Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Locality Partnerships regarding an update on the budget position for the Wellbeing Fund, Youth Activity Fund, Capital Budget, as well as the Community Infrastructure Levy Budget for 2024/25.

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 2024/25.

The following was discussed:

·  There was a current balance of £12,668.50 remaining in the Wellbeing Budget.

·  Members agreed to return £6,000 to the Wellbeing Budget that had been previously ring fenced to Building Futures Together as funding had been secured from elsewhere.

·  A request had been made to ringfence some funding for litter pickers.  It was agreed that cost details for this be calculated and reported back to the next meeting.

·  Funding application from Swinnow Community Centre for the Swinnow Community Café.  £3,750.00 was requested and there was match funding of £10,000.  Members were supportive of this application and it was agreed to fund this from the Capital Budget.

·  Funding application from The Music Box Yorkshire CIC for Adult Music Engagement.  £2,760 was requested and there was match funding of £2,100.  Representatives of The Music Box were in attendance and in response to questions and comments regarding the application, the following was discussed:

o  The organisation had operated as a CIC for three and a half years.  Accounts were available via Companies House and could be provided to the Committee.

o  Salaries were paid to the staff involved in the delivery of the project.

o  The funds would subsidise the overall costs of the services to be delivered.

o  The services could be provided to privately run care homes.  The funding would be able to provide more entertainment and more choice for residents.  There was some concern that this funding would replace what was already available and that it should only be used for additional services.

o  The funding would be broken down to give £1,260 to the Adult Band Project for Adults and £1,500 for Musical Activities for Over 55s.

o  With regard to the Adult Band Project for Adults it was reported that this was promoted within the community and at Community Events and currently had almost 200 participants.

o  The Adult Band Project operated on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis.

o  The organisation was constantly applying for funding from other sources.

o  Further queries from the Committee included which care homes/providers would be targeted and further detail on the activities.  It was suggested that the request should have been submitted as two separate applications.  It was agreed to defer the application for the provision of further information and resubmission as separate applications.

·  Funding application from Pudsey Greenside Greenway for Heritage Boards Greenside and Lowtown.  This project had previously been approved in 2022 and following a delay the price had increased and a further £512.00 was requested.  It was reported that the boards were already in place and that previous increases had been covered by MICE money.  It was proposed that the application be refused.

·  Youth Activities Funds – There was a remaining balance of £8,250.19.

·  YAF funding application for the Music Box Youth Music from the Music Box Yorkshire CIC.  £4,500 was requested for the delivery of two music based projects for young people in Pudsey and Swinnow.  Representatives of the Music Box CIC gave the Committee an overview of the projects which involved up to 60 children each week and helped prevent anti-social behaviour.  Members broadly supported the aims of the projects but there were concerns due to the limited funds available.  Members discussed the possibility of finding other funding streams and the possibility of providing funds at a reduced rate.  It was agreed to provide £1,500.00 to allow the first terms activities to go ahead.

·  Remaining balance in the small grants and skips budget is £2,284.83.  Members sought clarity on whether applications for skips could be submitted following some contrary advice that requests should not be submitted.

·  There was £31,784.26 remaining in the Capital Budget

·  Funding application from Calverley United FC for a machinery grant.  £3,500 was requested and there was match funding of £1,585.34  Members were supportive of this application.

·  A question was asked whether funds could be ringfenced in order to secure the Grade II listed methodist chapel in Farnley that had fallen into disrepair.  It was proposed to meet with interested parties and report back to the next meeting of the Community Committee.

·  Final details of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Budget were still to be detailed.

·  There was a CIL funding application from Pudsey Community Project for Pudsey Fartown Lower Hall Project. £34,000 was requested and there was £10,000 match funding.  It was reported that a legal agreement had not yet been agreed and it was proposed to defer the application.

RESOLVED – That the following be noted:

a)  Minimum conditions (Paragraph 14)

b)  Details of the Wellbeing Budget position.

c)  That the following large grant application be approved:

o  Swinnow Community Cafe - £3,750 (from Capital Budget)

d)  That the following large grant application be deferred:

o  Adult Music Engagement

e)  That the following large grant application be refused:

o  Heritage Boards Greenside and Lowtown

f)  Details of the Youth Activities Fund (YAF) position.

g)  That the following YAF application be approved:

o  The Music Box Youth Music - £1,500

h)  Details of the Capital Budget.

i)  That the following Capital Project be approved:

o  Calverley United Fc – Machinery Grant - £3,500

j)  That the following CIL application be deferred:

o  Pudsey Fartown Lower Hall Project