Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision

The Council uses S106 contributions paid by developers to mitigate the impact of developments on facilities and amenities in Cambridge. In line with the arrangements for annual generic S106 funding rounds, agreed by the Executive Councillor in March 2019, the Council invited grant applications from community groups for improvements to their community facilities, which could be made available for wider community use, as part of the 2020 S106 funding round.

 

In view of the Covid-19 lockdown, applications for the 2020 round were invited over an extended period (from mid-March to the end of July). Six have been received and assessed against the Council’s S106 selection criteria. The Officer’s report outlined the applications and officer assessments and recommends four community facilities S106 grants, plus a provisional funding allocation for a grant proposal to be developed in more detail.

 

Alongside the 2020 generic S106 funding round, the Officer’s report also took stock of the need to increase outdoor sports S106 funding levels for a couple of sports pavilions in the city where extra community facilities S106 allocations are proposed as well.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Communities

Agreed to:

      i.          The following S106 community facilities grants and funding, detailed in paragraphs 4.1-4.2 and Appendices A and B of the Officer’s report, subject to:

·       planning and building control requirements being satisfactorily met;

·       business case approval;

·       signed community grant agreement, securing appropriate community use of the facilities; and

·       a review of relevant funding allocations if any of these S106-funded projects cannot progress to the implementation stage within 18 months (that is, by the end of March 2022).

 

	Facility (and ward)	Purpose	Award
2.1.1	Nightingale Community Garden (Queen Edith’s)	Outside covered informal kitchen and activity area	£8,650 grant
2.1.2	Nightingale Pavilion (Queen Edith’s)	Multi-purpose community room, storage, kitchen & equipment	£20,000 costs
2.1.3	Chesterton Pavilion (East Chesterton)	Storage facilities for meeting space and equipment	£20,000 costs
2.1.4	Notts Own Scout Hut, Marmora Road (Romsey)	Kitchen and toilet improvements	£40,000 grant

 

     ii.          Provisionally allocate up to £100,000 for a possible community facilities improvement grant to St James’ Church, Wulfstan Way (Queen Edith’s ward) until the report on the 2021 S106 funding round when the project proposals will come back to this committee for further consideration. (Paragraph 4.2 of the Officer’s report refers).

   iii.          Allocate an additional £60,000 of outdoor sports S106 contributions for constructing and equipping the new pavilion at Nightingale Avenue Recreation Ground in Queen Edith’s ward (alongside the additional £20,000 of community facility S106 funding mentioned in 2.1.2 above), subject to amended business case approval. (See paragraph 4.4-4.6 of the Officer’s report).

   iv.          Allocate an additional £40,000 of outdoor sports S106 contributions for constructing and equipping the new pavilion at Chesterton Recreation Ground in East Chesterton (alongside the £20,000 of community facility S106 funding mentioned in 2.1.3 above), subject to amended business case approval. (See paragraphs 4.7-4.8 of the Officer’s report).

    v.          Instruct officers to review the progress of the East Barnwell Community Centre project in Abbey ward (currently allocated £255,000) and the steps that may be needed to ensure that those S106 contributions can be used on time, and report back to this scrutiny committee by June 2021. (Paragraph 4.5 of the Officer’s report refers).

 

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 Community Funding and Engagement Officer.

 

The Community Funding and Engagement Officer said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          In view of the Covid-19 lockdown, the application period for the 2020 funding round had been extended. It was envisaged that the arrangement for the 2021 round would revert to the normal timescales.

     ii.          Officers had offered support to projects listed in the report before committee. They recommended allocating funding as indicated. If projects were not eligible, they were signposted to other funding streams.

 

The Urban Growth Project Manager said that, given the reduced generic S106 funding levels and the need to invite community facility improvement applications only from those parts of the city where the S106 funding was available, the small number of applications received was to be expected. Further targeting of applications from relevant wards would continue in the 2021 round.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

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.