Agenda and minutes

The Panel received the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which requested the members to recommend to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services the allocation of the reserved grant applications which had been reserved from the Panel’s meeting on 5 March 2008.

On considering the applications, it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:

That (1) £2,729 be released to Harrow Bengalee Association;

(2)  £1,500 be released to Harrow Youth and Community project subject to the resumption of services at Kenmore Park Hall.

[Reason:  To finalise the allocation of grant funding to Voluntary Organisations for 2008/09].

(See also Minute 121).

The Panel received the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which requested the members to consider the appeals received against the recommendations made on 5 March 2008 by the Grants Advisory Panel in order to make recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services accordingly.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:

That (1) funding to Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisation remain the same as recommended at the meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel on 5 March 2008;

(2)  funding to Harrow Pensioner’s Action Association be revised from nil to £500;

(3)  funding to Harrow Refugee and Minorities Forum remain the same as recommended at the meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel on 5 March 2008;

(4)  funding to African Women Initiative 4 Nationwide Development remain the same as recommended at the meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel on 5 March 2008;

(5)  funding to Kuwaiti Community Association remain the same as recommended at the meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel on 5 March 2008;

(6)  funding to the National Council of Vanik Associations (UK) remain the same as recommended at the meeting of the Grants Advisory Panel on 5 March 2008.

[REASON:  A number of organisations had made appeals against the decisions made by the Grants Advisory Panel at the meeting of 5 March 2008.  These appeals had been made in accordance with the grant funding processes and required consideration by the Grants Advisory Panel].

[Notes:  That (1) the appeal from Community Link Up was withdrawn before the meeting and was subsequently not heard by the Panel;

(2)  Councillors Nana Asante, Asad Omar, Rekha Shah and Nizam Ismail wished to record as having voted against (4) and (6) above].

(See also Minutes 113 and 122).

The Panel received the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which requested the members to consider the grant reserved to Flash Musicals in 2007/08 and make a recommendation to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services to delegate authority to officers to release the amount of £1,000 on signing of the lease for their premises in Methuen Road, Edgware.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:

That authority be delegated to officers to release the amount of £1,000 on signing of the lease for the premises in Methuen Road, Edgware.

[REASON:  To finalise the allocation of grant funding to Voluntary Organisations in 2007/08].

(See also Minute 113).

The Panel received the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which requested the members to consider the additional information supplied by the applicants for the reserved EHT grant funding and make recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services to authorise officers to release the reserved EHT amount of £2,470 in respect of two organisations listed in paragraph 2.1.1 on the report.

On considering the additional information supplied by the applicants, it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:

That (1) officers be authorised to release the reserved EHT amount £2,000 to Angolan Civic Communities Alliance;

(2)  officers be authorised to release the reserved EHT amount of £470 to Harrow Gingerbread.

[REASON:  To enable the organisations listed in paragraph 2.1.1 of the report to receive their grant funding of £2,470].

The Panel received the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which requested the members to:

1)                   consider the two applications from

-                      Hindu Council Harrow;

-                      Harrow Tamil Association

2)                   agree that the new allocations be effective immediately; and

3)                   delegate authority to officers to undertake a 6-monthly review (i.e. October 2008) of all accommodation to new and existing users at the Community Premises; and

4)                   make recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services on the allocation of space at Community Premises.

On considering the applications, it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:

That (1) the new allocations for use of the community premises be effective immediately; and

(2)  that authority be delegated to officers to undertake a 6-monthly review (i.e. October 2008) of all accommodation to new and existing users at the Community Premises.

[REASON:  To finalise the allocation of space at the Community Premises to enable it to become better utilised].

To note the appointment of Councillor Chris Mote at the Cabinet meeting on 15 May 2008 under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 5.1 as Chairman of the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

RESOLVED:  That the Panel noted the appointment of Councillor Chris Mote at the Meeting of Cabinet on 15 May 2008 as Chairman of the Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

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 the following interests were declared:

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.

RESOLVED: That (1) item 12 was heard before item 11;

(2)  all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

A nomination was received and seconded for Councillor Joyce Nickolay.  Upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Joyce Nickolay be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 April 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes be agreed, subject to the following amendments:

(1)                 point 3 of Recommendation 2 should read ‘the current grant qualification be applied to all organisations wishing to make use of community lettings and the exception for religious activities to be retained for religious organisations using the premises’;

(2)                 a fourth point be added to Recommendation 2 which reads ‘to increase payments to schools commensurate with income received’.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (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 16 (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 14 (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 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (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].

[Note:  The Panel's policy (Minute 13: 06.07.06) is to receive deputations annually at its November meeting].

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

To note the appointment of Mike Coker as the advisor to the Grants Advisory Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the Panel noted the appointment of Mike Coker as adviser to the Panel for the Municipal Year 2008/2009;

(2)  the Chairman would consult with the advisor as to the appointment of an advisor to attend in his absence.

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

Further to Recommendation 1 above, the Deputy Head of Services, Community Development, brought to the attention of the Panel an error contained within the report.  At point 2.2.1 the amount of £1,000 should have read £2,729.  She added that the Grants Support Unit had received from the Harrow Bengalee Association clarification on the intended use of the reserved grant amount.  With regard to the reserved grant for Harrow Youth and Community Project, the Deputy Head of Services, Community Development, reported that it had been ascertained that there had been no activity at Kenmore Park Hall since January 2008.  She added that the officers had made enquiries with Adults and Housing and had been informed that activities could commence in May 2008.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

Further to Recommendation 2 above, the Panel received from the Deputy Head of Service, Community Development information relating to:

Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisation

The Deputy Head of Service, Community Development, reported to the Panel that the organisation was appealing on the grounds that there would be insufficient funds for their accommodation costs.  A Member commented that it must be recognised that the organisation acted as an umbrella for many other Somali organisations.  She added that perhaps the Drug Action Team could be approached for departmental funding, allowing the organisation to continue to operate from their premises.

Harrow Pensioners Association

The Deputy Head of Service, Community Development informed the Panel that the Grants Support Unit had received more information from the association pertaining to their membership and attendance.  A Member responded that a fellow Councillor had visited one of the association’s meetings and had concerns about membership as the attendance was low.  She suggested that the Panel could perhaps award a lower amount and that officers could monitor the group.  A Member commented that it would be unfair for the association to be judged solely on one meeting as membership does fluctuate.  She added that it should be recognised that some groups do struggle to receive membership fees and that the association had completed the time consuming grants application form for a reasonably small amount.  The Chairman commented that it was known that the association had approximately £2,000 available in their reserves account.  A Member responded that it was previously agreed that groups should not be penalised over such monies and that it was good practice that such groups had funds for six-months running costs available.

Further to this, a motion was put and seconded proposing that the full amount of £750 be allocated to Harrow Pensioners Association.  Upon being put to a vote, the motion was not carried.  A second motion was put and seconded proposing that the amount of £500 be allocated to Harrow Pensioners Association.  Upon being put to a vote, the motion was carried.

Harrow Refugee and Minorities Forum

A Member commented that there was not enough evidence available as to the activities of the forum and suggested that officers monitor the day?to?day activities.  A Member responded that the forum did indeed run many activities and acted primarily to support organisations that support refugees.  She added that a loan was given in the past to the Harrow Weald Common Conservators and that such a provision should be investigated on this occasion, also.  The Chairman replied that the legality of such an offer would have to be investigated and therefore could not be decided at the current meeting.

African Women Initiative 4 Nationwide Development

A Member commented that the appeal letter received was not consistent with the summary contained within the report, which was out of context and failed to capture and reflect the aims of the group.  She added that the project represented a ‘means to an end, rather than an end in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122.

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

(See Recommendation 3).

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

(See Recommendation 4).

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

(See Recommendation 5).

Confidential Appendix 4 to Agenda item 11.

RESOLVED: That the appeal letters were noted.

Which cannot otherwise be dealt with.

HCRE

A Member expressed their concern about the lack of briefing and information given to Members regarding an urgent press release relating to HCRE.  The Chairman replied that all Leaders had been briefed prior to the release and that the purpose of the urgent release was to show that everything was above-board.  He added that the HCRE had failed to meet the criteria for their grant allocation and had also suspended their chief executive. As a result all funding had been suspended.  The Chairman concluded that an investigation of the HCRE would be undertaken by an outside body, and that all members would receive a briefing about the situation in due time.

Halls

The Chairman reported to the Panel that he had been in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder about the use of halls which fall under the jurisdiction of the Housing Department.  He expressed the idea of the possibility of the revenue account being moved to the Portfolio Holder of Community and Cultural Services so that the halls could come before the Panel and potentially be put to better use.