Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Police & Policy Co-ordination/Safer & Stronger Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/065

Contact: Claire Phillips, Partnership Officer Tel: (01865) 323967/Alexandra Bailey, Corporate Performance & Review Manager Tel: (01865) 816384

Report by Head of Strategy & Communications (CA8).

Cabinet are asked to consider bids to the Big Society Fund from the first wave of applications and agree which bids to award funding.  Bids may also include applications for asset transfer.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)               Approve those bids which meet the assessment criteria

(b)              Approve asset transfers in accordance with the asset transfer policy with the exception of Wolvercote where the Council will continue to repair and maintain the property.

(c)               Waive the ‘cooling off’ for the following four time-critical community asset transfers:

·        Allandale, Carterton

·        Glyme Hall, Chipping Norton

·        Faze, Faringdon

·        Wolvercote 

(d)              Ask officers to work with community groups to enable them to take over buildings to facilitate continuity of provision as much as possible from 1 September.

(e)               Ensure a grant funding agreement that meets legal requirements is in place for all successful projects

Cabinet considered bids to the Big Society Fund from the first wave of applications.

The Chairman noted that Councillor Heathcoat having declared a prejudical interest would exercise her right to speak to the meeting in line with the rights of members of the public but would then withdraw from the meeting and take no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

The Cabinet Member for Police & Policy Co-ordination introduced the report highlighting the work done by local councillors working with local people. Local Councillors had assessed the bids in their geographic area and he commented that 55% of bids received had been for services to young people. He intended to wait to the end of the discussion before proposing the recommendations as it was important to listen to what was said.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat spoke in support of the FAZE Youth and Community Centre bid referring to the huge support from the local community and to a number of successful funding events. She referred to the involvement of Faringdon Town Council and the interest in using the facility from the local Scout Group and Tennis Club.

The Chairman indicated that he would be taking the speakers in three groups based on the 3 Annexes to allow discussion by the Cabinet Members at each stage.

Councillor Hibbert-Biles spoke in support of the Glyme Hall bid noting that without it there would be no youth provision in Chipping Norton. She commented that there were still a number of issues to be negotiated in the lease and she hoped that there would be flexibility. The recommendation was to support the bid and she expressed her thanks on behalf of the residents of Chipping Norton who would be delighted.

Councillor Brighouse spoke in support of the Wood Farm Youth Work Training Project  hoping that it would receive support as it was in an area of massive social deprivation.  A successful bid would be underpinned by continued fund raising towards a professional youth worker and towards the maintenance of the building. The bid would enable the existing volunteers to increase their skills. She invited Cabinet Members to visit the project and Councillor Mallon replied that he would welcome the opportunity if invited.

Councillor Fooks spoke in support of the bid by  Wolvercote Young People’s Club noting that there were pockets of deprivation in the area. The local community had risen to the opportunity given them by the Fund process and she was sure that local support would be secured. The youth club was purpose built and the nearby Primary School was full and likely to expand. Councillor Fooks was impressed by the response from local people and commented that it had been hard work and there was some concern from them about how they could be ready by 1 September. Councillor Fooks thanked all the officers involved who were helpful in the bid preparation.

Councillor Purse commended the bid for the Wheatley Young People’s Centre which would serve the wider area. She was aware that this bid was unusual but felt that it was important to know that there would still be a property for them to use. There was unanimous support for the proposals from the Parish Council and a strong commitment to youth service provision in Wheatley.

Councillor Hannaby, supported by Councillor Patrick, spoke in support of The Sweatbox. She commented that both Councillors had been involved in securing the bid. She stated that the bid was for a modest grant to replace what was a very long lived and successful youth centre. The Centre took youths from a wide area. She thanked officers for their help in the preparation of the business case and believed that the proposal was sustainable and viable. There was commitment from the local community, the school and the Town Council. There was also support from the police, from the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) and the Rotary Round Table amongst others. Young people themselves were aware that they would need to fund raise.

Councillor Mathew, spoke in support of the bid from Bartholemew School and in view of recommendation (d) asked that access to the site be given as soon as possible as there was a 6 week building programme needed before opening.

Councillor Mallon thanked local members for their involvement and commented that the emerging co-location of buildings was positive as it cut down on overheads.

Councillor Chapman in responding to the individual comments welcomed the fruition of the Big Society Fund. During the budget setting process the Council had been criticised over the youth service provision but had now heard very eloquently how many would be kept open. She was sure that there would be other projects, both existing and new ones in future waves of the Big Society Fund. She thanked officers for their excellent work in bringing the bids forward. Councillor Jim Couchman referred to the Carterton youth provision. Councillor Robertson stated that the report and proposals were a vindication of the Big Society idea and he had been very impressed by the input from local councillors who had made difficult choices through the bid process.

Councillor Mallon explained that the intention of putting bids into Category 2 was to allow further work by the bidders so that some very good bids not be lost at this stage.

Mr Faz Kayani representing Oxford Boxing Academy spoke in support of the bid stressing that the Academy was not just about athletics but was about providing wider support in a family environment. The bid was not for funding but for a permanent venue. The Academy provided affordable training and was supported by the head teacher.

Responding to questions from Cabinet Members Mr Kayani replied that they could not pay the £500k valuation although they would be receiving some Sports Lottery funding. There might be scope for offering use of some of the facilities to other groups.

Councillor Brighouse spoke in support of the Thrive Barton Community Mentoring Project bid commenting that the City Councillors did recommend it for funding although the locality group did not. There had been a pilot with a group of local people acting as mentors to young people on the brink of needing formal intervention. She recognised that Cabinet was likely to say that it must come back but it was a very important project in a very disadvantaged area and she hoped that it would be supported in the future..

Councillor Hannaby, supported by Councillor Patrick, spoke in support of bid by The Independent Advice Centre commenting that the Centre had provided an excellent transport system in the area over many years. She was not wholly satisfied with the officer report as she believed that it was a new project for day services. Day Services were not able to provide transport so this filled a real need. With a modest sum she believed that a client base could be secured. There were two transport reviews being undertaken but people needed help now.

Responding to a comment from Councillor Robertson that the question was over sustainability Councillor Hannaby indicated that the bid was for start up costs. They would be going out to engage volunteers.

Councillor Chapman indicated that she would be putting forward an amendment in relation to the Oxford Boxing Academy as she saw the merits in the boxing club and believed they had taken a sustainable approach. The 8 week cooling off period under the Asset Transfer Policy would allow time for any other interested group to come forward.

The following speakers addressed Cabinet in relation to projects in Annex 3:

Councillor Hibbert-Biles spoke in support of the  Changing for the Better at The Lido and Short Footpath Link projects. She understood that the Fund was oversubscribed but commented that the Lido bid was supported by the Town Council and provided a facility for all the family. The Footseps Project was also supported by the Town Council and had been part of a planning covenant. She believed it was a new project for Chipping Norton.

Councillor Mathew spoke in support of the bid for Standlake Cycling Track. He felt that it deserved support and referred to a letter dated 1 July 2011 that answered a number of the queries raised against the bid. The Leader commented that a great deal of correspondence had been received in relation to the bids and it was not practical to include it all in the report.

Mr Michael Ryan, Northmoor Parish Council, spoke in support of The Stonehenge Project and noted that the Prime Minister had sought assurance on monitoring. The Parish Council had put forward the bid and it would fulfil a written commitment and dispel misconceptions of local people. The role of enforcement lay with the County Council Monitoring & Enforcement Team and it was a heavy burden to fulfil. The Parish Council was familiar with the conditions and routing agreements.

Responding  to a question from Councillor Robertson Mr Ryan replied that with only 300 in the parish a precept would not generate enough funding to undertake the work.

Councillor Mallon moved the recommendations set out in the report and Councillor Chapman proposed that the Oxford Boxing Academy be included in the approved asset transfers subject to the usual 8 week cooling off period. Councillor Mallon accepted the amendment to the recommendations subject to the Oxford Boxing Academy meeting the financial commitment at the existing value.

The Chairman summarised the position in relation to the bids: those in Annex 1 were agreed subject to the addition of the Oxford Boxing Academy as detailed above; those bids in Annex 2 required more work and those in Annex 3 were refused. He thanked Alexandra Bailey and Claire Phillips for the massive amount of work put into the bid process.

RESOLVED:             to

(a)               approve those bids which meet the assessment criteria as set out in Annex 1;

(b)               approve asset transfers in accordance with the asset transfer policy with the exception of Wolvercote where the Council will continue to repair and maintain the property and with the addition of the inclusion of The Boxing Academy in the list of approved asset transfers subject to the usual ‘cooling off’ period and to the Oxford Boxing Academy meeting the financial commitment at the existing value;

(c)               waive the ‘cooling off’ for the following four time-critical community asset transfers:

·        Allandale, Carterton

·        Glyme Hall, Chipping Norton

·        Faze, Faringdon

·        Wolvercote; 

(d)               ask officers to work with community groups to enable them to take over buildings to facilitate continuity of provision as much as possible from 1 September; and

(e)               ensure a grant funding agreement that meets legal requirements is in place for all successful projects.