Issue - meetings

a.    To note a summary of Community Area Grants awarded during the 2009/10 year.

b.    To consider applications for community grants with the opportunity for questions from the public.

c.    To consider a report regarding funding the continuation of a Taxi Marshal Scheme in Salisbury.

(a)          Summary of Community Area Grants 2009/10

The Area Board noted a summary of the Community Area Grants awarded during the 2009/10 year.  The Chairman commented that a fuller evaluation would be brought to a future meeting, after some of the “one-off” events funded had taken place.

(b)          Community Area Grants

It was noted that the Area Board had a budget of just over £78,000 for the 2010/11 municipal year.

The Chairman invited a representative from each of the grant applicants to give a brief overview of their project to the Board.  After each of the applicants had spoken, the Chairman invited questions and discussion, then asked for a show of hands from those present to reflect public opinion.  The Board members then voted on each application.

In relation to the application from Dance Aware the applicant advised that the workshop would involve around 25 people, with further outreach in terms of the performance. 

Decision

Dance Aware was awarded £1,000 towards the rehearsal and performance of the Scratch Orchestra Salisbury project.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants criteria for 2010/11 and would allow this community dance project to proceed.

Responding to a question, the applicant for the Salisbury RSA Big Project explained that the project would link in with the forthcoming community plan.  It was also confirmed that Salisbury High School had been invited to join the initiative.

Decision

Salisbury RSA Fellows Network was awarded £1,000 towards the Big Project, which sought to involve Salisbury’s school and college students in range of creative and community activities.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria for 2010/11 and would support this intergenerational project to develop and promote social inclusion across participating schools.

The applicant for Circular Arts explained that the application sought to support the Lanterns for Salisbury 2010 project, which comprised a 8-10 week programme of workshops, culminating in a Christmas lantern parade through Salisbury.  The grant funding was required to minimise the cost to participants.

While in general the Area Board Councillors supported the project, commenting that previous lantern parades had been excellent events, concern was raised regarding the £9,900 budgeted for “outreach workshop artist fees”.  It was also noted that another application was under consideration by the Tidworth Area Board for a similar project.

The applicant responded that the money budgeted for outreach workshop artist fees was to allow the project to engage the services of professional artists to support and train the participants through the workshops.  The project in Tidworth would involve around 12 artists from across the country, whereas the Salisbury project sought to involve more local artists.  Over time the project hoped to train up volunteers so that they could lead the workshops, however this was not always possible due to the flexible nature of volunteering.

It was reiterated that Councillors supported this project, however it was considered important to ensure that public money was spent appropriately and put to the most effective use.  As such, it was moved and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11