Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor S Rahman (substituted by Councillor B Spurr), Councillor K Cursons and Councillor S Cursons.

(i)    Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii)   Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

Members were asked to declare any interests, including the nature of those interests, which they had in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

Councillor B Spurr declared a personal interest in the Rotary Club application for a general grant as a member of the Club and would leave the room while the application was discussed and determined. 

Councillor J M Freeman declared a personal interest in the Guaranteed Grants to the Carnival as a member of the Carnival Committee,  as a Trustee of Buzzer Bus and Officer of Leighton-Linslade Music Centre Trust.   A Dispensation Form had been completed, requesting that permission to speak and/or vote on the items be granted by the Committee.

RESOLVED to grant a dispensation to Councillor J M Freeman to allow him to speak and vote on agenda items 6(b) and 7   in relation to the application for grant funding submitted by the Carnival Committee, Buzzer Bus and Leighton-Linslade Music Centre.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order No.s 1(f) and 1(h).

A member of the public and representative of the Sports Council spoke briefly to inform the Sub-Committee of the work carried out by them in promoting sport facilities within the town and how the ‘Yes We Can’ disability sport project would enable more participation in sport in Leighton-Linslade.

A member of the public and representative of Leighton-Linslade Timebank spoke in support of their application submitted for General Grant funding to run Jazz and Swing dance sessions in Leighton-Linslade targeted at vulnerable groups to alleviate social isolation and loneliness.

A member of the public spoke to inform the Sub-Committee of the work carried out by their organisation, Woodcraft Folk, and in support of their application to purchase camping lanterns and tents for the group.

A member of the public and representative of 1st Leighton Buzzard Brownies and 7th Leighton Buzzard Rainbows spoke briefly in support of their application for funding for projects which would benefit local Rainbows, Brownies and Guides units.  These were mainly to help towards running costs for activities including educational visits, sleepover, crafts, seasonal visits and purchase of badges.

A member of the public and representative of Freddie and Friends Sunshine Stop spoke to update the Sub-Committee of their activities over the last year supporting children and families within the town and to support their application for General Grant Funding to fund a mobile changing places facility for the Carnival in Leighton-Linslade and to purchase sensory equipment for activity days.

A member of the public and representative from Buzzer Bus spoke to inform the Sub-Committee how their grant funding had been used over the past year and thanked Leighton-Linslade Town Council for their continued support.

To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Grants Sub-Committee meeting held on  5 November 2018 (attached).

The Sub-Committee received the draft minutes of the meeting held on 5 November 2018.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 November 2018 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

(a)       To note that the General Grant budget for the financial year 2019-2020 stands at £10,000.

(b)       To consider applications for General Grants for 2019-2020 as per the attached schedule, in accordance with the General Grant guidelines (copy attached).

Note: summary information only is attached; full applications may be viewed at the White House during office hours.

The Sub-Committee was advised that the budget allocated for General Grants in 2019-2020 totalled £10,000. 

The Sub-Committee received a summary of the fifteen applications received for a General Grant in 2019-2020, along with a summary of the documents submitted with the applications. Each discussion was reviewed and discussed in turn, with a vote taken on each application.

RESOLVED to approve General Grant funding amounting to £6,799.98 as follows, subject to all applicants having met the required criteria by providing the required documentation.

RESOLVED to defer consideration of the application for General Grant funding of £500 to All Saints Church and resubmit to the Policy and Finance Committee upon clarification of legal considerations.

An application received from All Saints Church for £500 was deferred, awaiting further clarification from the Society of Local Council Clerks and National Association of Local Councils regarding relevant legislation. It was agreed that once this clarification was received, the application should be taken to a meeting of the Policy and Finance Committee for determination.

RESOLVED to defer consideration of the application for General Grant funding of £500 to All Saints Church and resubmit to the Policy and Finance Committee upon clarification of legal considerations.

(a)       To note that the Guaranteed Grant budget for the financial year 2019-2020 stands at £26,300 (increased by RPI from the previous year).

(b)       To note the annual information/reports received to date from Guaranteed Grant recipients (to follow) and to consider approving release of funds for 2019-2020.

Note: summary information is attached; full reports and financial accounts submitted by Guaranteed Grant recipients may be viewed at the White House during office hours.

The Sub-Committee was advised that the Guaranteed Grant budget for 2019-2020 totalled £26,300, representing an increase to reflect the Retail Price index from the set budget for the previous year.

The Sub-Committee received a summary of information from the twelve recipients of Guaranteed Grant funding, including (where appropriate) copies of the reports provided to the Town Council regarding use of grant funding. It was noted that information was still awaited for 2018-19 from three grant recipients.

RESOLVED to approve that payments for 2019-2020 be made to the Guaranteed Grants recipients totalling £26,300, subject to satisfactory reports and accounts having been submitted to the Town Council, as follows:

(a)       In accordance with the Service Level Agreement agreed by Council on 23 November 2015, to approve the release of grant funding amounting to £8,675 to the Leighton-Linslade Music Centre for 2019-2020.

(b)       In accordance with the resolution made by Council on 23 November 2015 and updated in January 2017, to approve the release of grant funding amounting to £21,627 to Citizens Advice Leighton-Linslade for 2019-2020.

The Sub-Committee was advised in accordance with the Service Level Agreement agreed by Council on 23 November 2015, that funds be released amounting to  £8,675 to Leighton-Linslade Music Centre for 2019-2020 and in accordance with the resolution made by Council on 23 November 2015 and updated in January 2017, to note the release of grant funding amounting to £21,627 to Citizens Advice Leighton-Linslade for 2019-2020.

RESOLVED to note the information regarding release of funding for 2019-2020 to the Leighton-Linslade Music Centre and Citizens Advice Leighton-Linslade.