Agenda and minutes

There were no public speakers.

Minute 10 Cllr Paul Hayward –– Personal interest – Clerk to Chardstock Parish Council.

There were no matters of urgency.

There were no confidential/exempt items.

Jamie Buckley Engagement & Funding Officer reported that crowdfunding was now a well-established and well used tool that allowed communities and organisations to promote and publish local ideas, solutions, infrastructure and events that need money. A crowdfunding website allows people and potential funders to access and review project proposals and then should they choose to, provide funding. The process of applying for crowdfunding was explained to members. It was noted that the fund had approximately £102,000 available when it started in April this year.

Jamie Buckley, Engagement & Funding Officer, reported on the eligibility criteria for Crowdfund East Devon. Those who could apply included:

·       Charities registered with the Charities Commission.

·       Properly constituted and regulated Community Interest Companies registered with Companies House.

·       Parish and town councils.

·       Properly constituted voluntary and community groups and clubs.

·       Properly constituted not for profit organisations.

It was noted that projects would be funded where at least 75% of the benefits were to communities and people within East Devon.

This was a project from Hawkchurch Community Shop to add solar panels to Hawkchurch Community Shop, as already exist on Hawkchurch Village Hall. This was the only shop for 5 miles and reducing running costs by adding solar panels would help the shop become more sustainable and also be good for the environment. The project was considered to be well planned and they had nearly all the other funding in place.

Jamie Buckley, Engagement & Funding Officer reported that there was £22,250 available in the community buildings fund and the next round of applications would be considered in February 2020.  

This was a project from Dalwood Community Shop and Post Office to add a small extension with a meeting area with seating and a coffee machine in it. The idea was that this would help reduce isolation in a rural area by providing a spontaneous, social meeting place and also that it would make the well-used shop and post office more sustainable. The community shop and post office are safeguarded in the Neighbourhood Plan. The applicant had letters of support from the community.

Concern was expressed about the unconfirmed funding of £5,500 for the project.

This was a project from Whimple Victory Hall to replace the hall floor which had become unusable and could no longer be maintained. The Hall was very well used every day by the school and pre-school and a wide variety of user groups. The floor was the largest cause of concern for users and dancers had already cancelled their booking due to the poor condition of the floor.

The Chairman welcomed Cllr Paul Hayward, Clerk to Chardstock Parish Council, who explained the application and background to members. This was a project from Chardstock Community Hall to install a suspended ceiling with insulation, replace lighting with LEDs and replace a wet heating system with a dry air system. Members noted that the hall was built in the 1970s with a single skin design and poor insulation. The applicant did not have three quotes for all the work.

Members noted that the hall was well used by various user groups. There were a couple of other hall opportunities in the village but they provide something a bit different. The vast majority of the funding was due to come from a Public Work Loans Board loan, which they weren’t in receipt of yet as they need to state a final amount to apply which they won’t have until they know if they’re successful with this application.

Members noted that in 2017/18 Colyton Parish Council was granted £1,292.90 from the Council’s Parishes Together Fund towards a ditches and drainage project. They did not carry out this project within the required timescale of 12 months, so by 16 April 2019. Colyton Parish Council did not contact us to arrange an extension to the 19 April 2019 deadline in advance, so are asking for a post-deadline extension to allow them to spend the funding they were granted.

Jamie Buckley, Engagement & Funding Officer, provided details of the Parishes Together Fund Guidance 2017/18. 

Jamie Buckley, Engagement & Funding Officer provided Evaluation Forms for the following projects:

a)    Buckerell - £248.40 – ditch clearance.

b)    Cotleigh - £200 – drainage.

c)     Clyst St George - £683 – gully cleaning at Clyst St George and Ebford.

d)    Feniton - £1,650 – drainage.

e)    Gittisham - £1,586.50 – purchase and installation of defibrillator in Gittsham Vale.

f)      Honiton – the provision of workshops by the Thelma Hulbert Gallery along the East Devon Way to celebrate their 25^th anniversary.

g)    Luppitt – £415.80 - Ditch clearing.

h)    Lympstone – £1,475 - this project was the second phase of Upper Wotton Brook Catchment Study. The purpose of Phase 2 was to observe the surface water runoff pathways in the rural upper catchment during significant rainfall events and to further explore the risks and opportunities identified during Phase 1. Identifying and understanding runoff pathways was key to assessing flood risk and to determining appropriate interventions.

i)       Musbury - £513.70 – drainage.

j)      Offwell – £387.20 - carry out ditch and drainage clearance works to alleviate water drainage issues and reduce the risk of flooding.

k)     Ottery St Mary - £8,364.40 – mental health.

l)       Plymtree – £2,311 - installation of a night landing site for Devon Air Ambulance.

m)  Seaton - £1,550 - Natural Seaton Festival.

n)    Seaton - £3,500 – tourism signage.

o)    Shute and Widworthy – £716 - asphalt buckets and associated equipment to fill small holes in the lanes within the parishes.

p)    Sidmouth – £7,155.60 - a signposting project to provide support to residents in time of need, loneliness, loss and difficult or life changing circumstances.

q)    Upottery – £669.90 to clear culverts in the parish.  

r)      Yarcombe - £443.30 – drainage.