Agenda item

Kate Wilson, Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance, introduced the four Facility Grants (Release of S.106 contributions). She introduced the Facility Grant application from East Grinstead Rugby Football Club which was deferred at a previous meeting of the Panel as concerns were raised over the building safety and compliance. At the previous Panel it was suggested that the organisation employ a building surveyor to assess the building and provide proposals to address the issues. The organisation has since employed a building surveyor whom is content with the proposal put forward

 

The Chairman explained that he is content with the proposal which had addressed the concerns that he had initially raised during the Panel that reviewed the grant.

Members were supportive of the application.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community, Performance and Partnerships then presented the remaining three Facility Grants. The Facility Grants which were recommended for consideration and approval by the Panel are set out below:-

 

Organisation	Purpose for which award is sought	Total Project Cost	Award Suggested
Crawley Down Community Centre Association	Improvements to the Café Bar, outdoor paving and meeting rooms at the Haven Centre	26,167	25,172
Hassocks Community Association	Improved disabled access at Adastra Hall	8,650	8,650
Haywards Heath Rugby Club	New clubhouse at Whitemans Green	1,500,000	100,000
		£ 1,534,817	£ 133,822

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance presented the grant for Crawley Down Community Centre Association whom sought a grant to refurbish the café bar, meeting room and outdoor paving at the Haven Centre to modernise the facilities and improve the visitor experience.

 

A Member enquired whether the organisation is sustainable and well-run, enough so that they can sustain the maintenance of the building going forward.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance confirmed that officers did consider it, and they feel that they are in a good position, working towards achieving a sustainable position.

 

The Member sought clarification on the figures recommended for approval

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance confirmed that the figure outlined in the report was indeed correct. She had, in error, verbalised the total project cost rather than the recommended sum during the introduction.

 

Members were supportive of the application.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance presented the application from Hassocks Community Association whom sought a grant to fund the installation of automated doors, as part of a wider project to replace the existing windows and doors, to improve access to Adastra Hall.

 

Members were supportive of the application.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance presented the application from Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club which sought to contribute to the funding of the development of a replacement clubhouse with additional parking at Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club, Whitemans Green.

 

The Vice-Chairman believed that Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club is an excellent organisation that runs an excellent facility.

 

A Member enquired whether there is any additional funding available to support the organisation further.

 

The Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy & Performance confirmed that there are additional funds available. She also explained that there were other priorities outlined in the draft playing pitch strategy and parks & amenity space strategy that would require investment from that same pot of funding and that the panel may wish to take this into consideration.

 

The Chairman felt that it was a strong application and expressed that he would like to support it as much as possible. He suggested increasing the grant by a further £50,000 to £150,000

 

The Panel were supportive of the Chairman’s proposals.

 

The Panel were supportive of granting £150,000 to Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club.

 

Regina Choudhury, Community Development Officer, introduced the ten Community & Economic Development Grants.

 

Each application had been assessed against a standard check-list and considered by a ‘Grants Assessment Group’ to ensure a consistent approach to the awarding of grants.

 

The Community & Economic Development Grants which are recommended for consideration and approval by the Panel are set out below:-

 

Organisation	Area of Benefit	Purpose for which award is sought	Total Project Cost	Award Suggested
Brighton Science	Mid Sussex	Summer holiday workshops for children	7,000	2,500
Burgess Hill Town Council	Burgess Hill	Cinema screening in St Johns Park	2,355	1,300
Crawley Town Community Foundation	Hurstpierpoint	Sports activity programme for young people at Court Bushes	5,000	5,000
Downlands School Association	Hassocks	Building Survival Skills for the Teenage Years – parenting courses.	2,538	2,538
Haywards Heath Baptist Church	Haywards Heath	Astroturf for children’s play area	5,000	3,150
Hurstpierpoint Gymnastics Club	Hurstpierpoint	Gymnastic activities and equipment	5,225	2,025
Jubilee Hub	East Grinstead	Drop-in social group for isolated adults	4,070	2,620
Mid Sussex Community Support Organisation	Haywards Heath	Subsidised meals, games, Christmas and annual trip for people with mental health issues.	2,600	1,300
Relate North & South West Sussex	East Grinstead	Local counselling service	10,860	2,000
St John’s, Felbridge	East Grinstead	Holiday activity project for teenagers	714	714
Total			£45,362	£23,147

 

The Community Development Officer presented the application from Crawley Town Community Foundation that seeks to provide programmes and services based on the belief that engagement through sport can result in far more than developing sports skills. She confirmed that she is happy to fund the organisation but under the agreement that the organisation works with the other organisations who use the facility.

 

A Member enquired whether the sessions are open for everyone or whether it is for targeted people.

 

The Community Development Officer confirmed that the sessions are open to everyone.

 

The Vice-Chairman questioned whether there is there any scope for encouraging the parents to become volunteers.

 

The Community Development Officer highlighted the organisations work in Stone Quarry, East Grinstead in which some of the parents of the attendees to those sessions became volunteers.

 

A Member queried what age groups are the sessions designed for.

 

The Community Development Officer explained that the sessions are designed for the ages of eight and eighteen however the sessions are open for anyone of any age to join.

 

Members were supportive of the application.

 

The Community Development Officer introduced the application from Haywards Heath Baptist Church which sought funding to provide an astro turf area to the south of the building that is designated as a children’s play area for ball games and general exercise not always compatible to being held inside the building.

 

The Vice-Chairman expressed difficulty in understanding the general wider community use of the facility.

 

The Community Development Officer explained that she had recommended to the organisation that they open the area to non-congregation and congregation members. She added that she would monitor the use of the area over 3 months and report it back to the Panel.

 

The Chairman commented that the Panel would like to see that the area is being used for the wider community benefit.

 

Members were supportive of the application.

 

The Community Development Officer presented the application from Mid Sussex Community Support Association which sought funding to provide a drop-in club with a subsidised two course meal and refreshment bar.

 

The Chairman raised his concerns over their payment of the £10,000 Changing Places adapted bathroom. He also questioned their reach to the community.

 

The Vice-Chairman recommended to defer the application seeking further clarification on their reach to the community and their bathroom facility.

 

A Member expressed that he would like a better understanding of the project.

 

Members were not supportive of the application and recommended to defer the application pending further information on their community outreach and the viability of the scheme.

 

Members were supportive of the remaining eight applications.

 

The Community Development Officer outlined the proposal for £7,500 to be set aside from the Community and Economic Development budget to provide a ring-fenced fund for groups to apply for small one-off grants of up to £250 to run Silver Sunday events.

 

The Chairman expressed that he was pleased to hear Silver Sunday activities are being held all over October.

 

Members were supportive of the proposal.

 

RESOLVED

 

The Cabinet Grants Panel agreed that:

 

1. A Facility Grant (Release of S.106 contributions) of £50,000 be granted to East Grinstead Rugby Football Club to make improvements to the junior clubhouse.

 

2. A Facility Grant (Release of S.106 contributions) of £26,167 be granted to Crawley Down Community Centre Association (CDCCA) to fund the refurbishment of the café bar, meeting room and outdoor paving at the Haven Centre to modernise the facilities and improve the visitor experience.

 

3. A Facility Grant (Release of S.106 contributions) of £8,650 be granted to Hassocks Community Association to fund the installation of automated doors, as part of a wider project to replace the existing windows and doors, to improve access at Adastra Hall.

 

4. A Facility Grant (Release of S.106 contributions) of £150,000 be granted to Haywards Heath Rugby Club to fund the development of a replacement clubhouse with additional parking, at Whitemans Green, which will enable wider participation in rugby and provide facilities for other sports and community use.

 

5. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £2,500 be granted to Brighton Science to fund the Explainer’s fees, equipment and a contribution towards administration and venue hire to deliver the Pocket Science Festival 2019 in Mid Sussex.

 

6. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £1,300 be granted to Burgess Hill Town Council to contribute towards the cost as a contribution towards the cinema screen hire and licence fee for the free outdoor film showing of The Greatest Showman in St John’s Park.

 

7. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £5,000 be granted to Crawley Town Community Foundation to cover the costs of sports activities for young people in Court Bushes with the proviso that Crawley Town Community Foundation participates in the Hurstpierpoint Strategic Partnership and works in close partnership with Hurst Festival and Sussex Clubs for Young People.

 

8. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £2,538 be granted to Downlands School to deliver the ‘Building Survival Skills for the Teenage Years’ parenting classes for families.

 

9. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £3,150 be granted to Haywards Heath Baptist Church as a contribution towards the installation of an Astro Turfed play area.

 

10. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £2,025 be granted to Hurstpierpoint Gymnastics Club to purchase new gymnastics mats and the cost towards the training for volunteer coaches.

 

11. That a Community and Economic Development Grant of £2,620 be granted to Jubilee Hub to purchase football goal posts, recover pool table, dartboard and darts, community transport costs and training costs for volunteers.

 

12. That a Community and Economic Development Grant of £1,300 requested by Mid Sussex Community Support Association be deferred pending further information on their community outreach and the viability of the scheme.

 

13. That a Community and Economic Development Grant of £2,000 be granted to Relate North & South West Sussex for room hire in order to continue to provide counselling services in East Grinstead.

 

14. A Community and Economic Development Grant of £714 be granted to St John’s, Felbridge to purchase equipment to deliver a youth engagement project over the summer holiday to repaint and modify a Toyota Celica.