Agenda item

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

 

Members received a report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) which detailed the applications that had been received for Small Community Grants and Youth Grants.

 

The 2020/21 Small Community Grants Criteria had been slightly adjusted to provide opportunities for those community organisations who have been negatively affected by COVID-19 to apply for assistance.

 

There was £247,400 in total available during the financial year 2020/21 to be awarded through the grants process.

 

£175,034 of this was ring fenced for the distribution of Annual Grants payments to those organisations awarded their grant during the 2019/20 awarding judgement period.

In 2020/21 there would be no Queens Jubilee Awards being distributed. These funds (£6,000) would be moved into the Small Community Grants pot.

This means that £52,366 was available for the Grants board to distribute to organisations requesting funding through the Small Community Grants fund.

The remaining £20,000 was allocated to the Youth Action Fund for 2021.

Both Youth Action Grants and Small Community Grants were limited to a maximum of £2,000 per application, however the Board was able to increase this should they deem it appropriate.

 

In the first round of Small Community Grants back in August 2020 the Grants Board awarded a total of £19,815. Leaving a total of £32,551 available to be distributed during round two of the Small Community Grants fund.

 

This was the first round of funding for the Youth Action Grant.

 

In total £20,130 has been applied for in this round of funding for the Small Community Grant Applications.

 

Small Community Grants Round Two

 

Digswell Archive

 

Digswell Archive had submitted an application for a grant of £1000 to cover expenses relating to setting up the database of historical information through a website.

 

The Board felt that bit was a good application and liked the idea of encouraging young people to get involved in local history.

 

AGREED a grant of £1000.

 

Falcon Judo Club

 

Falcon Judo Club had submitted an application for a grant of £2000 for the cost of renting the hall and to cover costs generated by the Covid-19 situation. The grant would also be used to retrain volunteers and subsidise membership and equipment for vulnerable children.

 

The Board felt that the application was good and full of enthusiasm and that the group was inclusive.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

Herts Ability

 

Herts Ability had submitted an application for a grant of £2000 for staff costs, rent and overheads and equipment costs.

 

The Board were aware that this organisation had been providing a great service for many years, helping the elderly and disabled community.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

 

Hertfordshire Boat Rescue

 

Hertfordshire Boat rescue had applied for a grant of £1790 towards the cost of Support Centre rent, vehicle and boat insurance, building service charge, fuel, floating lines, flood rescue boat craft and boat maintenance.

 

The Board felt that this was a good application and were glad that the group had reapplied for this grant.

 

AGREED a grant of £1790.

 

Welwyn Rugby Football Club

 

Welwyn Rugby Football Club had submitted an application for a grant of £2000 towards the construction of two disabled toilets.

 

The Board felt that this was a positive project and the construction of disabled toilets would encourage inclusiveness.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

 

Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club

 

Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club had submitted an application for a grant of £2000 towards the cost of constructing a concrete base upon which an external storage unit could be built. The storage unit would be used to securely store hire bikes and other equipment.

 

The Board queried that only 24% of the group’s membership lived in the local area.

Officers explained that due to an error the group initially made regarding the postal area, in actual fact an additional 31% lived in the local area bringing the total to 45%. In addition the expectation was that non-members would increase this to over 50%.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000 with the condition that the organisation recognises that it was expected that over 50% of users would be from the Welwyn Hatfield area in order to meet the criteria for receiving a grant.

 

Film Skool Deluxe

 

Film School Deluxe had submitted an application for a grant of £1960 towards equipment hire, the cost of hiring tutors/filmmakers and the cost of DVD duplication and editing hire.

 

The Board were concerned that it was a new project and felt that there was not enough evidence of preparation. They did however feel that it could be a good new project for young people. The Board would be very interested in the post-delivery report produced from this project.

 

AGREED a grant of £1960.

 

North Mymms Youth Project

 

North Mymms Youth Project has submitted an application for a grant of £1400 for camping equipment.

 

The Board were very impressed with this group and the variety of activities for young people.

 

The Board commented that they would like the project to encourage more diversity in their user ship.

 

AGREED a grant of £1400.

 

Panshanger Football Club

 

Panshanger Football Club had submitted a grant application for £2000 to pay for additional pitches to be hired.

 

The Board were fully supportive of this project which encouraged young people to be active outdoors.

 

The Board would like to request that the club started to collect ethnicity data.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

 

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge

 

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge had submitted a grant application for £2000 towards staffing costs for mental health and wellbeing.

 

The Board felt that this was a really important service.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Small Community Grants should be paid as follows:

 

Organisation	Amount Sought (£)	Amount Granted (£)
Digswell Archive	1000	1000
Falcon Judo Club	2000	2000
Herts Ability	2000	2000
Hertfordshire Boat Rescue	1790	1790
Welwyn Rugby Football Team	2000	2000
Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club	2000	2000
Film Skool Deluxe	1960	1960
North Mymms Youth Project	1400	1400
Panshanger Football Club	2000	2000
Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge	2000	2000
Total Grants Awarded		18150

 

 

Youth Action Grants Round One

 

FK Dance Academy

 

FK Dance Academy had submitted an application for a grant of £2000 towards the cost of teachers, studio costs, promotional material, and staff admin.

 

AGREED a grant of £2000.

 

Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club

 

Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club had submitted an application for a grant of £1940 towards the cost of coaching courses and building materials.

 

AGREED a grant of £1940 with the condition that the organisation recognises that it was expected that over 50% of users would be from the Welwyn Hatfield area in order to meet the criteria for receiving a grant.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Youth Action Grants should be paid as follows:

Organisation	Amount Sought (£)	Amount Awarded (£)
FK Dance Academy	2000	2000
Welwyn Wheelers Cycling Club	1940	1940
Total Grant’s Awarded		3940