Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ashley Baxter, Councillor Patsy Ellis, Councillor Nikki Manterfield and Councillor Lee Steptoe.

None disclosed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2024 were proposed, seconded and AGREED.

A question was asked in relation to the update requested at the last meeting on the West Deeping Village Hall application.  The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment stated that contact had tried to be made with the applicant on numerous occasions but no response had been received.

A further question was asked in relation to SK-2204 and “The Whale” project and whether any suitable locations at Bourne and Stamford had been found.  The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment indicated that feedback had been received on locations in these areas and he would discuss it with Members after the meeting.

Members noted the current position.

The Chairman stated that he proposed that the Board looked through each application first. The meeting would then go in to private session where the applications would be discussed in more detail and the Board would indicate whether or not they were in favour of the funding application.  Whether funding would be allocated would be discussed at the end of the meeting once the current financial position on what funding remained was discussed.

Each of the following seven applications were briefly discussed before the press and public were excluded:

SKMP30 – Claypole Village Store

Original funding request had been agreed; however, they had not spent all the funding allocated and this had been returned.  A fresh application had been received for funding of £10,000 to resurface the car park and install a storage shed.

SKMP16 – NT Belton Estate

It had been anticipated that the Board would receive a presentation on this project but the applicants were unable to attend.  The funding application had been endorsed by the Board in May 2024 for the setting up of a community Hub at Grantham House working in partnership with St Wulfram’s and the local community.  Originally the funding had been revenue and now the applicant wished to use the funding for capital.  It was the same project but a different spilt between capital and revenue.  Belton House received over 800,000 visitors and it was hoped that the setting up of the community Hub would add value and encourage some of those visitors to come into Grantham.

RF-1031 – Treescape Nursery

This was a new application under the Rural Fund. Members queried the address of the location and whether or not it was within South Kesteven and it was asked that the address was checked before the application was discussed.

(10:10 Councillor Virginia Moran arrived)

RF-1027 – The Side House Coffee Shop

The application had been to the previous meeting of the Board who had expressed concerns in respect of Planning and Environment Health permissions and licences. These concerns had been followed up by the UKSPF Officer after the last meeting and the applicant had indicated that permissions and relevant licences were in hand.

SKMP35 – South Kesteven District Council

The Chairman informed the Board that the Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment Officer would lead on this item and would leave the meeting during the Boards deliberation.

SKMP29 – Shopwatch/Pubwatch

The project was to seek funding to extend the existing Shopwatch/Pubwatch scheme which currently operated in Grantham to the other main towns of Bourne, Stamford and Market Deeping.

SK98 – SKDC Table Tennis

Funding was being sought for the installation of at least four outside table tennis tables at locations in Grantham, Bourne, Stamford and The Deepings.

It is likely that the Press and Public will be excluded during discussion of the the following items of business because of the likelihood that information that is exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) would be disclosed to them.

It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the press and public were excluded from the meeting at this point as it was likely that information contained within the remaining items on the agenda were exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

1.     SKMP31 – Claypole Village Store

Returning

1.     SKMP16 – National Trust Belton Estate

SKMP30 – Claypole Village Store

Funding requested: £10,000

A previous funding request had been allocated for work to the village store, new roof, solar panels, internal refit etc.  However, not all the allocated funding had been used and had been returned to the UKSPF “pot”.  The applicant had submitted a further funding request for additional work to be undertaken in respect of the car park and the installation of a storage shed to use the returned funding.  The project would be matched funded.  Members of the Board applauded the savings made in respect of the first project and on being put to the vote the funding application was ENDORSED.

The Chairman reminded the Board that endorsement of funding requests would be undertaken at the end of the meeting.

SKMP16 – National Trust (Belton Estate)

Funding requested: £105,000

The funding application had been to the May meeting of the Board and the funding request had been endorsed.  However, it was now proposed that the funding was split to capital rather than revenue.  The setting up of a community Hub at Grantham House working in partnership with St Wulfram’s and the local community would be good for Grantham and it was hoped that a proportion of the 800,000 visitors to Belton House would be encouraged to visit Grantham. Discussion on the project followed including the average spend per person visiting Grantham, footfall and tracking.  Comments were made about the use of the Hub by communities free of charge. Members were concerned that there was no mention of a timescale, was this for the first three months, a year, two years?

Although the Board were minded to support the change regarding the funding application from revenue to capital, they were concerned about what timeframe the Hub could be used for free by communities and this needed to be clarified.

RF-1031 – Treescape Nursery

Returning

RF-1027 – The Side House Coffee Shop

RF-1031 – Treescape Nursery

Funding requested: £55,000

The project was for the building of a tall steel framed greenhouse structure with temperature controlled ventilation to grow trees in the UK rather than reliance on EU imported plants.  It was confirmed that the location was within the boundary of South Kesteven.    Comments were made in respect of whether any vacant greenhouse locations had been sought and also the type of trees grown.  The Board were minded to support the application for funding.

RF-1027 – The Side House Coffee Shop

Funding requested: £10,000

The funding application had been refused at the last meeting of the Board due to no information that the necessary Planning Permission and Environmental Health Licences were being sought.  The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment indicated that the UKSPF Officer had been contact with the applicant who had stated that the necessary permissions and licences were being sought.  Concern was also raised as to why the applicant had stated that they had started this process prior to the grant being approved.

The Board were not minded at the present time to endorse the funding request.

1.     SKMP35 – Commercial Property Review

2.     SKMP29 – Shopwatch/Pubwatch

3.     SK98 – Table Tennis

SKMP35 – South Kesteven District Council

Funding requested: £52,500

The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment spoke about the project which proposed to assess the demand for commercial spaces both office and industrial within South Kesteven focusing on Grantham, Bourne, Stamford and Market Deeping and other key areas in the district.  The project would evaluate the current and proposed supply of commercial premises analysing their type, size, quality and age.  Based on this supply and demand analysis the project would identify specific quantitative and qualitative needs both district-wide and for individual settlements.  It would also determine the causes of any undersupply and explore options to address barriers promoting development to meet identified commercial needs effectively.  Discussion followed and the Assistant Director of Planning stated that the project would provide evidence that could be used in respect of planning decisions.

(10:49 – 10:55 the Head of Economic Development left the meeting whilst the Board deliberated this funding request)

The Board were minded to support the funding request, subject to funds being available, as it was felt that having that type of information held centrally would be a valuable asset in helping businesses across the district and that it needed to be widely marketed/advertised/promoted that the information was held by the Council.

SKMP29 – South Kesteven District Council

Funding requested: £40,363.92

The funding request was for a project to extend the existing Shopwatch/Pubwatch scheme which currently operated in Grantham to the towns of Bourne, Stamford and the Deepings. The Council had been successful in a Safer Streets bid last year via the Home Office through the Police and Crime Commissioner which provided funding to get a radio hub set up in Grantham.  The funding would allow the Council to purchase radios and the initial licence fees to benefit the towns for the first year.  Discussion on the funding request followed with comments being made in respect of the current system in Grantham which it was felt was better within the shops rather than the public houses and how the project would be funded after the first year.  It was stated that the project was linked to CCTV, however some Members felt that this wasn’t always an advantage as not every town had a large number of cameras and Market Deeping was given as an example.  Although Members felt that it was a good idea especially as shop lifting appeared to be on the rise, it would only be as good as the equipment provided and the take up by shops and public houses.

SK98 – SKDC Table Tennis

Funding requested: £29,186

The funding project was in respect of the installation of at least four outdoor table tennis tables across South Kesteven at locations in Bourne, Stamford, Deeping St James and Grantham.  The aim of the project was to encourage the use and engagement of local green spaces for physical activity. Members discussed the funding project but felt that it was not an “outdoor” sport and other sport equipment could be more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

The Board were reminded that the next meeting was an earlier start at 9:00am on Monday 18 November 2024.

The meeting ended at 11:51.