Agenda item

Report seeking approval for revisions to the Parish and Community Initiative Fund and for an additional Developing Communities Fund.

A report was received which proposed revisions to the Parish and Community Initiative Fund (PCIF) and proposed a new Developing Communities Fund. In response to a member’s question, it was confirmed that the Developing Communities Fund would be available for all parishes, but not for the unparished town of Hinckley. The initiative relating to support for Neighbourhood Development Plans was welcomed and it was noted that this would support all parishes and communities within the borough.

Some members expressed concern that it would not be available for projects in the Hinckley wards which, they felt, was unfair as Hinckley residents were contributing to it via their payments to the green waste service. In response, it was noted that the majority of income for the green waste service was coming from the rural areas, and members were reminded that the high take up of the service had resulted in a surplus which, was a positive development. A member suggested that the report should reflect that the funding for the Developing Communities Fund did not come solely from the additional income from the garden waste scheme. The following amendment was proposed by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor Bill:

“In order to ensure opportunities for all the communities in the borough, and not just for those in rural area, as everyone is facing developments in one form or another, I propose that recommendation 2.1(ii) be amended as follows: delete the words ‘available for parishes and communities on the bases set out in appendix B’ and replace with ‘to be available for all parishes and communities across the borough’”.

Councillor Hall, along with four other councillors, requested that voting on this motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:

Councillors Bill, Bray, Cartwright, Mr Cope, Mrs Cope, Crooks, Hodgkins, Hollick, Lynch, Taylor and Witherford voted FOR the amendment (11);

Councillors Bessant, Boothby, Camamile, Cook, Hall, Kirby, Ladkin, Morrell, Nickerson, O’Shea, Richards, Roberts, Rooney, Smith, Surtees, Sutton, Wallace, Ward, Williams and Wright voted AGAINST the amendment (20);

Councillors Allen and Lay abstained from voting.

The motion was declared LOST.

It was moved by Councillor Morrell and seconded by Councillor Ladkin that the recommendation contained within the report be approved. Councillor Hall, along with four other councillors, requested that voting on the motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:

Councillors Bessant, Bill, Boothby, Bray, Camamile, Cartwright, Cook, Mr Cope, Mrs Cope, Crooks, Hall, Hodgkins, Hollick, Kirby, Ladkin, Lay, Lynch, Morrell, Nickerson, Richards, Roberts, Rooney, Smith, Surtees, Sutton, Taylor, Wallace, Ward, Williams, Witherford and Wright voted FOR the motion (31);

There were no votes AGAINST the motion (0);

Councillors Allen and O’Shea abstained from voting.

The motion was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            The revised criteria and arrangements for the Parish & Community Initiative Fund be approved;

(ii)           The details for the additional Developing Communities Fund be approved;

(iii)          Parishes and communities be engaged and encouraged to bring forward Neighbourhood Development Plans and associated outline applications for Developing Communities Funding by 9 December 2016;

(iv)         The Leader, Executive member for Rural Communities & Tourism, Licensing & Environmental Services, Executive member for Town and Urban Communities and the Chief Executive be granted delegated authority to agree the criteria for evaluating any applications received;

(v)          Projects agreed at that stage receive funding from April 2017;

(vi)         The establishment of a Neighbourhood Planning Support Officer, should the thresholds in paragraph 3.7 of the report be met, be approved.

Councillor Lay left the meeting at this juncture.