Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notices of appointment of substitute Members (if any).

Apologies were received from Cllr S Robinson.   Cllr D Wulff attended as her substitute.

To receive any questions from members of the public and replies thereto.

Note:   A maximum of 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

There were no members of the public present.

To record any interests on agenda matters.

Members were reminded of the need to make declarations of interest where appropriate.

The following declarations were made:-

·         Cllr G Cochran declared he was a Councillor representative for CHAT.

·         Cllr B Holdman declared he knew the majority of the organisations applying for grants today.

·         Cllr C Connor declared she had dealings with CHAT.

·         Cllr A Glover declared she had a tour of Tiverton Museum and over the years had dealt with CHAT.

To receive any announcements that the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chair reminded the Policy Development Group of the strict timeframe the Policy Development Group would be working to today.

To agree the level of grant funding for external agencies under the Strategic Grants Programme for 2024 onwards.

The Group received the *Strategic Grants Review 2023 report from the Economic Development Team Leader.

Members had been asked to recommend:-

·         The Strategic Grant Funding Awards for 2024/2025 embracing the range of benefits that voluntary and community organisations provided for the District and its residents.

·         To set a funding period before the next funding awards were due for renewal.

Cllr D Wulff, the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure presented the report.   The Economic Development Team Leader highlighted the following:-

·         The allocation of £138,500 to support organisations in Devon had been reduced to £120,000.

·         It was clear that MDDC were dedicated to seeking to support the work of community orientated organisations within the Mid Devon community.

·         That despite ongoing financial pressure, grants had been awarded since 2017 and continued to be so.

Note: *Report previously circulated

Cllr A Cuddy arrived at 14:20.

Cllr C Harrower arrived at 14:33.

Discussion with regard to the next item, may require the Community Policy Development Group to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 12 12.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Community PDG would need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Recommended that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Chairman indicated that discussion with regard to the next item, may require the Committee to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 12 12.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Committee would need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Strategic partners will deliver 10-minute presentations to Members with the opportunity for question and answer sessions after each presentation. 

To make recommendations to Cabinet on the Grant Funding Awards for 2024/25.

Members received presentations from organisations explaining how the grant funding would be spent, the work that they had achieved and how in turn they would support the work of the Council.

The Community Policy Development Group RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that the:-

(i)         Current funding settlement should run for a two year period.

(Proposed by Cllr C Connor and seconded by Cllr C Harrower)

(ii)        Category Groupings to be changed as follows:-

Group 1 funding to be reduced by 10% for:-

Citizens Advice Bureaux

CHAT Mid Devon

Mid Devon Mobility

Group 2 funding to be reduced by 15% for:-

Grand Western Canal

INVOLVE

Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life

Tourist Information Service

(Proposed by Cllr C Connor and seconded by Cllr C Harrower)

Note: These proposed arrangements accord with the reduced funding amount of £120,000 per annum set out earlier within this report.

(iii)      Community Policy Development Group would review the grants awarded following the two year period.

(Proposed by the Chairman).