Agenda and draft minutes

consultative meeting, Community Grant Panel - Wednesday, 31st August, 2022 10.00 am

Venue: online via Zoom

Contact: Debbie Meakin Email: dmeakin@eastdevon.gov.uk 01395 518540 

Media

Items
No. Item

88.

Public Speaking

Minutes:

None.

89.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 March 2022 pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on the 9 March 2022 were agreed.

90.

Declarations of Interest

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

 

Minutes:

None.

91.

Matters of Urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

 

Minutes:

None.

92.

Confidential or exempt items

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the press) have been excluded.   There are no items which Officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

 

Minutes:

None.

93.

Community Buildings Fund pdf icon PDF 192 KB

To consider two applications for grant funding.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel considered two applications under the Community Buildings Fund.

 

Chardstock Community Shop

 

The existing village shop had been in danger of permanent closure. A local community group formed to take on the shop, raising significant funds to deliver the project.  The application was to enable the community group to separate the shop from the dwelling attached, providing two access points to the shop as required, and to provide the necessary fire safety measures.

 

The Panel discussed the effort already put in by the local community to deliver the shop, which would include a post office facility.  The shop would also serve as a social hub for the village.

 

The project was an excellent example of good practice that could be share with other community groups.  The Panel felt that the grant should be offered with the inclusion of sharing that good practice with the Community Engagement and Funding Officer (CEFO).  A successful completion was also required for the grant to be provided.

 

Dalwood Community Shop

 

The shop premises were leased from EDDC, with the lease recently renewed.  A previous application for a grant had been made under the terms of the previous lease, and had been cancelled.  The application before the Panel was a fresh application to extend the shop to include meeting space for small social groups in a café style.

 

Some questions were raised over the shortfall, AONB grant funding amount, and the quotes for work that were now significantly out of date. Work was still underway on covering the shortfall, and a contingency had been built in, which would go some way to covering any price increase on the works.  The CEFO could obtain an update and request regular updates.  She reminded the Panel that under the terms of the grant scheme, funding was released on production of receipts for works.

 

RECOMMENDED to Senior officers that:

1.    The sum of £1,620.20 be made toward the project for Chardstock Community Shop from the Community Buildings Fund, subject to the applicants sharing their experience with the Community Engagement and Funding Officer, so that their good practice could be shared; and to the successful completion of the separation of the shop from the private dwelling;

2.    The sum of £4k be made towards the project for the Dalwood Community Shop from the Community Buildings Fund, subject to regular updates on the funding shortfall.