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 Spurr

(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).

Councillor Dodwell declared a personal interest as Town Council representative for Freddie & Friends and Meadow Way Community Association, Councillor Palmer declared a personal interest as a member of Leighton Buzzard District Archaeological and Historical Society, Councillor Goodchild declared a personal interest as Town Council representative for Buzzer Buses and Councillor Freeman declared a personal interest as a member of Leighton Buzzard Carnival Committee and Leighton Linslade Music Centre.

Councillor Jones declared a personal interest as a pupil of Leighton Linslade Music Centre and would not vote on that item.

No dispensations were requested.

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 3 (e) (f) (g) and 3(h).

Two members of the public spoke in support of their grant applications (representing the Friends of Tiddenfoot Waterside Park and the Leighton Buzzard & District Archaeological and Historical Society).

(a)  To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Grants Sub-Committee meeting held on 21 February 2022 (attached), in accordance with Standing Order 12.

(b)  To receive any information updates arising from the minutes (if applicable).

(a)          The Sub-Committee received the draft minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2022.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2022 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

(b)          Minute reference 38/GA Minutes of the Previous Meeting – full information had not been received regarding the grant application from First Responders therefore no payment had yet been made.

Minute reference 39/GA General Grant Applications (3^rd Round for 2021-22) – support had been offered to the Leighton-Linslade Sports Council regarding the review of grant criteria and eligibility.

(a)       To note that the General Grant budget for the financial year 2022-2023 provides up to £9,000 of available funds (£1,000 of the total £10,000 budget having already been allocated at the meeting held 21 February 2022).

(b)       To consider the deferred application from February 2022 for Body and Mind Martial Arts (verbal update).

(c)        To consider 1st round applications for General Grants for 2022-2023 totalling £3,676.49 as per the attached schedule and summary, in accordance with the General Grant guidelines (copy attached).

(a)          The Sub Committee was advised the budget allocated for General Grants in 2022-2023 totalled £10,000. £1,000 of the total £10,000 budget had already been allocated at the meeting held on 21 February 2022, leaving £9.000 available.

RESOLVED to note the information.

(b)           The Sub Committee received a verbal update to consider the deferred application from February 2022 for Body and Mind Martial Arts.  Although supportive of the purpose of the application, Committee members agreed that the eligibility criteria for receiving a grant had not been met and it was suggested the group seek assistance from the Sports Council to achieve this , as this would be the usual mechanism for sports related applications. 

RESOLVED not to approve the grant application from Body and Mind Martial Arts but to support them approaching the Leighton-Linslade Sports Council for support and possible funding.

(c)          The Sub-Committee received a summary of the eight applications received for a General Grant in 2022-2023, along with a summary of the documents submitted with the applications. 

RESOLVED to approve payment of general grants totalling £3,676.49 from the remaining 2022-23 budget, subject to all applicants having met the required criteria by providing the required documentation, as set out below.

(a)         To receive and note the reports received to date from Guaranteed Grant recipients in respect of funding provided in 2021-22 (information attached; further information may follow).

(b)         To note the budget allocation for Guaranteed Grants of £37,119 in 2022-23 (this represents an increase for RPI of 4.9% from the previous year).

(c)          To authorise the release of 2022-23 grant funding to Guaranteed Grant recipients, subject to them having met the required criteria i.e. having provided a report and accounts for the previous year.

(a)          The Sub-Committee received a summary of information from the eleven recipients of Guaranteed Grant funding, including (where appropriate) copies of the reports provided to the Town Council regarding use of grant funding. 

RESOLVED to note the information.

(b)            The Sub-Committee was advised that the Guaranteed Grants budget for 2022-2-23 totalled £37,119 representing an increase for RPI of 4.9% from the previous year.

RESOLVED to note the information.

(c)          The Sub-Committee agreed to the release of grant funding to Guaranteed Grant recipients subject to them having met the correct criteria.

RESOLVED to approve those payments for 2022-2023 be made to the Guaranteed Grants recipients totalling £37,090, subject to satisfactory reports and accounts having been submitted to the Town Council.

(a)         To receive and note the information provided at the Spring term monitoring meeting (attached) and to authorise the release of 2022-23 funding in the amount of £9,357 (this represents an increase for RPI of 4.9% from the previous year).

(b)         To receive and consider a verbal update on the Time Machine project funding previously provided to Inspiring Music (project delayed due to Covid).

(a)          The Sub-Committee received and noted a report which provided information regarding Leighton Linslade Music Centre/Inspiring Music and considered the release of 2022-23 funding in the amount of £9,357.

RESOLVED to note the report and to authorise the release of funding for 2022-2023 of £9,357.

(b)          The Sub-Committee received a verbal update on the Time Machine project funding which had previously been provided to Inspiring Music but had not commenced due to Covid restrictions.

Members agreed the intergenerational Time Machine Project was a great idea which could be revisited in the future but at present would not be likely to go ahead so the funding which had been ringfenced during Covid should be returned to the Town Council.  It was agreed to suggest this be ringfenced in an earmarked reserve so that Inspiring Music could approach the town council again in future.

RECOMMENDED to Policy & Finance Committee to create an earmarked reserve to ringfence the funding due to be returned by Inspiring Music, to allow a future suitable project to take place.

Noting the report provided to Policy & Finance Committee on 22 November 2021 and that the next report will follow in November 2022, to approve the release of 2022-23 funding in the amount of £23,327 (this represents an increase for RPI of 4.9% from the previous year).

Members noted that an annual report had been provided to Policy and Finance Committee on 22 November 2021 and that the next update would be in November 2022. In the meantime, the Committee received a letter of thanks from Citizens Advice for town council support. 

RESOLVED to approve the release of 2022-23 grant funding to Citizens Advice Leighton-Linslade, in the amount of £23,327.

To receive a verbal update regarding awards.

Terms of Reference

1. To approve or refuse grant applications, in accordance with Council policy.
2. To consider other requests for funding from the Town Council and where appropriate, make recommendations to Policy & Finance accordingly.
3. To consider and make recommendations in respect of the annual Honorary Burgess award, in accordance with Council policy.
4. To consider options in respect of nominations for other award schemes, as appropriate.

The Sub Committee was informed the Young People Awards were being promoted at present with the closing date being 30 June, for presentation by the end of July 2022. 

The 2022 Community Volunteer Awards would be presented at the Civic Service on Sunday 15 May 2022.

RESOLVED to note the information