Issue - meetings

Report enclosed separately.

The Committee received a report from the Urban Growth Project Manager regarding the S106 Devolved Decision Making: Grant Applications.

He reminded the Committee that developer contributions are for the provision of, improvement or better access to particular types of facilities as specified in S106 agreements, with contribution categories defined in planning policy documents. To be eligible, projects needed to provide additional benefit and be available for access by all sections of the community. S106 contributions could not be used for repairs and maintenance, replacing existing facilities or running costs.

The Urban Growth Project Manager tabled the following revised recommendations:

2.1     allocate £53,000 devolved community facilities S106 contributions to Cambridge Community Church towards the kitchen and portable stage lift at the new C3 centre, subject to satisfactory project appraisal and a community use agreement;

2.2     [REVISED] allocate up to £48,600 of devolved S106 community facilities contributions for eligible works for the conversion of Sturton Street Chapel and Hall into a community centre, subject to the acquisition of the site by the grant applicant, project appraisal approval following further details from the applicant and a community use agreement; and

2.3     [REVISED] defers consideration of the S106 grant application for the redevelopment of the multi-use games area at East Barnwell community hub so that the grant applicant can provide more detailed proposals and so that the amount of S106 funding for which the project may be eligible can be reassessed.

Resolved (Nem con) to defer recommendation 2.3.

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

       i.          Recommendation 2.2 is intended to allow for fast action to be taken subject to the satisfactory acquisition of the building. Provisional allocations of this sort had been agreed in the past. The allocations were defined as up to £48,600 and the end figure might be less than this, in which case the funding would be reallocated to another project. 

     ii.          Faith based applications needed to commit to a written agreement on inclusion, and a method to be devised to more closely monitor use by the wider community. All grant applicants fully understood the requirements and annual monitoring reports were required.

Resolved (unanimously) to agree the following amended priorities:

2.1     allocate £53,000 devolved community facilities S106 contributions to Cambridge Community Church towards the kitchen and portable stage lift at the new C3 centre, subject to satisfactory project appraisal and a community use agreement; and

2.2     allocate up to £48,600 of devolved S106 community facilities contributions for eligible works for the conversion of Sturton Street Chapel and Hall into a community centre, subject to the acquisition of the site by the grant applicant, project appraisal approval following further details from the applicant and a community use agreement.