Agenda item

An update on recently funded projects.

A list of successful 2018-19 grant recipients is on the attached PowerPoint presentation.

Taking into consideration outcome of the ward schemes ballot earlier this year Ward Councillors dedicated funding to address the following areas.

·         Pot of funding for activities provision for young people

o   From that pot £405 was awarded as a grant to Foxwood Drop-in towards arts and crafts materials, toys and other new equipment for the group;

o   £490 was awarded as a grant to the Acomb Explore Library towards seven children’s activities over the summer 2018;

o   £1105 was used towards the Q York Chapelfields youth club exit strategy over the summer 2018.

This pot of funding is now spent.

·         Funding towards production of a ward directory, a booklet containing info about local groups and activities. The content is being finalised.

·         Pot of funding for support for sports teams – sports clubs in the ward were approached with an offer to apply for a small grant from the pot. Applications received from the Acorn York u14s Junior Rugby Team asking for between £500 and £995 towards various elements and from Indoor Bowls Club asking for £2000 towards purchase of 10 new sets of bowls.

Councillors decided the night to award £995 to the Acorn York u14s Junior Rugby Team.

·         Pot of funding for activities for older residents (+£1,024 from last years pot).

o   From that pot £124 spent on strawberries and cream garden parties.

o   £100 was awarded as a grant to Walking for Health – York Health Walks towards development of the project incl. elements of expenditure such as printing leaflets, training new volunteers, or festival promotion.

Councillors decided on the night to award £750 from this pot to the Indoor Bowls Club as the project aligns better with the aims of this funding pot.

£2,050 is still available for projects bringing benefits to older residents.

·         Pot of funding for trimming City of York Council trees (+ £3,226 from last years pot). Utilisation of this fund is being looked into by the Ward Committee.

·         Pot of funding for trimming overgrown shrubs and repairs to fencing on the City of York Council land. 

o   A suggestion was made to use this funding towards work at the Acomb Meadow and the surrounding woodland (Bellwood Drive), however this is being taken care of and resourced by the Askham Brian College students.

o   £1,000 from this fund will be used towards footpath extension work at the Acomb War Memorial.

o   £1,000 is still available.

·         Fund to support tidy up of Acomb war memorials which commemorates those local people that died in the WW1 and other conflicts.

o   Landscaping work at the Acomb War Memorial site is to be undertaken in time for events in November. This will include tidying up the vegetation, health and safety check of trees and extension of the footpath from where it ends to the actual memorial to improve access.

This pot of funding is now spent.

·         Funding for 'Anti Dog Fouling' campaign.

o   From that pot £127 was spent on 20 cans of biodegradable paint sprays and gloves for volunteers to use to spray dog fouling. 10 cans given out to GoodGym runners to use when they are in the area. Other groups and volunteers are welcome to participate.

£373 is still available and a suggestion was made for a poster campaign. 

·         Funding for mobile CCTV cameras to catch fly tipping. Utilisation of this fund is being looked into by the Ward Committee.

·         Funding towards projects with the aim to tackle anti-social behaviour.

o   From that pot £126 was used to cover the balance of the Q York Chapelfields youth club exit strategy over the summer 2018.

o   The remaining £2,874 is intended for work with Q York to build on and continue their sessions at Sanderson House beyond March 2019. Currently it is bi-weekly open access youth project for 11– 17 years old, every other Friday night 7.30-9pm term time only at the Sanderson House. A suggestion was made that this funding is balanced across the ward.

·         Funding for skips/bulky waste removal with use of a vehicle. Discussions are taking place with the 2nd Acomb St Stephen's Scout Group about a potential bulky items collection project with the use of the scouts minivan and trailer. When/if this goes live it will be publicised via the scouts website and Facebook and other available methods.

·         Funding towards removal or refurbishment of obsolete or damaged street furniture and signs.

o   From that pot £100 was used to repair the goal post in Foxwood Park.

o   £500 was used for painting of cycle hoops along Front Street.

o   £85 was used for repair of the notice board on Cornlands Road. £1,315 is still available and residents were invited to provide potential locations of signs etc. requiring attention.
The Gale Farm Court street name plate and potential reflective strips for street furniture on Front Street was suggested and will be looked into.