Issue - meetings

Report to follow.

Question from Councillor who is not a Member of this Committee: Councillor Holland.

 

Councillor Holland had three areas of concern regarding the proposed award for King’s College School.

1.   Will the community use of this venue be permissive? Is the School fully engaged with the local community? Does the school have evidence from existing partners to support the inclusive nature of facilities?

2.   Were state schools offered similar opportunities to apply for funding?

3.   This is a large allocation. Will it be used in the near future or is there a danger that it will sit in the school’s bank account.

 

The Urban Growth Projects Manager responded. He explained that £75,000 allocation was being awarded from the City-wide indoor sport budget. They had also been awarded £50,000 from the West Central Area Committee from their devolved budget.

 

All awards would be subject a Community Use Agreement. The School already had existing external users who used the facilities at weekends. In addition, a local football tournament used the school’s pitches. The proposed new facilities would make community use easier as the new changing rooms would not require access to the school building. 

 

Matter for Decision

 

Since the S106 priority-setting process was agreed in October 2014, local groups had submitted grant applications for developer contributions funding to help them develop their projects. The report set out the nine bids that had been made for new or improved sports facilities to benefit more than one area of the city (see Appendices B and C of the Officer’s report).

 

Another 11 applications for local community facilities and outdoor sports projects were being reported to the relevant area committees in early 2015 (see Appendix D of the Officer’s report).

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Community, Arts and Recreation

 

The Executive Councillor is recommended to:

     i.        approve the following S106 grants, subject to more details, project appraisal approval and community use agreement (see section 5 of the Officer’s report)

a.   Cambridge 99 Rowing Club: upgraded/extended kitchen facilities (£5,000 outdoor sports grant),

b.   Cambridge Canoe Club: additional boat & equipment store

(£10,000 outdoor sports grant),

c.   Cambridge Rugby Club: new changing rooms (provisional

£200,000 outdoor sports grant – see paragraph 5.6 of the Officer’s report),

d.   King’s College School: sports centre – visitor changing rooms (£75,000 indoor sports grant),

e.   Cambridge Gymnastics Academy: refurbishment of warehouse as a gymnastics facility (£65,000 indoor sports grant),

f.     Netherhall School & 6th Form Centre: supplementary funding for gym facility (£64,000 indoor sports grant);

    ii.        agree the allocation of £80,000 of community facilities S106 contributions from the strategic fund towards the Clay Farm community centre (paragraph 4.6 refers of the Officer’s report).

 

Reason for the Decision

 

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee received a report from the Urban Growth Projects Manager.

 

Councillor Reid stated that the West Central Committee had expressed reservations regarding providing funding to a private school. They had resolved to make the award subject to the councillor approval of the wording of the Community Use Agreement. Money awarded for community facilities must be used for inclusive facilities. Defining community use as use by groups was problematic as there was no clear definition of what constitutes a group.

 

Officers confirmed that due to the size of the award (£75,000), a full project appraisal would come back to this committee for further consideration. 

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

     i.        Suggested that details of other application made by the same organisation be included in the report.

    ii.        Suggested that grant applicants be asked if they pay the living wage

   iii.        Suggested that applicants should ensure contractors do not blacklist workers.

  iv.        Welcomed the update on the Rouse Ball pavilion.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Urban Growth Projects Manager stated the following:

     i.        All applications for S106 funding must demonstrate additional benefit for the community.

    ii.        Community Use Agreements were legal documents which included equality and diversity requirements and were monitored annually.

   iii.        A website which highlighted venues which had Community Use Agreements was under construction.

  iv.        Signage regarding Community Use to be displayed in venues was also under consideration.

   v.        Appendix D of the Officer’s report did not contain figures as Area Committees had not yet agreed which projects to support.

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendation.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

 

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.