ANNEX 2

Service Agreement for Friends of St Nicholas Fields

1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2027,

This service level agreement allocates funding to the Friends of St Nicholas Fields (Friends) to enable the organisation to:

· Manage St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve

· Present a programme of volunteer, education and outreach work

· Run projects, events and services which help to make York more sustainable.

During 2026/27 the Friends will use the funding to:

· Maintain the leased area to Community Green Flag Standards as defined by the Department for Communities and Local Government or their agents.

· Keep the site safe, clean and accessible.

· Maintain an up-to-date management plan for the site.

· Provide a year-round volunteer programme, including long-term and one-off opportunities

· Improve the site for nature conservation by working with partners and maintaining up to date species data records.

· Present a programme of year-round events, education and outreach work for York communities to learn about the environment.

· Support the council in the care of Osbaldwick Beck in Hull Road Park and wider York environment.

General Conditions

The conditions of the funding are as follows:

· The funding will be used only for the purpose stated in this agreement. If at any time the organisation wishes to use the funding for a purpose other than stated in this agreement they must gain prior approval from City of York Council.

· If the organisation is found to falsify any information supplied to City of York Council, it will result in all or part of the funds being withdrawn by City of York Council.

· Should the organisation disband during the funding period, then City of York Council may ask for all or a proportion of the monies to be paid back.

· Where there is a breach of any of the conditions contained within this agreement the City of York Council reserves the right to claim back any funding.

Acknowledgment

· The organisation will acknowledge the financial support of the City of York Council in all communications with the media and inform the Council of any good news stories relating to use of the funding.

Statutory and Legal

· The organisation shall be responsible for ensuring it complies with all statutory and legal obligations (e.g. health and safety, licensing, insurance, building regulations, planning consents etc) enabled by the funding.

Financial

· Provision must be made for up-to-date accounts to be kept by the organisation, and for those accounts to be audited annually by a competent person independent of the organisation.

· The funding of £23,000 will be paid in one instalment upon signing of the agreement

Monitoring

· The organisation must comply if the Council makes a reasonable request for a representative of the Council to attend a workshop or activity.

· The organisation may be required to submit a copy of their Annual Accounts and Report to the Council no less than 3 months following the organisation’s financial year end.

· The organisation must make arrangements for performance monitoring and the evaluation of activities provided by this funding.

Signed ON BEHALF OF THE FRIENDS

PRINT NAME

lead officer

Date

Signed on behalf of the City of York Council