Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Locality Partnerships which provides an update on the budget position for the Wellbeing Fund, Youth Activity Fund Capital Budget, as well as the Community Infrastructure Levy budget for 2023/24.

The report of the Head of Locality Partnerships provided the Community Committee with an update on the budget position for the Wellbeing Fund, Youth Activity Fund, Capital Budget as well as the Community Infrastructure Levy Budget for 2023/24.

The Localities Officer presented the report.

Members were requested to approve the minimum conditions set out at Paragraph 14 of the submitted report, determine applications as listed in the report and were provided with the following information:

·  The minimum conditions Paragraph 14 were outlined, seeking agreement from the Committee. In presenting the report, the Localities Officer recommended the Committee’s approval of an addition to the Committee’s ‘Minimum Conditions’, so that if a formal objection is received from a Member as part of the associated consultation process, then that application will be brought before the committee for determination’

• The Wellbeing budget had received an injection of £157,165 which worked out at £52,388 per ward. The breakdown of the Wellbeing revenue for 2023/24 was available at page 44 in table 1 of the report.
• Details for the Wellbeing ringfences were available at point 22 on page 45 of the report.
• Tables 3 & 4 at page 52 of the report detailed Small Grants and Skips budgets. The Capital Budget was detailed in table 5 at page 53 with a further injection to follow. The CIL budget was detailed at table 6 on page 53, with a forward planning injection also to follow.
• A correction to the total cost figure was noted for the ‘Beeston & Holbeck Christmas lights’ project for it to read £8,713 and not £6,852.

During consideration of the funding application, the following was discussed:

• For ‘The Big Bike Fix Leeds 2023’ application, Members outlined it should be conditioned that the provision was to be for Inner South Leeds residents and various charities involved. A rigorous paper trail and formal signing sheet was noted to be part of the process for conducting any works.
• Success for the ‘The Big Bike Fix Leeds 2023’ project was to be evaluated and monitored, unused funds may be deferred, and funds should be used as acceptable volunteer expense, in line with HMRC rules.
• The funding for ‘The Big Bike Fix Leeds 2023’ would be split between Beeston and Holbeck and Hunslet and Riverside wards only, the percentage split will be based on percentage usage data from previous years, and it was noted that with funding rejected by Middleton Park, the event would limit provision to residents in Beeston and Holbeck and Hunslet and Riverside wards only.
• Information was sought on the ‘Middleton Park Out of Schools programme’ application and it was noted, 238 families were involved with the Inner South Youth Service, and 249 young people had benefited from the programme in the previous year. The funding would also assist with safeguarding requirements. Members also inquired on the hours and type of activities proposed.
• Two people part of the ‘FC United of Leeds’ project attended the meeting and outlined positive work in aid of engaging with refugees and asylum seekers through kit, equipment and training provision. Members were enthusiastic for the organisation of a women’s team as part of the proposals, with one attendee noting experience in coaching women’s teams for over 3 years.
• Sustainable future funding for ‘FC United of Leeds’ would be sought through grants, sponsors, donations and revenue streams. Senior Council Officers in Active Leeds had been consulted with and developed a business case plan, a key condition of the project was a 2-to-3-year lease with South Leeds Stadium. Money would also be used to assist with the stadiums pitch improvements.
• Members outlined that South Leeds Stadium was underused and was in a good location for residents in all 3 wards to utilise and would benefit those from low socio-economic backgrounds and ethnic minorities through the various engagement programmes.
• Partnerships had been established with the Hunslet Foundation, involving 19 local schools, including referral from public health, so ‘FC United of Leeds’ would not aim to be in competition with other local teams and would raise the level of provision for the area as a whole.

RESOLVED –

1. That the Minimum Conditions, as set out in the submitted report at paragraph 14 be approved, subject to the inclusion of the additional condition, as set out above – that if a formal objection is received from a Member as part of the consultation process, then that application will be brought before the committee for determination. 

2. That details of the change regarding the administration of small grants (paragraph 15), be noted.

3. That details of the Wellbeing Budget position (Table 1) be noted.

4. That funding proposals as detailed in the report for consideration, be determined as follows:

5. That details of the projects approved via Delegated Decision (paragraph 39), be noted.

6. That monitoring information of its funded projects (paragraph 41) be noted.

7. That details of the Youth Activities Fund position (Table 2) be noted.

8. That details of the Small Grants Budget (Table 3) be noted.

9. That details of the Community Skips Budget (Table 4) be noted.

10. That details of the Capital Budget (Table 5) be noted.

11. That details of the Community Infrastructure Levy Budget (Table 6) be noted.

(Further to Minute No. 4 above, during the consideration of this report, having previously declared a DPI in the ‘Big Bike Fix Leeds 2023’ application, prior to this application being considered, Cllr Carlisle left the meeting room and returned when deliberations on that matter had concluded)