Agenda and minutes

To appointment the Chairman for 2024/25.

As this was the first meeting of the Board since the Council AGM in May 2024, the Democratic Officer sought nominations for Chairman of the UKSPF Board.  Councillor Philip Knowles and Councillor Virginia Moran were both proposed and seconded for the post.  On being put to the vote there was an equal number of votes and it was AGREED by Members that Councillor Knowles continue in post as Chairman of the UKSPF Board.

Decision

That Councillor Philip Knowles continue as Chairman of the UKSPF Board for the year 2024/25.

Councillor Knowles in the Chair.

To appointment a Vice-Chairman for 2024/25.

The Chairman asked for nominations for the post of Vice-Chairman.   Councillor Virginia Moran was proposed and seconded and as she was the only nomination received, on being put to the vote it was AGREED that Councillor Virginia Moran would be Vice-Chairman for the year.

Decision

That Councillor Virginia Moran was Vice-Chairman of the UKSPF Board for 2024/25.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ashley Baxter and late apologies were received from Councillor Sarah Trotter.

The Head of Economic Development informed the Board that the UKSPF Programme Manager would not be attending as they had been involved in a serious accident and the Board asked that their best wishes be passed on to the officer.

Councillor Harrish Bisnauthsing declared an interest in application SK2178 and although he remained in the meeting during consideration of the item, he abstained from voting.

Councillor Virginia Moran declared an interest in application SK2191 and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

Councillor Bridget Ley stated that although she was the District Councillor for Deeping St James, she was not on Deeping St James Parish Council and had not been involved with application SK2162.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2024 were proposed, seconded and AGREED subject to the amendment to remove “and the Vice-Chairman” in respect of Councillor Knowles reasons for leaving the meeting in respect of application SK2163.

Members commented on the size of the documents produced, although they had been printed on A3 paper they were still very difficult to read.

The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment highlighted where demand for specific interventions was the highest which was within the Communities and Place Intervention.  Some interventions were over subscribed where as others still had funds remaining such as E1, (Improvements to Town Centres and High Streets) and E7 (Support for active travel enhancements in local area).  Depending upon what applications were endorsed by the Board at the meeting would mean that some funding would need to be vired between the interventions where this was possible.

In other interventions such as revenue funding, there was a shortage of applications coming forward. One of the areas was in respect of apprenticeships and one Member of the Board referred to the Joseph Clark’s (Grantham) Apprenticing Foundation which was a charity that helped with the cost of apprenticeship tools.  It had been set up around 100 years ago, but nothing had been done in the last few years due to an absence of funds.  The Member was asked to speak to the Officer outside the meeting to see if any of the UKSPF funding could be accessed.  In respect of the apprenticeship funding, it was commented that posters could be put in schools informing them that funding was available to try and generate applications.  A comment was made about individuals and it was stressed that the funding was only available for legally constituted groups/organisations or those with a charitable status.  

A summary of the Main Programme applications had been appended to the agenda.  The first section dealt with main programme applications which had been deferred at previous meetings of the Board which included Rural Fund applications that had been deferred.  The last section dealt with the new applications to the South Kesteven Prosperity Fund.

It is likely that the press and public will be excluded during discussion of the following agenda item 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 and seconded that the Press and Public were excluded from the meeting at this point as it was likely that the information contained wihtin the remaining items on the agenda were exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).  On being put to the vote this was AGREED.

1.     SKMP24 – Steadfast Training Ltd

The Chairman reminded Members that their remit was to look at the applications to see if they offered value for money.   Each application was discussed individually and a recommendation made by the Board.

SKMP24 – Steadfast Training Ltd

Funding Requested: £51,500

The application for funding had been deferred at a previous Board meeting for further information.  The ‘Connect2Grow’ project proposed to provide a locally integrated skills and employment service that tackled deep-seated barriers to work.  Members asked whether this type of project worked to which the Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment replied.  Further discussion followed in respect of monitoring outputs.  It was confirmed that the monitoring of outputs was part of the funding criteria. It was proposed, seconded and the application for funding ENDORSED.

Returning Applications:

1.     RF-1002 – Hanbeck Natural Stone Limited

2.     RF-1018 – Fun Gymnastics Ltd

3.     RF-1020 – The Lincolnshire Drizzle Company

Returning Rural Fund Applications:

RF-1022 – Hanbeck Natural Stone Ltd

Funding Requested: £90,000

The application for funding had been deferred for further information.  Confirmation was given that the application did meet the criteria of the relevant intervention.  Further discussion followed on what the company hoped to achieve and the further information supplied and a partial funding grant was discussed. However, on being put to the vote the application for funding was REJECTED.

RF-1018 – Fun Gymnastics Ltd

Funding Requested: £30,000

Members discussed the application but expressed concern about the location that had been given.  Members felt that more information, clarification in respect of the lease and a site plan of the location of the proposed premises was required before a decision on the funding could be made.  The application for funding was DEFERRED.

RF-1020 – Lincolnshire Drizzle Company

Funding Requested: £20,000

The funding application had been deferred from the last meeting of the Board for further information.  The project was seeking to increase the company’s productivity and increase markets which would provide new jobs.  Members noted the further information provided and on being put to the vote the application for funding was ENDORSED.

Returning Applications:

1.     SK-2166 – West Deeping Village Hall

2.     SK-2172 – Stamford Drama and Music

3.     SK-2178 – St Martins Stamford Baron Parochial Church Council

New Applications:

1.     SK-2173 – Deepings Neighbourhood Plan Group/Deeping St James Parish Council

2.     SK-2184 – Foston Village Hall

3.     SK-2185 – Pointon & Sempringham Parish Council

4.     SK-2190 – Stamford Diversity Group

5.     SK-2191 – Deeping Men in Sheds

6.     SK-2194 – Barrowby Parish Council

7.     SK-2195 – Barkston and Syston Playing Field

8.     SK-2196 – South Kesteven District Council

9.     SK-2197 – South Kesteven District Council

10.SK-2202 – Claypole Village Hall

Returning Applications for South Kesteven Prosperity Fund:

SK-2166 – West Deeping Village Hall

Original funding requested: £21,000 following further information requested funding amount reduced to £17,005

The funding application was in respect of a new flat roof and refitted kitchen with appliances for the village hall.  Members had deferred the application at the last Board meeting for further information in respect of costs.  Following the further information supplied and noting that the village hall was well used by the community the funding application for the reduced amount of £17,005 was ENDORSED.

SK-2172 – Stamford Drama and Music

Funding requested: £45,000

Members discussed the application and the further information requested.  Reference was made to other groups doing similar work and it was felt that the funding request was high and with the limited amount of funds still available, on being put to the vote the funding request was REJECTED.

(11:03 Councillor Virginia Moran left the meeting)

(11:03 Councillor Patsy Ellis joined the meeting)

SK2162 – Deeping St James Parish Council

Funding requested:  £23,425

The Board received a presentation from representatives of Deeping St James Parish Council in respect of their proposal for Jubilee Park.  The park consisted of 2.3 hectare of public open space which was currently being transferred from South Kesteven District Council to Deeping St James Parish Council.   The funding from the South Kesteven Prosperity Fund was being sought for the initial stage of the project which dealt with consultation and design.  Designers would be engaged to consultation with the community with the goal of creating a fresh masterplan for Jubilee Park.  The whole project would cost in the region of £250,000 but the Parish Council was only asking for funding for the initial design and consultation phase.  The representatives from the Parish Council spoke about the work that had already been done by the Parish Council such as the installation of electricity and also CCTV cameras to try and deter anti-social behaviour which took place at certain locations in the park.  The park was used widely by the Parish for carol singing at Christmas and to commemorate national events such as D-Day celebrations but it could be improved to make it a more attractive space.  Members thanked the members of Deepings St James Parish Council for their presentation.

Following the presentation Members voted to ENDORSE the funding application. 

(11:26 – 11:34 a short adjournment took place)

(11:34 Councillor Virginia Moran returned to the meeting)

SK-2178 – St Martins Stamford Baron Parochial Church Council

Funding requested: £15,000

Members discussed the funding application which was for a ramp to be installed at the church.  Concern was expressed about whether the responsibility was for the church to provide the ramp and also the cost of the proposed ramp and where it would be situated and the type of ramp that was to be used.  It was stated that the funding for this intervention was oversubscribed and on being put to the vote the application was REJECTED.

SK-2175 – Langtoft  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Head of Economic Development and Inward Investment briefly spoke about the amount of funding agreed and which interventions funds should be vired from due to the lack of applications that had been received in respect of certain interventions.  He indicated that he would look at the applications that had been endorsed by the Board and the amount of funding remaining.

Reference was made to those organisations that had been given funding at the start of the funding allocation and it was stated that those who had received large amounts of funding be invited back to give a short presentation, no more than five minutes on what they had achieved. 

The meeting closed at 1pm.