Agenda item

To consider applications for Community Area Grants, and Councillor bids for Area Board funding, with the opportunity for questions from the public.

a.    Community Area Grants

The Chairman invited a representative from each of the grant applicants to give a brief overview of their project to the Area 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 Area Board members then voted on each application.

Decision

Salisbury City Band was awarded £999 towards the Music in the Open project.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2012/13 and would support this volunteer-run group.

Decision

The application from Circular Arts (in relation to the Sunshine project) was refused.

Reason – The application did not fully meet the Community Area Grants Criteria 2012/13 in relation to the provision of three quotes, and exceptions had been made for this applicant on numerous previous applications.   

Decision

Spurgeons was awarded £789 towards the Freedom Programme.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2012/13 and would support this awareness-raising course for women who have been affected by domestic violence.

Decision

Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum was awarded £5,000 towards Save the Salisbury Scout.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2012/13 and would support this campaign to save an example of the City’s industrial heritage which will become the centrepiece of the new museum gallery.

Decision

St Edmunds Community Association was awarded £4,219 towards creating education packs for the Milford Street Project for primary and secondary schools in the Salisbury City area.

Reason – The application met the Community Area Grants Criteria 2011/12 and would ensure a lasting educational legacy for the Milford Street Bridge project.

ACTION: Marianna Dodd

In relation to the report labelled Additional Papers (2), it was agreed that this application from the Bemerton Heath Interagency Group be DEFERRED to allow Councillor Ricky Rogers to be present as the local Councillor for Bemerton Heath.

b.    Area Board projects

The Chairman referred to the report labelled Additional Papers (1), which set out the proposal for Councillor-led initiative from Councillor Brian Dalton, for a joint use pathway in Harnham.  It was noted that Councillor Dalton had requested that this be WITHDRAWN, as funding had been identified for the project from other sources.

At the Chairman’s invitation, Councillor Chris Cochrane introduced this project which sought to improve pedestrian access to Bemerton St John Primary School.  It was proposed to route the new footpath through the churchyard, for which permission had been sought and obtained from the Diocese. It was noted that planning permission would be required for the footpath, and that an application had been submitted.

It was noted that the Area Board had already allocated £1750 to this project, at the meeting on 15 September 2011.  The additional funding of £2225 was a result of additional costs which had arisen due to the impact of the proposed path on third party owned land.

Decision

The Salisbury Area Board agreed to allocate a total of £3975 (i.e. an additional £2225 on top of that previously allocated) towards the proposal to improve the footpath through the graveyard to Bemerton St John Primary School, subject the grant of planning permission.

Reasons – To allow safe access for children travelling to the Primary School, and to support this volunteer-run project.

ACTION: Marianna Dodd

c.    Street Party applications

It was reported that the Area Board’s view had been sought informally on the principle of offering grant funding for street parties, and as the majority had responded favourably, applications had been invited from the public for up to £200 for street parties being held in Salisbury.

Concern was expressed that public money should perhaps not be spent on subsidising parties.  However, it was considered that the community benefit of such events in terms of building relationships between neighbours, and also the unique nature of the national celebrations in 2012, justified the use of Area Board funds.

Decision

The Salisbury Area Board agreed to allocate a total of £5,000 towards street parties in Salisbury, approving the 16 applications already submitted, and delegating authority to the Salisbury Community Area Manager to approve any further applications up to the maximum overall spend of £5,000.

ACTION: Marianna Dodd

d.    Delegated authority

It was noted that, as set out in the report, the Community Area Manager had exercised delegated authority, in line with the provisions agreed at the 17 March 2011 meeting, to approve the use of £1,000 funding to cover additional cost arising from the event on 1 May to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.