Agenda item

Community Grants

·       West Wiltshire University of the Third Age - West Wilts U3A Video Streaming Project - £922.80 requested

·       Trowbridge Wanderers Football Club - Trowbridge Wanderers Equipment - £1733.30 requested

·       Trowbridge Rugby Football Club - Trowbridge Rugby Club Play Park - £5000.00 requested

·       Hilperton Village Hall - Hilperton Village Hall New Children’s Play Equipment - £5000.00 requested

·       The Big Community Grow - Jubilee meadow and Nature Trail - £1965.00 requested

·       Collaborative Schools Ltd - Child Friendly Trowbridge Park Signs - £899.50 requested

·       Wiltshire Rural Music - Visible Voices - £1842.00 requested

·       Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - Rejuvenating Trowbridge Town Pond - £5000.00 requested

·       Friends of Southwick Country Park - Purchase of a chainsaw for Friends of

·       Southwick Country Park Local Nature Reserve - £576.00 requested

·       Equinox Explorer Scout Unit - Explorer Scout Paddle Boarding - £4562.50 requested

·       Wiltshire Rural Music - Wiltshire Rural Music IT Resources - £975.00 requested

·       Biss Meadows Country Park - Biss Meadows South Pond enhancement - £1130.00 requested

 

Health and Wellbeing Grants

·       Families Out Loud - Families Out Loud client support and IT project - £5577.00 requested

 

Community Grants

West Wiltshire University of the Third Age - West Wilts U3A Video Streaming Project

£922.80 was requested to pay for equipment to facilitate hybrid meetings to encourage membership back to pre-pandemic figures. On the motion of Councillor Palmen seconded by Councillor Kirk it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £922.80 to West Wiltshire University of the Third Age

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Trowbridge Wanderers Football Club - Trowbridge Wanderers Equipment

£1733.30 was requested to pay for bibs, balls, cones, barriers, goals, and relevant courses for volunteers to attend. The club explained that the pandemic had significantly impacted their income stream which is why they were seeking a grant from the Area Board. On the motion of Councillor Piazza seconded by Councillor Trigg, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £1733.30 to Trowbridge Wanderers Football Club

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Trowbridge Rugby Football Club - Trowbridge Rugby Club Play Park

£5000.00 was requested to refurbish the Rugby Club play park at Doric Park. The applicant clarified this was separate from Trowbridge Town Council’s development at Doric Park and that the park was available for use by the public. There were queries regarding other funding which had been requested, level of and use of club reserves, and involvement of the town council officers supporting clubs to apply to various different funding streams.

 

Assurance was sought and provided that notwithstanding any previous comments, the funding sought would be utilised for refurbishment and replacement of existing equipment only, for the current site. It was explained this was necessary regardless of any future intentions for the site, as the equipment could not wait to be refurbished. Some members were concerned insufficient information had been provided.

 

On the motion of Councillor Palmen seconded by Councillor Vigar it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £5000.00 to Trowbridge Rugby Football Club subject to the condition that the grant is spent on equipment only and is spent on the current play park site.

 

A recorded vote having been requested by the requisite number of members, the votes were as follows.

For: Councillors Jo Trigg, Stewart Palmen, Mel Jacob, David Vigar, Horace Prickett

Against: Councillors Antonio Piazza, Edward Kirk

Abstain: Councillor Ernie Clark

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Hilperton Village Hall - Hilperton Village Hall New Children’s Play Equipment 

£5000.00 was requested for ‘Orchard Mammoth’ play equipment (large equipment with two slides like tusks). The play equipment was described as suitable for 7-14 year olds with a 25 year life span and made from sustainable timber. The applicant outlined that they had applied for a grant from Hilperton Parish Council who agreed contribute. They aimed to have it installed and opened ahead of the Queen’s jubilee celebration. After questions from the Board, it was clarified that their application had a typo, and the play area was definitely for ages 7-14. They also explained that if the application was rejected they did not have any current plans to fill that funding gap. On the motion of Councillor Jacob, seconded by Councillor Palmen, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £5000.00 to Hilperton Village Hall

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Councillors Clark and Kirk requested their votes be recorded, as follows:

Councillor Ernie Clark abstained from the vote.

Councillor Edward Kirk voted against the motion.

 

The Big Community Grow - Jubilee meadow and Nature Trail

£1965.00 was requested to create a trail at the existing Paxcroft Brook Open Space wildflower meadow as well as create a wildflower meadow strip along Leap Gate. This would support wildlife and help people connect with nature as well as adding to the jubilee celebrations. It was clarified that Persimmon own the land and permission was given for it to be used this way as well as funding for signage. On the motion of Councillor Trigg, seconded by Councillor Kirk, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £1965.00 to The Big Community Grow

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

Councillor Jacob requested their vote be recorded, as follows

Councillor Mel Jacob abstained from the vote.

 

Collaborative Schools Ltd - Child Friendly Trowbridge Park Signs

£899.50 was requested to fund 15 Code of Conduct signs for local parks containing conduct principles agreed by Trowbridge Youth Parliament. On the motion of Councillor Piazza, seconded by Councillor Clark, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £899.50 to Collaborative Schools Ltd

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Wiltshire Rural Music - Visible Voices

£1842.00 was requested for their visible voices project which plans to work with people from different communities in Trowbridge to create music about their experience where they are from. This will be supported by local musicians providing them with work. The applicant explained that during the pandemic they were unable to generate income from their hub. Members discussed the pressures faced by the group during the pandemic. On the motion of Councillor Jacob seconded by Councillor Trigg it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £1842.00 to Wiltshire Rural Music

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - Rejuvenating Trowbridge Town Pond

£5000.00 was requested to contribute towards the complete restoration of Trowbridge Town Pond that is being undertaken by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Trowbridge Town Council. Further details were sought on that partnership. It was explained that the Town Council own the pond and the Trust identified it as a high priority area for maximum impact. The current scale of work required goes beyond maintenance that would be expected by the Town Council.

 

The applicant specified that they were in the process of applying for lottery funding. Members discussed approved contributions from the town council and sought details of the increase in costs. The applicant clarified that the charity is a non-profit and works to cost and that they had to revise the costs due to increase in cost of materials. on the motion of Councillor Jacob, seconded by Councillor Palmen, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £5000.00 to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, subject to the condition that they also secure the applied for lottery funding.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

Councillor Kirk requested their vote be recorded, as follows

Councillor Edward Kirk abstained from the vote.

 

Friends of Southwick Country Park - Purchase of a chainsaw for Friends of Southwick Country Park Local Nature Reserve

£576.00 was requested for a chainsaw so that they can carry out essential maintenance required to trees in the park. On the motion of Councillor Clark, seconded by Councillor Vigar, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £576.00 to Friends of Southwick Country Park.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

Councillor Prickett abstained from the vote.

 

Equinox Explorer Scout Unit - Explorer Scout Paddle Boarding

£4562.50 was requested to pay for 10 high quality paddleboards and safety equipment to provide stand up paddleboarding to 13-18 year olds in the West Wilts district. Over 90% of the scouts from this district are from the Trowbridge area. On the motion of Councillor Piazza, seconded by Councillor Jacob, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £4562.50 to Equinox Explorer Scout Unit.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Wiltshire Rural Music - Wiltshire Rural Music IT Resources

£975.00 was requested to purchase a new MacBook Air laptop to store and share the music created through their various programmes. On the motion of Councillor Vigar, seconded by Councillor Palmen, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £975.00 to Wiltshire Rural Music.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Biss Meadows Country Park - Biss Meadows South Pond enhancement

£1130.00 was requested to carry out works on the pond to address decay and return the pond to the diverse habitat it once offered. The works would include a one off reed pond clearance and building a safe platform facility. This would enable them to launch their inflatable dinghy and allow for pond dipping, water sampling, invertebrate studies, photographers and ongoing pond maintenance. On the motion of Councillor Jacob, seconded by Councillor Trigg, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £1130.00 to Biss Meadows Country Park.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria.

 

Health and Wellbeing Grants

Families Out Loud - Families Out Loud client support and IT project

19 clients

£5577.00 was requested to continue their support for families of drug and alcohol users in Trowbridge as well as up to 10 new clients in 2022. The funding would also be used for a professional level hosted email system. Members discussed whether the impact of the pandemic provided exceptional circumstances to allow allocation of the remaining Area Board funding.

 

On the motion of Councillor Clark, seconded by Councillor Piazza, it was then,

 

Resolved:

To award £5204 to Families Out Loud.

 

Reason:

The application met the grants criteria as well as exceptional circumstances brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.