Agenda and minutes

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy setting out applications for funding which had been deferred from the Panel’s last meeting on 8 March 2006.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to the Portfolio Holder for Business Development):

That the Academy of Punjabi Heritage be awarded no funds.

[REASON:  To finalise the allocation of funding to voluntary organisations in 2006/2007].

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy outlining reserved grants to Voluntary Organisations from the Panel’s last meeting on 8 March 2006.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder for Business Development)

That the reserved amount of (1) £7,455 be released to Harrow Mencap;

(2)  £1,500 be released to Kala Anjali Arts Circle

(3)  £3,430 be released to Flash Musicals

(4)  £1,500 be released to Kids Can Achieve.

[REASON:  To finalise the allocation of funding to voluntary organisations in 2006/2007.]

(See also Minute 3).

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy detailing grant applications to the Edward Harvist Trust reserved from the Panel’s meeting of 8 March 2006.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to the Portfolio Holder for Business Development)

That (1) £2,000 be released to Flash Musicals;

(2)  £3,000 be released to Harrow Bengalee Association;

(3)  £2,170 be released to Horn Community;

(4)  £1, 500 be released to Ivanaaji Somali Disabled Association.

[REASON:  To enable the organisations listed above to utilise the reserved amount of £8,670.]

The Panel received deputations from representatives of Pinner United Football Club and Harrow Tamil School Association, stating their concern about the proposed transition from the Community Lettings scheme to a grants system.  Deputees felt that there would be an unacceptable financial burden for their organisations under the proposed grants system.

The Director of Financial and Business Strategy presented a report outlining progress towards abolishing the Community Lettings scheme.  The Panel heard that there had been difficulties in the transition, particularly in balancing cost-neutrality for organisations using the old scheme and the desire of schools to increase their charges to cover costs.

Whilst there had already been several delays in implementing the new system, the Director of Financial and Business strategy advised the Panel that transition was not feasible at this point. As a result the Panel:

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder for Business Development)

That (1) the difficulties that had been encountered with the community lettings system be noted;

(2)  the transfer of community lettings into the main grants be delayed system for the time being;

(3  the charging and payment policy for community lettings from 1 September 2006 be revised to facilitate the transition to the grants system;

(4)  agreement of the criteria for grants to education lettings from 1 September 2006 be deferred pending clarification of their impact upon voluntary organisations.

[REASON:  To ensure a smooth transition for community lettings and minimise the adverse impact of changes on voluntary groups.]

(See also Minutes 9 and 10.)

To note the appointment of Councillor Joyce Nickolay at the Cabinet meeting on 8 June 2006 under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 5.1 as Chair of the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2006/2007.

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment, at the Cabinet meeting on 8 June 2006, of Councillor Joyce Nickolay as Chairman of the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2006/2007.

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 Members:-

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 that (1) the following Members declared a prejudicial interest 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 these organisations:

(2) the following Members declared a personal interest arising from their involvement with the organisations listed. Accordingly, they remained and took part in the discussion and voting on the applications relating to these organisations:

(3) in future, declarations of interest would be circulated to Members of the Committee in advance of meetings (see also Minute 13).

To consider the appointment of a Vice-Chair to the Panel for the Municipal Year 2006/2007.

Nominations were received and seconded for Councillors Mrs Anjana Patel and Mrs Rekha Shah.  Upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor Mrs Anjana Patel Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the Municipal Year 2006/2007.

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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2006, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2006, 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 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 July 2003) in principle is not to receive deputations relating to individual grant applications].

RESOLVED: In accordance with advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution), the Panel received deputations from representatives of Pinner United Football Club and Harrow Tamil School Association, in relation to agenda item 16, ‘Community Lettings.’

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

Having made a recommendation to the Portfolio Holder for Business Development in this regard, the Panel

RESOLVED:  (1)  To note that Paragraph 2.1.12 of the officer’s report should state “At the same time the concession given against the published hire charges for voluntary groups will be reduced from 85% to 70% on 1 September 2006, to 60% on 1 April 2007, and 50% on 30 September 2008.”;

(2)  to request an officer report on the grants criteria be brought to a future meeting.

To note the Terms of Refererence of the Grants Advisory Panel.

A Member expressed concern that the terms of reference before the Panel did not make reference to the Panel’s capacity to decide on grants appeals.  As a result, it was

RESOLVED:  That the terms of reference be reviewed at the next meeting of the Panel.

Deven Pillay, Chief Executive Harrow Mencap and Advisor to the Panel, will be in attendance for this item.

The Panel received a report of the Voluntary Sector Advisor, detailing his observations and concerns relating to the grants process.

The Advisor expressed the view that greater clarity was needed on the issue of whether the Panel was to receive deputations, and that the application form should be streamlined in some aspects, such as:

·         Questions reflecting the size of the grant applied for should be included in the application process

·         The Panel should adopt clearer processes in relation to appeals, owing to negative perceptions of the voluntary sector.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy setting out a number of recommendations relating to the administration of the Grants Function for the Municipal Year 2006/2007.

Having discussed the proposals outlined in the officer report, the Panel agreed to the following administrative arrangements:

Conduct of Meetings

·         To provide declarations of interest in writing prior to meetings of the Panel;

·         to allow deputations yearly in November [Note: Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Nizam Ismail, Mrs Rekha Shah, and Mrs Sasi Suresh wished to be recorded as having voted against this decision];

·         further to the above, to hold an extra meeting of the Panel in November if necessary, according to the number of deputations received, and one in December [Note Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Nizam Ismail, Mrs Rekha Shah, and Mrs Sasi Suresh wished to be recorded as having abstained from voting on this decision];

·         to approve the suggested business for the Panel as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer report [Note: Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Nizam Ismail, Mrs Rekha Shah, and Mrs Sasi Suresh wished to be recorded as having abstained from voting on this decision].

Eligibility for Grants

·         To approve new conditions for grant applications as set out in Appendix 2 of the officer report, with the stipulation that criteria relating to the proportion of membership living in Harrow, and to displaying Harrow Council’s logo on grants over £1,000, be examined;

·         to enforce strictly these conditions, and to make clear to applicants that the Panel would not support applications from particular groups or for particular activities.

Use of Premises and Facilities

·         To request that the Director of Financial and Business Strategy perform an internal survey of organisations using Council premises for free or with subsidy, to determine the viability of bringing the use of Council premises into the grants application system. This could also be facilitated with an appropriate question on the application form.

Allocation of the Grants Budget for 2007/2008

·         To note the provisional allocation of the budget for 2007/2008;

·         to agree that responsibility for Arts Culture Harrow should transfer to Cabinet in due course. The Panel also requested that a visit to the Arts Centre in Harrow be organised before the December meeting.

The Application Process and Timetable

·         To approve a new application form, as set out at Appendix 4 of the officer report;

·         to agree the timetable for 2007/2008 Grant Applications, as set out in Appendix 5 of the officer report;

·         to agree the communications strategy set out at Appendix 6 of the officer report;

·         to allow multiple applications for grants from a single group;

·         that late applications should not be considered.

Review Process

·         To maintain the current system of review by existing Panel Members [Note: Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Nizam Ismail, Mrs Rekha Shah, and Mrs Sasi Suresh wished to be recorded as having voted against this decision]

Three Year Funding

·         That any grant awarded exceeding £10, 000 should be in the form of a three year  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

(See Recommendation 2).

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

(See Recommendation 3).

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

(See Recommendation 4).

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy

An officer introduced a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, updating the Panel on progress on the Community Premises Review.

The Panel heard that of the recommendations listed in the officer report, some minor changes could be implemented quickly, such as a change of criteria to use of space rather than hours of use and the possible introduction of a small charge for a meeting room.  This would allow more voluntary groups to use the meeting room as this was under-utilised at present.  More major recommendations, such as setting up a Community Trust, required more research and had notable resource implications.

In commenting on the report, the Voluntary Sector Advisor expressed the view that the support of the Council was required in developing the recommendations, particularly regarding the establishment of a Community Trust, which would require the provision of meeting rooms.  The Panel heard that the advisor would bring suggestions about the establishment of a Community Trust to the next meeting of the Panel.  The Panel noted that any recommendations regarding the establishment of a Trust required approval by Members and further consultation with groups.

An officer commented that resources such as the Specialist Funding officer were available to the voluntary sector, and that recommendations such as the creation an information sheet and directory of available premises were being investigated.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, which presented an update on the Association of London Governments’ (ALG’s) future commissioning priorities.

An officer stated that the ALG’s new approach would involve the commissioning of voluntary sector groups to provide services, as opposed to the previous system of bidding for grants.  This system was to be focused on increasing accesses to opportunities in London, reducing social exclusion and disadvantage, promoting equality and reducing discrimination.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.

In accordance with Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Rule 12.1 (Part 4E of the Constitution) it was

RESOLVED: (1)  At 10.00 pm to continue until 10.30 pm;

(2)  at 10.30 pm to continue until 10.45 pm;

(3)  at 10.45 pm to continue until 10.46 pm.