Agenda and minutes

To note any apologies.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor A.Dennis.

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

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

Members to receive an update on the Small Community Grants application for Herts Phoenix (see application in part II of agenda) and to consider an application from the previous round.

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) detailing two applications for Small Community Grants 2021/22 – Round One.

£50,000 was available in total during the financial year 2021/22 to be awarded through the grants process.

Herts Phoenix - £2,000

Members received an update on the application as it was previous discussed at the meeting in July and a decision to award a grant remained pending.

The project would improve the trackside hut and stores at Gosling Sports Park as part of a bigger project to improve the track and sporting facilities.

The following points were noted:

•    Herts Phoenix do not have a lease with Gosling Sports Park and club would be unable to benefit from improvements funded by the grant should they be unable to continue at Gosling Sport Park. 

•    There was an option to ask Herts Phoenix to re-apply for the next round, (due to close in November 2021), once they had put more formal arrangements in place for their tenancy at Gosling Sport Park.

•    Officers confirmed that the grant funding would be used for facilities not provided (or expected to be provided) by Gosling.

AGREED a grant of £2,000.

WGC Youth FC - £2,000

The project would develop opportunities for players aged 14 and upwards to become young leaders and support the Foundation Phase coaches and players at training sessions. It would also establish an FA Playmaker cohort each year.

Members noted that this application was outstanding from the first round as it was missed due to an administrative error.

The following point was noted:

•    Members were fully supportive of the project which sought to increase outdoor youth activities and team sport participation in the community.

AGREED a grant of £2,000.

RESOLVED:

That Small Grants should be paid as follows (out of a budget £50,000):

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) detailing the applications for COVID-19 Relief Grants.

An opportunity arose to be part of a joint bid to Hertfordshire’s Health Protection Board, for money from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) to enhance the Council’s Community Grants programme and help support capacity within local charitable and voluntary organisations in connection with Covid-19 infection control and recovery.

The Council was successful in a joint bid considered at the Health Protection Board on 25 May 2021. As a result, the Council had been awarded £100,000 to distribute as grant support to local charitable and voluntary organisations, who meet the criteria of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) scheme.

Cabinet agreed that that the grants should be made available through the community grant programme and overseen by the Grants Board.

The money was now available to the Council and will need to be issued by 31 December 2021.

This was the first round of funding for the Covid-19 Relief Community Grants. A second round of funding was now open and will close on 7 November 2021 prior to judgement on 13 December 2021.

In total £50,430 had been applied for in the round of funding for the Covid-19 Relief Community Grant Applications.

Cruse Bereavement Care Hertfordshire - £5,000

The grant would be used to continue to recruit volunteers and train those and existing volunteers in the use of technology to deliver a Covid safe support service.

A grant would enable them to continue to support bereaved people either on a one-to-one basis for 6 sessions with a named volunteer or through an online group with other bereaved people.

The following points were noted:

•    Members queried why more funding was not requested but noted that the organisation could apply for further funding in the next round.

AGREED a grant of £5,000.

Druglink - £10,000

The grant would cover costs of materials used in projects for rough sleepers and tablets to provide wider support.

They housed rough sleepers in response to the Government's initiative to get people inside during the pandemic. The organisation provided extra staff and round the clock cover to ensure that residents were sticking to the Government's call to stay in lockdown.

The following points were noted:

•    It was noted that Druglink were heavily supported by Hertfordshire County Council.

•    It was noted that the tablets could be used for searching for jobs, checking appointments, helping people to have access to the internet and communication support.

•    Members discussed a preference not to fund salaries but recognised that in some cases funding of staff costs was required to ensure services were delivered.

AGREED a grant of £10,000.

Home Start Herts - £5,430

The grant would be used for building resources back up, both financial resource and staff/volunteer resource in order to achieve objectives of providing support for parents at the earliest opportunity, so they can give their children the best start in life.

1) Recruit and train a new cohort of volunteer mentors to help clear waiting list that was building and take action before families went  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.