Agenda and minutes

The Panel received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy which presented applications for funding that had been made for the balance of the Edward Harvist Trust monies from the 2006/07 funds for allocation in January 2007.

The officer advised that, since the agenda had been printed and circulated, the total fund amount had changed to £15,344.

During the discussion on the report a number of amendments were proposed in respect of the grants to individual organisations and it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Business Matters)

That (1) £500 be released to Harrow Weald Bowling Club;

(2)  £2000 be released to Lifestyle Development (Off da Street On the Ball);

(3)  £1,000 be related to Special Connection;

(4)  £2,000 be reserved for London Kalibari pending confirmation that the membership meets the criteria for Harrow residency;

(5)  £2000 be reserved for Harrow Community Transport pending information on what other funding applications they have made.

[Reason for Recommendation:To allocate funding to voluntary organisations from monies received from the Edward Harvist Trust in 2006/07].

(See also Minutes 33 and 37).

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 that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

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 the following interests were declared:

Agenda item 8 – Edward Harvist Trust Charity – Grant Applications 2006/07

Councillor Ms Nana Asante and Mr Deven Pillay declared personal interests arising from the fact that the London Kalibari had applied for funds from the Black History Month Committee, of which they had been members.

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 (Access to Information) Act 1972 (as amended).

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

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2006 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

[Note:  The 20 November minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2006 be deferred until printed in the Council Bound Volume.

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 put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 16, 14 and 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

Having made a recommendation to the Portfolio Holder in relation to grants for individual organisations (see Recommendation 1 above), the Panel discussed the frequency of distribution of Edward Harvist Charity grants.  It was noted that only £7,500 of the £15,344 fund had been allocated.  In view of this, the Panel agreed that it would be necessary to have an additional round of grant allocations in the 2006/07 financial year.

Some Members expressed a preference for the introduction of a ‘rolling’ system, in which applications would be dealt with as and when they were received.  Other Members favoured a single closing date, which would enable applications to be considered together and in one go.  Officers advised that a rolling system would require additional officer time for processing and monitoring applications, and that this would have resource implications.

RESOLVED:  To (1) have two rounds of funding allocations in 2006/07;

(2)  aim to have a single closing date for applications in 2007/08.

(See also Minute 33).

(i)                   Charging for Use of Community Premises

The Chairman reported that she had received a letter signed by a number of users of a community premises requesting a meeting to discuss issues relating to charging for use of the premises.

RESOLVED:  That the Chairman write to the premises users to invite them to meet with Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Joyce Nickolay, Asad Omar and Mrs Anjana Patel to discuss the issue.

(ii)                 Equalities Profile for Grants Applications

The Adviser to the Panel suggested that the grant application form be amended to include a more detailed section on equalities impact, in which organisations would be requested to provide a breakdown of their member profile.

Officers advised that it would be difficult to amend the form in such a way that a full breakdown of membership could be provided.  Some members of the Panel expressed the view that it might be problematic for organisations to provide very specific information about their membership profile.

RESOLVED:  That officers be requested to review the form.