Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

Decision Maker:

Executive Member for Recreation, Heritage and

Communities

Date of Decision:

23 April 2009

Decision Title:

Community Buildings Fund 2009/10

Decision reference:

662

Report from

Director of Recreation and Heritage

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 2009/10 and details requests for partnership funding from this fund.

2) Applications considered in this report :

Hall/Centre

District

£

Easton Village Hall

Winchester

4,875

Greatham Village Hall

East Hampshire

6,750

Havant United Reform Church

Havant

4,965

Ropley Parish Hall

East Hampshire

12,500

Rotherwick Village Hall

Hart

2,500

St Leonard's, Oakley

Basingstoke and Deane

12,500

St Mary Bourne Village Centre

Basingstoke and Deane

12,500

Soberton Village Hall

Winchester

397

Total

56,987

3) Recommendation:

    3.1 That partnership funding totalling £56,987 as listed above be approved for allocation from the Community Buildings Fund for 2009/10.

    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 2009/10

      ii) to provide details of requests for partnership funding from the Community Buildings Fund in 2009/10

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 £80,000 has been set aside in the 2009/10 Recreation and Heritage Capital Programme to support the Community Buildings Fund in 2009/10. In this report it is proposed to allocate £56,987. This will leave £23,013 to support applications for the rest of this financial year through to 31 March 2010.

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 £56,987 as listed below be approved for allocation from the Community Buildings Fund for 2009/10.

Hall/Centre

District

£

Easton Village Hall

Winchester

4,875

Greatham Village Hall

East Hampshire

6,750

Havant United Reform Church

Havant

4,965

Ropley Parish Hall

East Hampshire

12,500

Rotherwick Village Hall

Hart

2,500

St Leonard's Oakley

Basingstoke and Deane

12,500

St Mary Bourne Village Centre

Basingstoke and Deane

12,500

Soberton Village Hall

Winchester

397

Total

56,987

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

LINKS TO THE CORPORATE STRATEGY

     

Yes

No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

        

Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)

        
         

Maximising well-being

        

Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)

        
         

Enhancing our quality of place

    

ü

  

Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)

        
         

    
     
 

OTHER SIGNIFICANT LINKS:

Links to Previous member decisions:

Title

Ref

Date

     
     
     

Direct Links to Specific Legislation or Government Directives

Title

Date

   
   
   

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 in the preparation of this report. (NB: the list excludes published works and any documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.)

 

    Document

    Location

    Applications for financial assistance

    Community Support Service

    Recreation and Heritage Department

    Mottisfont Court

    Winchester

   

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 Easton Village Hall

Consultation The local member, Councillor Mrs Porter, has been consulted.

Project The demolition and rebuilding of Easton Village Hall

Cost £400,000

General Reserves £70,000

Project Reserves £300,000 (Cash and firm pledges)

Statement The current building is beyond economic repair.

Partnership Funding Winchester City Council £6,500 (confirmed)

                Itchen Valley Parish Council £3,250 (confirmed)

                National Lottery £10,000 (applied for)

Recommendation Up to £4,875 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution up to a maximum of £12,500

Name Greatham Village Hall & Playing Fields

Consultation The local member, Councillor Michael Cartwright, has been consulted.

Project To extend the hall providing the following:

                      i. New disabled toilet

                      ii. New male and female toilets and baby change

                      iii. Extend the committee room

                      iv. Extend and improve the kitchen facilities

                      v. Improve lobby entrance area including provision of a cloakroom

Cost £75,000 approx. (3 estimates provided)

General Reserves £50,000 (some required for repairs and maintenance)

Project Reserves £44,000

Statement The hall currently does not comply with current Health and Safety and DDA regulations. Upgrading the facilities will greatly improve the hall and help to increase bookings.

Partnership Funding Greatham Parish Council £3,500 (to be confirmed)

                East Hampshire District Council £10,000 (confirmed)

Recommendation Up to £6,750 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution up to a maximum of £12,500

Name Havant United Reform Church - Havant Meeting Place

Consultation Cllr David Gillett

Project To complete some of the internal refurbishment of the building i.e. Kitchen fittings, P. a system, and furniture and fittings

Cost £14,895

General Reserves £120,000

Project Reserves £110,000 for whole building project

Statement This is the final phase of a major refurbishment project of the halls, kitchen and toilets which are used by numerous community groups such as Age Concern, preschool. The project will improve access for the elderly and disabled giving access to a comfortably furnished first floor lounge

Partnership Funding None

Recommendation Up to £4965 as one third of the project costs

Name Ropley Parish Hall

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

Project Total refurbishment of the Parish Hall

Cost £110,000 (Phase1)

General Reserves £10,000

Project Reserves £21,000

Statement The hall provides the focal point for village life. Current usage is constrained by inadequate facilities and general poor ambience of the building.

Partnership Funding East Hampshire District Council £10,000 (to be confirmed)

                Ropley Parish Council £60,000 (confirmed)

                HIWCF Grass Roots £5,000 (to be confirmed)

Recommendation £12,500 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution up to a maximum of £12,500

Name Rotherwick Village Hall

Consultation The local member, Councillor Jonathan Glen, has been consulted.

Project Refurbish the ladies changing room, baby change and toilets. Create a secure store room.

Cost £22,937

General Reserves £27,000

Project Reserves £8,000

Statement This part of the building has not been updated since 1978. It does not meet current health and safety standards.

Partnership Funding Rotherwick Parish Council £5,000 (confirmed)

                HIWCF Grass Roots £5,000 (to be confirmed)

Recommendation Up to £2,500 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution up to a maximum of £12,500

Name St Leonard's Centre, Oakley

Consultation The local member, Councillor Mrs McNair Scott, has been consulted.

Project To rebuild and fit out annex to church and community centre. Refurbish and modernise the existing centre.

Cost £590,000

General Reserves £4,000

Project Reserves £385,000 (gifts)

Statement The wooden annex is coming to the end of its life and needs rebuilding to continue to serve the community.

Partnership Funding Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council £25,000 (applied for)

                S106 Developer Contributions £12,000 (applied for)

                Church and Community Funds £12,000 (applied for)

                Winchester Diocese Loan of up to £200,000 (confirmed)

Recommendation Up to £12,500 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution up to a maximum of £12,500

Name St Mary Bourne Village Centre

Consultation The local member, Councillor John Maxwell, has been consulted.

Project To extend and refurbish the kitchen at the village hall.

Cost £65,000

General Reserves £33,000

Project Reserves £16,250

Statement The kitchen and equipment date from 1993. The equipment is out of date and there is now insufficient space. The improvements will enable the trustees to increase overall income from functions etc.

Partnership Funding Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council £25,000 (confirmed)

                Grass Roots £5,000 (to be confirmed)

                Awards for All £10,000 (to be confirmed)

                Esmee Fairbairn £2,000 (to be confirmed)

Recommendation Up to £12,500 as 50% of the combined District and Parish Council contribution

Name Soberton Village Hall

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

Project To replace flooring in the men's toilet.

Cost £1,190.33

General Reserves £2,000

Project Reserves £800

Statement The current flooring was laid years ago and needs replacing for health and safety reasons.

Partnership Funding

Recommendation Up to £397 as one third of project costs.