Agenda item

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

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

 

The report noted that small Community Grants were limited to a maximum of £2,000 per application.  There was £39,000 in total available during the financial year 2018/19 to be awarded through the Small Community Grants of which £12,199.32 had already been awarded this financial year and this left £26,800.68 to be awarded.

 

In total £24,919.32 had been applied for in this round of funding.

 

The Council looked to support projects which helped achieve at least one of the following priority areas: Our Community, Our Environment, Our Housing, Our Economy, Our Council.

 

Members noted that any leftover funds following allocation would be brought back into the Council’s general fund.

 

Bishop’s Hatfield Girl’s School

 

An application had been received for the amount of £750 towards weekly tuition by a local dance and fitness instructor at the Satellite Club (an initiative by Herts Sports Partnership) within the school for vulnerable pupils. 

 

Members supported the principle of the project but commented that they were unable to agree the grant. They felt that the project would not benefit the wider community and that financial assistance could be sought from Hertfordshire County Council as well as the County Councillors Locality Budget.

 

REFUSED the application.

 

Cuffley Hall

 

An application had been received for the amount of £1,000 towards the purchase of a scrubbing and polishing machine to maintain the flooring in areas for Hall activities by Cuffley residents.

 

Members supported the application as it met the criteria and would ensure the continuation of the hall being open for all of the community. 

 

AGREED a grant of £1,000.

 

De Havilland Primary School

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards the lease of a mini-bus, including insurance, petrol and funding for staff to attend a driving course. The mini-bus would provide transport for sporting activities and outdoor learning and ensure that all children have the same opportunity.

 

AGREED the grant of £2,000 subject to the guarantee by the school that the wider community would be able to hire the bus in the evenings or weekends for a fee, which in turn would help with the ongoing costs of running the bus.

 

Druglink

 

An application had been received for the amount of £1,900 towards purchasing 50 monthly memberships at Hatfield Leisure and Swim Centre and 20 memberships, encouraging homeless ex-offenders of the “Gateway” housing project to take up healthy activity.

 

Members supported the application, which had been well submitted, and promoted health and wellbeing for a vulnerable group in the community.

 

AGREED the grant of £1,900.

 

Excite-ed Community Interest Company

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards delivering six online safety training sessions for practitioners working with children and young people (CYP), such as social workers, Cubs, Scouts and Guides.

 

Members supported the application as it promoted the development of safe online behaviours in a challenging and ever-changing digital world. However they felt that practitioners such as teachers and social workers ought to receive training by other means, whereas voluntary groups (such as Cubs, Scouts and Guides) and parents were in most need.

 

AGREED a grant of £2,000 subject to the condition that the training was delivered to voluntary groups and parents only and that this was evidenced in the feedback.

 

Falcon Judo Club

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards providing a separate section for children with Special Education Needs (SEN), called “Eagles”. The funds would go towards a judo suit, British Judo Council license as well as training two coach assistants. 

 

Members considered it a good application as the club aimed to become very inclusive, with children with additional needs being able to develop their life skills and self-confidence.

 

AGREED a grant of £2,000 subject to further information, as requested by Members.

 

Footsteps Pre-Nursery

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards enhancing the play area of the Nursery. Specifically to replace temporary fencing that was set up and put away each day to facilitate children to play outside in safety whilst retaining access for the general public outside of Nursery times.

 

Members commented that they were unable to agree the grant, as financial assistance could be sought from Hertfordshire County Council. Members expressed concern that the nursery could not guarantee the safety of the children outside due to poor fencing and it was agreed that as a safeguarding issue, Hertfordshire County Council would be notified.

 

REFUSED the application.

 

Lemsford Football Club

 

An application had been received for the amount of £950 towards providing coaching fees, training costs and training equipment.

 

Members supported the application because it would allow the club to continue to supply football and training for the next year. Some Members expressed concern over the way the application had been completed and it was agreed that advice would be given in the future in such instances.

 

AGREED a grant of £950.

 

North Mymms Scout Group

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards improving and updating the electrical system at the Scout Hut

 

Members supported the application because updating the electrical system would allow the group to continue to offer Scouting to the local community and the wider use of the Scout Hut, particularly by North Mymms Youth Project. Again, some Members expressed concern over the way the application had been completed and it was agreed that advice would be given in the future in such instances.

 

AGREED a grant of £2,000.

 

Panshanger Primary School PTA

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards materials and labour costs to replace wood panelling around the on-site swimming pool (which was for the school but also available for private hire).

 

Members were unable to agree the grant as the school had applied for a grant in 2017 which was subsequently agreed by the Council and therefore they could not apply again within a 24 month period.  Members also expressed disappointment that the pool was not promoted enough to the wide community.

 

REFUSED the application.

 

Parish of Hatfield Hyde

 

An application had been received for the amount of £1,400 towards providing hand driers in the toilets both for use within the church and the church hall.

 

Members supported the application as it would improve the facilities on offer in the church and church hall, which was a hub of the community. Concerns were raised with regards to ongoing costs and maintenance of the driers. 

 

AGREED the grant of £1,400 subject to a quotation for the hand driers and assurance for the ongoing costs, such as electricity and maintenance.

 

Potential Kids

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards providing funds to secure the physical space needed to provide social activities to children on the autistic spectrum and with ADHD and also to their Parents/Carers and siblings.

 

Members supported the application, which was very well submitted, as the project supported building life skills, peer relationships and promoted inclusion.

 

AGREED the grant of £2,000.

 

The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living

 

An application had been received for the amount of £1,490 towards funding the shortfall between fees charged to participants and direct costs of running a programme in Northaw Village Hall for older people with mobility problems or who were living with long term conditions. 

 

Members supported the application as the programme was open to all and reduced social isolation. 

 

AGREED the grant of £1,490 subject to the condition that the centre seek match funding from Hertsmere Borough Council due to the number of residents attending the programme from outside of Welwyn Hatfield. 

 

Welwyn Garden City Music Society

 

An application had been received for the amount of £1,429 towards the costs of three rehearsals to prepare for the Children’s Concert and the concert itself, with the aim of enabling children in Welwyn Hatfield to hear a full symphony orchestra perform live locally.

 

Members felt that the project did not meet the criteria and were of the view that the project would only benefit a small section of the community. The Board did not subsidise temporary organisations or one off events.

 

REFUSED the application.

 

Welwyn Hatfield Sport and Physical Activity Alliance (WHSPAA)

 

An application had been received for the amount of £2,000 towards providing a brand new web site, which would be mobile friendly.

 

Members understood that the Council worked in partnership with the WHSPAA and supported the application as around 250 clubs in the borough would benefit from the updated website providing support on a range of areas such as funding opportunities, project involvement and coach education courses.

 

AGREED the grant of £2,000.

 

RESOLVED that grants should be paid as follows:

 

Organisation	Grant sum applied for	Amount Agreed
Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School	£750	£0.00
Cuffley Hall	£1,000	£1,000.00
De Havilland Primary School	£2,000	£2,000.00
Druglink	£1,900	£1,900.00
Excite-ed	£2,000	£2,000.00
Falcon Judo Club	£2,000	£2,000.00
Footsteps Pre-Nursery	£2,000	£0.00
Lemsford Football Club	£950	£950.00
North Mymms Scout Group	£2,000	£2,000.00
Panshanger Primary School PTA	£2,000	£0.00
Parish of Hatfield Hyde	£1,400	£1,400.00
Potential Kids	£2,000	£2,000.00
The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living	£1,490	£1,490.00
Welwyn Garden City Music Society	£1,429	£0.00
WHSPAA	£2,000	£2,000.00

 

A discussion followed about the scoring matrix that was used to assist Members when considering grant applications.  There were concerns that some of those awarded funding had scored low on the matrix and in the interests of accountability of the Board they requested that:

 

•      If necessary, Officers contact applicants to ensure that the form was completed in full.

•      Officers create an information pack to guide those at the point of application.

•      That comments on the scoring matrix as well as the grant application form, be brought back to the next meeting of the Board for review in the next municipal year.