Issue - meetings

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) on a review of the purpose of the fund and the split of that funding.

(1)     The Cabinet recommended to the Hatfield Community Sports Fund Board that no further applications or allocation of the Fund be considered or made whilst a review of the Fund takes place, save that any current funding applications up to the date of the Cabinet meeting that were in the process of being reviewed, be allocated as deemed appropriate by the Board.

(2)     The Cabinet agreed that this review would include meeting with the current Board member organisations as well as associated partners, which included the University of Hertfordshire, Sport England, the Rugby Football Union and Football Association. 

(3)     The Cabinet agreed that the review would focus on the purpose of the fund, how the fund was allocated and the split between football, rugby and community sport.

(4)     The Cabinet agreed that the review of the Fund would not include any changes to the geographical area of the Fund.

(5)     The Cabinet agreed that on the conclusion of the review a further report would be brought to the Cabinet to make recommendations on the future operation of the Fund.

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) on a review of the purpose of the fund and the split of that funding.

In 2016 it was agreed that the University of Hertfordshire would contribute £1.4M to a fund managed by the Council on behalf of the newly formed Hatfield Community Sports Fund with the Board being overseen by the Local Strategic Partnership (Welwyn Hatfield Alliance).

A proportion of the fund had been ring-fenced specifically for football and also for rugby, with the remaining funds being made available, via a grants system administered by the Board, to the wider sporting community of Hatfield.

Since the formation of the fund, there had not been any allocation from the ring fenced funds and only a limited amount of funds had been allocated from the general pot.

At its meeting on 4 September 2019, the Board requested that consideration be given to how the fund could be focussed on projects which would deliver a legacy/long term structural benefit to the community rather than short term projects, initiatives and events.

Additionally the Board wanted to agree on a way to improve recording the tangible outcomes of funded projects and how these were reported.

The Council was currently in the process of completing a sports facilities strategy which might affect where funds could/should be allocated. As such it now seemed timely to review the purpose of the fund, how the funds were allocated and the split of that funding.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Cabinet recommends to the Hatfield Community Sports Fund Board that no further applications or allocation of the Fund be considered or made whilst a review of the fund took place, save that any current funding applications (up to the date of this meeting) that were in the process of being reviewed, be allocated as deemed appropriate by the Board.

(2)       That the Cabinet agrees that this review would include meeting with the current Board member organisations as well as associated partners, which included the University of Hertfordshire, Sport England, the Rugby Football Union and the Football Association. 

(3)       That the Cabinet agrees that the review would focus on the purpose of the fund, how the funds were allocated and the split between football, rugby and community sport.

(4)       That the Cabinet agrees that the review of the fund would not include any changes to the geographical area of where the fund could be spent as set out in the report to the Council’s Development Management Committee in February 2016 and as in Appendix One to the report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities).

(5)       That the Cabinet agrees that on the conclusion of the review a further report would be brought to the Cabinet to make recommendations on the future operation of the fund.

(Note:  Councillor S.Boulton declared an interest in this item – Minute 51 refers).