Agenda item

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 seconded that the application be deferred to allow further clarification on the proposed use of the grant funding.

The applicant commented that in order to seek the additional funding required, it was necessary to have the Council’s financial support in place.  As such, deferring consideration of the application to the 22 July Area Board meeting would further delay the funding process.  It was suggested that the decision to determine the grant be delegated to the Salisbury Community Area Manager, in consultation with the Area Board Councillors, as this would allow a decision prior to the 22 July meeting.  However, Councillors considered that this application should be determined in a full public meeting, and so the suggestion was not supported.

Decision

The application from Circular Arts for £5,000 towards the Lanterns for Salisbury 2010 project was DEFERRED.

Reason – To allow further information to be sought and considered regarding the proposed project costs.

Following the vote, the Chairman asked for a show of hands to gauge public support for the application.  The majority of those present supported the application.

(c)          Taxi Marshal Scheme

The Chairman referred to the report at page 37 of the agenda.  This set out proposals for funding the continuation of a Taxi Marshal Scheme in Salisbury, following a successful pilot scheme. 

The pilot scheme had received funding from the Performance Reward Grant Scheme to provide four qualified security staff to manage queues for taxi ranks in Salisbury city centre on a number of key dates over the Christmas and New Year period.  It was noted that over this period, alcohol related incidents had been reduced by more than anywhere else in Wiltshire.  This was a direct result of the Taxi Marshals Scheme, and a number of other initiatives including Street Pastors and targeted street patrols by uniformed police officers.

In general, it was considered that that the Taxi Marshal Scheme was an excellent example of partnership working.  The project helped to address issues regarding safety and the perception of safety in Salisbury.

The Chairman explained that the proposal was for a working group to consider various practical issues related to the proposed continuation of the project, including whether to run the scheme on a regular basis or whether to target specific dates and events.  Another matter to consider would be the recommendation (from the review of the Pilot Scheme) to commission a timetable of predicted higher levels of activity within the night time economy in Salisbury. 

Decision

The Salisbury Area Board supported the Taxi Marshal Scheme in principle and requested that a working group of partners meet to discuss options for the continuation of the Scheme, and report back to the meeting on 22 July with, if appropriate, a bid for Community Area Grant.  Partners should include representatives from the Salisbury Area Board, Community Safety Partnership, Wiltshire Police, Pub Watch, Salisbury City Council, City Centre Management, and other where considered appropriate by the Salisbury Community Area Manager.