Agenda item

Report of the Director (Finance and Operations) detailing the applications for Community Grants.

Members were provided with answers to the questions that they had posed to Douglas Tilbe House concerning evaluations of the service, confidentiality, level of unrestricted reserves, fund-raising activities and whether funding was being sought from the County Council. 

 

Members were content with the answers and confirmed release of funds on the basis of them.

 

Members received applications for Community Grants which totalled £8,696 and there was budget available of £9,952.

 

3^rd Hatfield Air Scout Group

 

An application was received for an amount of £300 towards providing extra leaders for group members with additional needs and financial support for families on low income.

 

Members were supportive of this application which was a first from this group, for a relatively low amount of money and which supported young people, those with additional needs and those who might need financial support. 

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £300.

 

Breaks Manor Youth

 

An application was received for £2,000 to be used as a contribution towards the refurbishment of a kitchen which would be used, in part, for a project to focus on healthy living including the preparation of meals, use of healthy ingredients and budgeting for young people.

 

Members considered this application carefully as there was some concern that this project should be funded by the County Council rather than Welwyn Hatfield.  However, they felt that the project to encourage young people to cook and eat well was a positive initiative.  They also recognised that the kitchen would be available for other community groups and would be designed to provide disability access.

 

Members requested that evidence be provided of the costs of the kitchen refurbishment.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £2,000 subject to the evidence of the project costs being submitted.

 

Friendship House

 

An application was received for the amount of £600 for the repair of a dishwasher.

 

Members noted that, whilst the amount seemed high for a repair, the dishwasher was an industrial model.

 

Members noted that the application was not for the full amount of the repair and that Friendship were able to fund the difference from their own funds.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £600.

 

Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club

 

An application had been received for £1,296 which would be part funding for a new sight screen.

 

Members noted that this was first time application from this group and that there were several junior teams and over 75 senior players so providing a sporting facility for the community.

 

A suggestion was made that members of the club could be asked to contribute to buy this equipment, but it was felt that this would be a financial burden that many could not afford and could lead to members leaving.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £1,296.00.

 

Home Start Welwyn Hatfield

 

An application had been received for £2,000 to help pay for training, rent, salaries, insurance and other office running costs.

 

Members expressed some concerns about this application for the following reasons:

 

1.    Home Start Welwyn Hatfield would be joining with other Home Start groups in Hertfordshire and there was concern that any grant would not be used for Welwyn Hatfield residents.

2.    There was some concern about the small number of residents being supported.

3.    This work was predominantly a County Council responsibility.

 

Officers commented that, when deciding whether or not to support this application, Members should consider if the project was a Welwyn Hatfield priority.

 

However, despite these reservations, Members felt that as a caring authority, support should be given, with conditions attached.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £2,000 subject to the funds being ring-fenced for Welwyn Hatfield residents only and on the understanding that this would be a one-off grant to help Home Start Welwyn Hatfield through the transition from County Council funded to the new Hertfordshire wide group.

 

Parkrun

 

An application for £1,000 had been received as one off start-up funding to purchase equipment for a new parkrun in Hatfield.

 

Members were supportive of this application but expressed concern about the incomplete bank details.  They asked officers to obtain full information before releasing any funds.

 

It was noted that, as this was a new project, diversity information was not yet available, but provision of this could be made a condition of the release of any funds.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £1,000 subject to bank details being supplied which are acceptable to the Board and to the submission of diversity information once the group was established.

 

Welwyn Hatfield Sea Cadets

 

An application was received for £1,500 for the purchase of new kayaks.

 

Members were supportive of this application which would contribute to the purchase of the kayaks for young people (10 – 18 years old) in the borough.

 

AGREED a Community Grant of £1,500.

RESOLVED that the following Community Grants be made:

 

3^rd Hatfield Air Scout Group                           £   300.00

Breaks Manor Youth                                       £2,000.00

Friendship House                                            £   600.00

Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club                             £1,296.00

Home Start Welwyn Hatfield                          £2,000.00

Parkrun                                                           £1,000.00

Welwyn Sea Cadets                                       £1,500.00

 

TOTAL                                                                        £8,696.00