Agenda and minutes

PART I - RECOMMENDATIONS

The Panel received a report of the Executive Director, Business Connections detailing an application for accommodation at the community premises received since the last meeting on the Panel on 15 December 2003.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (To the Portfolio Holder)

That the application by the Somali Cultural Organisation for accommodation at the community premises be approved for casual use, subject to a six month probation period.

REASON: As set out in the officer report.

The Panel received a report of the Executive Director, Business Connections which provided an update on those grants on which the Panel had reserved decision, pending further information.

It was advised that it was now considered appropriate to release the £5,000 grant which had been reserved in respect of Harrow Women’s Centre. Harrow in Europe and Harrow Agenda 21, however, had not provided the information requested and it was recommended that the reserved grants of £2,500 and £1,000 respectively be withdrawn and taken back into the Grants Budget.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (To the Portfolio Holder)

That (1) the reserved grant of £5,000 be released to Harrow Women’s Centre;

(2) the reserved grant of £2,500 in respect of Harrow in Europe be withdrawn and taken back into the Grants Budget; and

(3) the reserved grant of £1,000 in respect of Harrow Agenda 21 Environmental Forum be also withdrawn and taken back into the Grants Budget.

REASON: For the reasons set out in the officer report.

Your Panel considered two reports of the Executive Director, Business Connections which summarised the funding requested from voluntary organisations and the amount of funding, reserved funding and funding for salary inflation being recommended by officers. It also proposed that £5,500 from the unallocated fund for 2003/2004 be carried forward to the 2004/5 financial year and used to fund one-off grant requests.

A typographical error in respect of the recommendation for grant funding for the ADHD Support Group was pointed out – it was noted that the recommended grant was £8,096 rather than £8,906.

Your Panel further received some documents tabled by the Labour Group which outlined a number of amendments to the officer recommendations in relation to the grants for specific organisations, and the knock on impact on the overall grants budget. In tabling these amendments the Chair referred to their concern that the Authority should not pay for organisations to rent private premises as the cost was likely to escalate year on year. 

During the discussion which followed, several Members emphasised the current pressure on funding and expressed regret that it would not be possible to accommodate all growth requested. It was agreed that, should further funding become available from the Association of London Government, a number of applications would be re-visited.

Those organisations in respect of which verbal or written amendments were moved are indicated on the attached schedule of decisions.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (To Cabinet)

That Cabinet (1) note that the existing grants to voluntary organisations budget for 2003/2004 was £1,004,430 and that the budget for 2004/2005, subject to the Council approving its overall Revenue Budget for 2004/5 was £1,034,630;

(2) agree that £5,500 from the unallocated fund for 2003/04 be carried forward and added to the 2004/2005 grants budget;

(3) note that the amount of grant funding requested by applicants for 2004/2005 is £1,283, 119;

(4) note that requests for growth from currently funded groups amount to £169, 026, growth request for Service Level Agreement funding amounts to £20,251, and growth through grant applications from new applicants seeking funding amounts to £92,123;

(5) note that the reserved grant funding recommended by the Panel is £7,500;

(6) agree that the amount of £14,845 inflation additions for salaries;

(7) note that the total recommended funding for 2004/05 is £1,013,230;

(8) agree to the ‘in principle’ decisions on grant funding and reserved funding in relation to the individual grant applications, as set out in the appendix to these minutes, subject to the Council’s approval of the overall Revenue  Budget for 2004/2005;

[Note: The Panel agreed that the grants in respect of Harrow Marquetry Group and Pinner Centre Pre-School should be funded from the unallocated fund. This would be dependent  on Cabinet agreeing to carry forward the funds from 2003/2004 to 2004/2005 as set out under (2) above]

(9) agree to  grant a £15,000 heritage grant to Harrow Heritage Trust from the Capital Fund.

REASONS: As set out  above and in the officer reports.

The Chair advised the Panel that Mr Anandappa, who had been a leading community figure and, in particular, had had a great deal of involvement in the Woodlands Community Association, had recently died.

In tribute to the memory of Mr Ananadappa, the Panel stood and observed a minute’s silence.

The Panel agreed that the Chair would write to Mr Anandappa’s wife to convey their sincere condolences. Several members of the Panel spoke to praise Mr Anandappa’s vigour in serving the community and to express their sadness at this tremendous loss.

RESOLVED:  That the Chair be requested a letter of condolence to Mr Anandappa’s wife on behalf of the Panel.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Committee arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the following declarations of interest declared by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting:

1.          The following Members declared personal interests in the item indicated arising from their involvement with the organisations listed. Accordingly they remained and took part in the discussion and voting on the applications relating to those organisations:

2.          The following Members declared personal and prejudicial interests in the item indicated arising from their involvement with the organisations listed. Accordingly they left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting on the applications relating to those organisations:

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following items which be heard with the press and public excluded for the reasons set out below:

[Note: None of the above documents were separately referred to in detail and it was therefore not necessary to exclude the press and public from the meeting].

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

Declarations of Interest:

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

·         Councillors Arnold, Harrison and Joyce Nickolay declared a prejudicial interest in Harrow in Europe, but in accordance with Paragraph 12.2 of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors they remained and took part in discussions and voting on the agenda item in question.

·         Councillor Arnold declared a personal interest in Harrow Citizens’ Advice Bureau (Management Committee). 

·         Councillor Bluston declared a personal interest in Harrow in Business.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no public questions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no deputations to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Executive Director (Business Connections).

See Recommendation 1.

Report of the Executive Director (Business Connections).

See Recommendation 2.

Report of the Executive Director (Business Connections).

See Recommendation 3.

Report of the Executive Director (Business Connections).

See Recommendation 3.

·         Recognition of Harrow Funding by Voluntary Groups

The Chair advised the Panel that he felt that groups in receipt of grants from the Council should indicate/state this fact through, for example, their headed notepaper. The Grants Officer confirmed that, under the terms of the grant agreements, organisations were required to do this. He advised that he had recently written to organisations to remind them of this obligation. It was agreed that officers would be requested to send a further reminder.

RESOLVED: That officers be requested to write to those organisations in receipt of a Grant from Harrow Council to remind them of their obligation to recognise this fact.

·         Introduction of Panel Members

It was suggested that at future meetings of the Panel where the annual budget was discussed, Panel Members and officers introduce themselves at the beginning of the meeting for the benefit of the public.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.

·         Apologies for the next meeting

The Chair tendered his apologies for the next meeting of the Panel scheduled for 26 January 2004.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.