Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of proposed changes to the Ward Committee local improvement schemes grant application process and seeks approval for the incorporation of the changes into a new Ward Committee grant application policy in respect of local improvement schemes.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           That Option One be approved to enable the incorporation of the proposed changes into a new Ward Committee grant application policy in respect of local improvement schemes, subject to the inclusion of a condition relating to use of Ward logos, where they exist, in place of the first condition in Annex 2, and that officers be asked to prepare an abbreviated form for schemes for under £500 going to just one Ward Committee, which would reduce the length of the form but only by two or three pages.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:To ensure transparency of policy and process in the application of Ward Committee local improvement schemes grant applications.

Members received a report which advised them of proposed changes to the Ward Committee local improvement schemes grant application process and sought approval for the incorporation of the changes into a new Ward Committee grant application policy in respect of local improvement schemes.

The results of the consultation exercise with voluntary and community groups were reported to the meeting.

The report presented the following options for consideration:

·  Option One – To implement the amended terms and conditions in respect of Ward Committee local improvement schemes grant applications, as recommended in paragraph 2 and Annexes 3-4 of the report;

·  Option Two – Not to implement these amended terms and conditions.

Some Members raised concerns regarding the length and complexity of the application form.  It was suggested that the section requiring details of how many people a project benefited, on page 6 of the application form, be reworded to include reference to both quantitative and qualitative benefits.  Members also discussed the conditions proposed in Annex 2 of the report and, in relation to the first one, expressed the view that use of a Ward logo, where one existed, was more appropriate than a Council one.  It was agreed that copies of the form would be circulated to representatives of each political group once it had been finalised.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           That Option One be approved to enable the incorporation of the proposed changes into a new Ward Committee grant application policy in respect of local improvement schemes, subject to the inclusion of a condition relating to use of Ward logos, where they exist, in place of the first condition in Annex 2, and that officers be asked to prepare an abbreviated form for schemes for under £500 going to just one Ward Committee, which would reduce the length of the form but only by two or three pages.¹

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:To ensure transparency of policy and process in the application of Ward Committee local improvement schemes grant applications.