Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing on the Well-being budget.

Referring to minute 72 of the meeting held on 7^th December 2006, the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing submitted a report on the Well-being budget.

The purpose of the report was to provide Members with:-

·  monitoring reports on commissioned projects requiring continued funding

·  information to assist decision making as to how future funding should be spent

·  an update on small grants approved in 2006/07

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

(a)  Breakdown of Revenue Spend by theme/ward 2004/05 to 2006/07

(3 years) (Appendix 1 refers)

(b)  Breakdown of Capital Spend 2004/07 to date by theme/ward

(Appendix 2 refers)

(c)  Projects agreed, in principle, for 2007/08 (Appendix 3 refers)

(d)  Inner North West Community Planning Officer (Appendix 6 refers)

(e)  Inner North West Funding Officer (Appendix 7 refers)

Appendices 4 and 5 of the report were designated exempt under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(3).

The Committee noted that the Woodsley Road Community Centre Manager project run over the past two years via Voluntary Action Leeds would not be continued.

The Chair informed the meeting that at the budget workshop meeting held on 26^th January 2007, Members had discussed allocating a set amount of funding per ward and the retention of a central pot area wide projects.

It was noted that arising from the above discussions, Members had agreed to:-

·  allocate £60,000 (capital) for each ward within Inner North West over the next three years with £160,000 remaining in a central budget

·  consider the budget bidding process in rounds with effect from 29^th March 2007 meeting and to consider well-being projects thereafter at June, October and March meetings of the Area Committee

·  introduce a revised proposal form for applicants seeking future well-being funds

In relation to the Inner North West Community Planning Officer, the Committee noted that the costs in 2007/8 had increased from £40,000 to £42,440.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That this Committee confirms its commitment to the ‘in-principle’ agreements made for those 2007/08 projects as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report and that in respect of the Leeds Organic Growers project, the funds be ring fenced pending resolution of the current situation.

(c)  That approval be given to the continuation of the funding of the Inner North West Community Planning Officer in accordance with the report now submitted.

(d)  That approval be given to the continuation of the funding of the Funding Officer Project in accordance with the report now submitted and that North West Area Management be requested to supply Members of the Committee with further information on the findings of the recent evaluation exercise undertaken by the Funding Officer Project in due course.

(e)  That the current position of the small grants fund as detailed in Section 1 of the report be noted.

(Councillor J Illingworth having previously declared a personal and prejudicial interest, left the room during discussion of the Leeds Organic Growers project)