Agenda and minutes

Your Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, which set out the applications for funding deferred from the Panel’s meeting held on 5 December 2005.

Members stated that it was necessary to consider the manner in which the Panel took decisions in order that all groups felt that the process was fair. 

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

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Cabinet)

That the ‘in principle’ decisions on grant funding and grants-based service level agreements, as set out in Appendix 1 to the minutes, be agreed, subject to the Council approving its overall Revenue Budget for 2006/07.

[REASON:  To enable the allocation of funding to voluntary organisations in 2006/07.]

Your Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, which presented the applications for funding from the Edward Harvist Trust for 2006/07.

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

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder)

That the ‘in principle’ decisions on grant funding, as set out in Appendix 2 to the minutes, be agreed, subject to the Council approving its overall Revenue Budget for 2006/07.

[REASON:  To enable the allocation of funding to voluntary organisations in 2006/07]

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy which outlined applications received from charities wishing to be sponsored for a street collection permit in Harrow for 2006.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder)

That the applications received from Michael Sobell House, Hillingdon North Mencap, and the Harrow Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre for street collection permits for 2005 be sponsored.

[REASON:  To enable the organisations to make a formal application to the Metropolitan Police in order to obtain a permit to collect on a specified date. ]

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

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

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

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note the declarations of interest made by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting, as set out in Appendix 3 to these minutes.

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.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

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

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the 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 and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

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

[Note:  The Panel’s policy (Minute 60:  28.07.03) in principle is not to receive deputations relating to individual grant applications].

Prior notice had been received from Changes Nightclub of the wish to make a deputation to the Panel in relation to their grant application.  The Chair put this request to the meeting and it was agreed at the discretion of the Panel to hear this application.

Additionally, the Panel considered written representations submitted prior to the meeting from the following organisations:

·                     Harrow Refugee Forum

·                     Changes Nightclub.

RESOLVED:  That the deputation and representations be received and noted, in the context of the consideration of grant funding for 2006/07.

[Note:  The Panel’s policy in principle is not to receive deputations relating to individual grant applications (Minute 60 of the meeting held on 28 July 2003 refers)].

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy

See Recommendation 1.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy which presented the appeals that had been made following the recommendations made by the Panel at the meeting held on 5 December 2005.

It was moved and seconded thatapplications be invited to meet the Council’s Corporate Priorities in the areas of Safer Harrow, Greener Harrow, Children and Young People and Women’s Support Services.

A Member stated that the motion would have the effect of deferring all appeals, including those from the Russian Immigrants Association and the Harrow Refugee Forum, who had not originally submitted late applications, until the next meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel. Those applications that had originally been received late and addressed the corporate priorities listed in the motion would be treated as new applications. It would be possible for other organisations to make applications.

Members discussed the circumstances in which some organisations had submitted late applications and how the gaps in services created by the resulting decision not to approve grants to these organisations could be filled.  The Voluntary Sector Advisor stated that a full review of the application process could be considered to avoid the problems that had been experienced recurring in future.  An officer stated that all funded groups had received application packs in the second week of July 2005.

Having been put to a vote, it was

RESOLVED:  (1) That applications be invited to meet the Council’s Corporate Priorities in the areas of Safer Harrow, Greener Harrow, Children and Young People and Women’s Support Services; and

(2)  that:

·         the deadline for receiving applications be set at the close on Friday 10 February 2006;

·         valid applications be considered for grant funding at the next Grants Panel meeting on 8 March 2006;

·         the amount of funding for this new round of Grant Applications be contained within the current Grants Budget.

[Notes: (i) Having been put to a vote, the above decision was carried upon the Chair using her second and casting vote;

(ii) Councillors Marilyn Ashton, Billson, Paddy Lyne, Mrs Joyce Nickolay and Anjana Patel wished to be recorded as having voted against the decision].

(a)   Application by Light & Colour Workshop UK Ltd

(b)   Application by Tim Tam Tales Trust

Further to Recommendation 2, Members expressed their agreement with the recommended order of priority to be used when considering applications and stated that this would be accepted as the standard policy of the Panel.  Therefore, it was

RESOLVED:  That applications be considered in the following priority order: 

(a)                 new/emerging or unfunded groups;

(b)                 groups in receipt of funding under £10,000; and

(c)                 groups in receipt of funding in excess of £10,000.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy

See Recommendation 3.

The Panel thanked Zach Stavrinos for his services to the Council and wished him well on his retirement.

The Voluntary Sector advisor suggested that an evaluation of the application process be held as soon as possible.  Members stated that this should be considered at the meeting due to be held in June 2006.