Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2021 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2021 (previously circulated) were approved as a correct record.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on the Agenda.

Councillor L.Chesterman declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 9 of the agenda as her husband is a Trustee of the Ludwick Family Centre.

Councillor S.McNamara declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 9 of the agenda as he sits on the Management Committee for the Ludwick Family Centre.

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) detailing the applications for Annual Community Grants.

Eight applications had been received for consideration for Annual Grants for the financial year 2022/23. To ensure that the fund was available widely, the maximum amount that would be supported through the fund would be £20,000 per organisation.

£73,270 was anticipated to be ring fenced for the distribution of Annual Grants payments for the financial year 2022/23.

There were eight applications totalling £148,150 for Annual Grants 2022/23 to be reviewed. That was £74,880 over the total amount of funds available.

Welwyn Hatfield Community and Voluntary Service (CVS) - £ 20,000

The Welwyn Hatfield Community and Voluntary Service provided support and advice to Voluntary and Community Organisations as well as to individuals in Welwyn Hatfield Borough. The organisation assisted members of the community in need and those who were volunteering their services for this purpose.  In addition, WHCVS operates the Community Car Scheme to transport elderly and/or unwell citizens to health related appointments across the county and to specialist London hospitals.

The funding would support the services provided by WHCVS including the Volunteer Centre (recruiting and placing volunteers with charities and community groups), Let's Chat (a telephone befriending service), Community Car Scheme, Blooming Marvelous (gardening service to elderly and disabled people) and Love Welwyn Hatfield (Litter-picking and giving local areas a bit of TLC). The organisation would also provide support to the voluntary sector including DBS checks, providing newsletters, funding information, training, signposting and supporting new embryonic projects/groups.

The following point were noted:

•   Members thought the Community Car Scheme was a fantastic idea especially if hospital appointments were located in Stevenage and Hertford and would like to see it continue.

•   Members also liked the Volunteer Scheme as they worked with volunteers with special needs.

•   Members thought the organisation was professional and presented the application well.

•   Members asked if they could part fund the organisation as there were projects they thought needed funding more than others.  Members agreed to part fund the organisation and were happy to support the Community Car Scheme and the Special needs volunteer scheme.

•   Members were happy to encourage CVS to apply for the Covid Grant. The grant was £10,000 and the closing deadline was 7 November 2021.

AGREED a grant of £13,000 to fund the Community Car Scheme (£5,000) and Supported Volunteer Scheme (£8,000).

Future Living - £ 17,408

Future Living Hertford worked with families who had experienced or witnessed domestic abuse in all its forms.

It provided free to access empowerment programmes for male and female victims of domestic abuse together with weekly personal counselling for trauma.

It provided The Base as part of the service to families including CYP who have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse.

It provided a range of ad hoc projects to support those victims and also people in the community who had complex needs including poor mental health and isolation due to lockdown, these included craft group, cookery skills and art therapy classes.

The following points were noted:

•   Members thought the locations the organisation provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.