Agenda and draft minutes

Community Grant Panel - Wednesday, 15th April, 2026 5.30 pm

Venue: Tale Room, Blackdown House, Honiton

Contact: Wendy Harris; Email: wendy.harris@eastdevon.gov.uk

Note: Adjourned from 30 March 2026

Items

No.

Item

11.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 30 March 2026 PDF 69 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed as a correct record.

12.

Declarations of Interest

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

Minutes:

None.

13.

Public Speaking

Information on public speaking is available online

Minutes:

None.

14.

Matters of Urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

Minutes:

None.

15.

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.

16.

Community Grant Funding Awards 2025/26 PDF 214 KB

View the background to item 16.

Following adjournment of the meeting held on the 30 March 2026, the Panel are asked to consider an update on the report from the Benefits and Financial Resilience Manager on funding the remaining applications.

Members of the Panel could consider recommending a change to the policy that permits applications that would normally be awarded but can’t be due to the funding limits in place for the Community buildings, to be rolled over to the next funding window without having to reapply. Therefore the following recommendation has been made, set out below:

Recommendation

To recommend to Cabinet to make the following change to the Community Grant Fund policy

Applications that meet the policy criteria, but Members are unable to approve due to funding limits can be rolled over to the next grant window.

Subject to Cabinet approving the above recommendation the 6 Community building fund applications deferred for a decision will be carried forward to the next grant window.

Minutes:

Following adjournment of the meeting held on the 30 March 2026, the Panel considered an update on the report from the Benefits and Financial Resilience Manager on funding for the following remaining applications.

Building	Total Amount of Funding Required	Amount of Funding Requested from EDDC	Difference in funding in place	Panel decision
Northleigh Parish Hall	£2,290.49	£2,000	Yes	Defer for further information
1^st Beer Scout Group	£5,849.56	£4,428.17	Yes	Defer for further information
Offwell Recreation Ground and Village Hall	£3,875	£2,712	Yes	Defer for further information
Musbury Village Hall	£1,816	£1,816	Not required	Defer for further information
Gittisham Parish Hall	£2,835.81	£2,835.81	Not Required	Defer for further information
Awliscombe Parish Hall	£2,720.50	£2,720.50	Not Required	Defer for further information

The Panel were in support of the community buildings applications but the total number of applications meant that the fund was over-subscribed. The Panel were also aware of the increase in costs for materials and works over time, and how delaying a decision by a long period may adversely affect the applicants.

Members of the Panel debated recommending a change to the policy that permits applications that would normally be awarded but can’t be due to the funding limits in place for the Community buildings, to be rolled over to the next funding window without having to reapply. Members also agreed that clear, positive communication should be sent to the six applicants to provide reassurance. Accordingly, the following recommendation was agreed, set out below:

Recommendation to Cabinet:

To make the following change to the Community Grant Fund policy

Applications that meet the policy criteria, but Members are unable to approve due to funding limits, can be rolled over to the next grant window.

Subject to Cabinet approving the above recommendation the 6 Community building fund applications deferred for a decision will be carried forward to the next grant window.