total	72,000

3) Recommendations:

3.1 That 5 grants totalling £72,000 are distributed from the 2008/09 budget as set out in Appendix 1

MAIN REPORT

1) Background / Contextual Information:

1.1 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.

1.2 In view of current spending pressures the recommendation is that the grants awarded for 2008/09 should be at the same level as 2007/08. A review of the funding arrangements was carried out in the year and there have been some changes made to the manner of funding. This year we have required the organisations to submit an application form.

1.3 Also this year we have required the largest three of the grant receiving organisations - Marwell Zoo; British Trust for Conservation Volunteer and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust - to submit their business plans as a basis of their grant. The payment will therefore be linked to specific outcomes as set out in those plans.

2) Budget Position:

2.1. The base budget for grants in 2008/09 is £72,000. The amount recommended is £72,000.

3) Legal Implications:

3.1. 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, S.2(4) of the Act enables the County Council to enter into arrangements or agreements with any person, and give financial assistance, for these purposes. Guidance issued by the Secretary of State confirms that this power can be used to contribute funding to groups and bodies if the authority is satisfied that this contributes to the economic social or environmental well being of its area. This is considered to be the case here, where the activities of the groups in question help the achievement of the aims of the Council's Community Strategy, particularly in relation to the conservation of natural resources.

4) Impact Assessment:

4.1 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.

5) Recommendations:

5.1. Please see the Executive Summary for the recommendations

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

DETAILS OF GRANT APPLICATIONS:

Schedule of Countryside Grants 2008/09

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