Agenda item

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of People and Places.

Recommendations approved.

The Director of People and Places presented a report advising that as part of the Buckshaw Section 106 agreement Chorley Council were due to receive a contribution towards youth and community activities/development in Buckshaw.

The developers had recently been invoiced for £64,000.  The funding would be used for youth and community activities/development for the whole of Buckshaw Village; the Chorley and South Ribble areas.  Youth and community activities were initiatives, activities and/or events that encouraged participation and involvement in community life.

Decision made:

The following recommendations be approved:

1.         The funding be allocated over a four year period, equally.  This ensures that existing residents receive the benefit immediately and new residents, as properties continue to be built, also enjoy the benefit of the funding.

2.         The grants be awarded from ?500 to ?5,000.  The grant applicant would need to demonstrate that the funding would be spent within a 12 month period.  If their project is to run for more than 12 months they would be asked to make this clear in their first application and to say whether they plan to apply for funding in subsequent years.

3.         Applicants can apply for up to 90% of the total value of their project.  Their 10% contribution can be cash or in-kind volunteer time.

4.         There is an annual deadline for applications, for example, 31 April.  Decisions would made in May/June, for projects to start from 1 July.  In the event that the full year’s allocation is used in the bidding round there will be no further funding allocated in that year.  In the event that the annual allocation is not fully used in the annual bidding round, bids made in the year will be considered, subject to the annual allocation not being exceeded.

5.         The decision to allocate funding be delegated to the Executive Member for People.

6.         South Ribble Borough Council be formally consulted, and this be reported to the Executive Member, before any decisions are made.

7.         Voluntary, community and faith sector organisations, and public bodies, are eligible to apply.  All applicants should have effective governance arrangements in place, for example, be a constituted group and have a bank account.

8.         For the avoidance of doubt, the majority of the projects beneficiaries should reside in Buckshaw Village.  A majority being 51%.  Projects that physically take place outwith Buckshaw Village, for example, due to the nature of the facility or activity, are permissible, so long as the majority of beneficiaries are Buckshaw residents.  Applicants will need to provide evidence of how they will monitor this, to the Council’s satisfaction.

9.         Applications are assessed using the following criteria:

·               Does the project enhance the provision of youth and community activities/development in Buckshaw Village?

·               Is there evidence that there is a need for the project?

·               Is the project accessible to all, in terms of equality, not withstanding the residency issue.

·               Is there at least 10% match funding, either cash or in kind?

·               How well does the applicant, and their project, encourage partnership working and cohesion in Buckshaw Village?

·               How sustainable is the project? What will happen to the project when the funding ends?

·               How well does the project encourage volunteering?

Reason for decision:

To ensure Section 106 funding is allocated in a way that is transparent, effective and efficient.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected:

None.