Agenda item

Elaine Clarke, Community Facilities Project Officer, introduced the report to present three releases of S106 contributions and one release of Covid-19 Emergency Responses request for consideration by the Cabinet Grants Panel. She also presented recommendations to allow an extension of time and an amendment to the S106 contributions allocated to the Haywards Heath Tennis Club and amend the grant agreement with the St Francis Sports & Social Club to allow for a phased delivery of the project. She noted that The Branch Line, whom received a grant of £50,868 in February 2019, were unable to raise the match funding required by the grant, so the funds will instead be released and used to fund other projects.

Haywards Heath Tennis Club

The Community Facilities Project Officer presented the request for an extension of time and an amendment to the S106 contributions allocated to the Haywards Heath Tennis Club. She noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has created some delay and the Club have requested a 12-month extension of time to October 2021 to secure the funds, with a further twelve months to deliver the project. She also noted that under the terms of the grant agreement the Council has required the Club to make the facility available to community activities for a number of hours every week and that the Council will be looking to improve the facilities such as the improving the gate to allow automatic entry for online bookings.

The Vice-Chairman expressed support for the recommendation but enquired how enforcement will be carried out to ensure community use.

The Community Facilities Project Officer confirmed that due to the grant being over £50,000 there will be a formal agreement requiring them to show how the facility will be advertised and requiring their rates to be affordable. The Council has recourse to reclaim the grant if the Council wanted to enforce the requirements.

Members were supportive of the recommendation.

St Francis Sports & Social Club

The Community Facilities Project Officer presented the amended proposal for the St Francis Sports & Social Club which was a request to allow for a phased delivery of their project. She outlined that the Club are aiming to proceed with the swimming pool aspect of the project and will be looking at something more affordable for the remaining elements of the project. She added that the Club is keen for St Francis Rangers FC to take a central role in improvements to the playing pitches and will work with them to bring forward a scheme that is achievable and affordable.

The Chairman believed that the suggestions seem sensible.

The Vice-Chairman noted the aspirations of the Club and highlighted that it has always been an aspiration of the town to make the site a multi-sport and community facility. He stated that the Council needs to be satisfied that the money will be used for community benefit.

The Chairman stated that the proposal before the Panel is to address some of the Club’s aspirations and for that part of the development which can go forward now. He outlined that they would need to relook at their designs and aspirations for the other stage of the project to see what they can achieve with their own finance and public money.

The Community Facilities Project Officer explained that whilst the money has been allocated to the project, it actually hasn’t been released to them as the Council needs to be assured that the project will be deliverable and accessible by all. The legal agreement between the Club and the Council outlines a number of conditions they have to meet such as accessibility to all and reasonable rates to use the facility. She added that they can put forward one element of the extant planning application and that they could go on to build the community facility if they had the funds to do so.

The Member reiterated the position of the Panel that they do not want funds to be released to projects that are not viable and said that the project is an important steppingstone for the site.

Members were supportive of the recommendation.

East Grinstead Town Council

[Cllr Belsey was removed from the meeting and placed into the ‘Waiting Room’ at 4:57pm]

Emma Sheridan, Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy and Performance, presented the request to release of Covid19 Emergency Funds for Town Councils for East Grinstead Town Council to fund the costs of maintaining business continuity by supporting a change in workstyles to facilitate a virtual working environment and the costs of making the Town Council building a COVID Safe environment.

The Chairman believed the grant was a reasonable sum of money and acknowledged the hard work of the town councillors, officers, and community for East Grinstead.

Members were supportive of the application.

[Cllr Belsey returned to the meeting at 5:01pm]

Release of S106 contributions

The Community Facilities Project Officer presented the application from Ansty Village Centre Trust which requested funds to fit out the new sports and community centre at Ansty Recreation Ground with modern fixtures and fittings to make it comfortable, secure and accessible, ready to open to the public in Spring 2021.

The Vice-Chairman expressed his support for the application but questioned what measures they have in place to reach out and support BAME communities.

The Chairman understood there to be an equalities assessment in the application so believed that it would be addressed there.

Members were supportive of the application.

The Community Facilities Project Officer presented the applications from Ashenground Community Centre, which requested funding to make a number of facility improvements in order to protect staff and visitors, and from Hurstpierpoint Allotment Association which sought funding to install five new water tanks and standpipes at the allotment site in Albourne Road

Members were supportive of both applications.        

RESOLVED

The Cabinet Grants Panel agreed:

1. That an extension of time and an amendment to the S106 contributions allocated to the Haywards Heath Tennis Club be granted.

2. That the grant agreement with the St Francis Sports & Social Club be amended to allow for a phased delivery of the project

3. That £27,073 of S.106 contributions be released to Ansty Village Centre Trust to retrofit the new sports and community centre at Ansty Recreation Ground with modern fixtures and fittings to make it comfortable, secure and accessible, ready to open to the public in Spring 2021.

4. That £2,642 of S.106 contributions be released to Ashenground Community Centre to fund a number of facility improvements in order to protect staff and visitors and make the building and car park safer to use and available to the community to use and enjoy.

5. That £1,375 of S.106 contributions be released to Hurstpierpoint Allotment Association to fund the installation of five new water tanks and standpipes at the allotment site in Albourne Road, Hurstpierpoint to make watering easier and cater for the growing numbers of allotment holders.

6. That £2,408.53 of Covid19 Emergency Funds for Town Councils be released to East Grinstead Town Council to contribute to the costs of maintaining business continuity by supporting a change in workstyles to facilitate a virtual working environment and the costs of making the Town Council building a COVID Safe environment.