Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Chair intimated that this meeting of the Local Partnership would be recorded and that the recording would be available to watch on the Council's website.

John Anderson (Howwood Sports and Hobbies); Councillor John Hood; Councillor David McGonigle; Mark Arthur (Houston Community Council); and David Blair (Renfrewshire District Scouts).

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of this Local Partnership held on 25 November 2021.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the 2021/22 budget allocated to this Local Partnership, a copy of which was appended to the report.

Following discussion around the lack of feedback received from organisations that received funding from this Local Partnership in 2020/21, it was proposed that the Strategic Partnership & Inequalities Manager write to organisations requesting feedback on the success of their projects and the benefits delivered to local communities and that the feedback from organisations be reported to the next meeting of the Local Partnership. Further, that the Strategic Partnership & Inequalities Manager submit a report to the next meeting of the Local Partnership relative to the introduction of a policy which detailed the matters this Local Partnership expected from organisations that received funding. This was agreed.

DECIDED:  

(a) That the budget monitoring report for 2021/22 be noted; 

(b) That the Strategic Partnership & Inequalities Manager write to organisations requesting feedback on the success of their projects and the benefits delivered to local communities and that the feedback from organisations be reported to the next meeting of the Local Partnership; and

(c) That the Strategic Partnership & Inequalities Manager submit a report to the next meeting of the Local Partnership relative to the introduction of a policy which detailed the matters this Local Partnership expected from organisations that received funding. 

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to applications for funding from The Villages Local Partnership in 2022/23.

The report intimated that the available allocation for the Local Partnership was £51,191 with £750 ringfenced for community representatives’ expenses. It was noted that in 2021/22, the Local Partnership had decided that £3,000 be ringfenced for applications from seniors’ groups but, as this funding had not been awarded, it had been carried forward into the 2022/23 financial year, giving the Local Partnership a budget of £53,441 to allocate.

The report advised that the Youth Challenge Fund component for 2022/23 amounted to £23,609 and it was noted that this funding would be allocated by young people through a participatory budgeting exercise which would take place during autumn 2022.

It was noted that an initial assessment of the applications had been carried out by officers to support Local Partnership members in their decision-making. Applications that made clear reference to the local priorities identified by the Local Partnership were identified in the first table in the appendix to the report and applications that made a partial or no reference to the local priorities were summarised in the second table in the appendix.

The Chair had arranged for circulation of a proposal, during the meeting, for discussion by Local Partnership members to structure consideration of grant applications which proposed that consideration be given to awarding, in full, all applications which met the Local Partnership’s local priorities; that consideration be given to referring those applications, which met the Local Partnership’s local priorities but also met the criteria for the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund, the Green Spaces Fund or the Villages Investment Fund to be referred to those funds; and that consideration be given to declining those applications which only partially met the Local Partnership’s local priorities. 

Following consideration, the Local Partnership agreed:

(i) that the undernoted applications be awarded in full:-

FR1034 - Friends of Howwood Park – awarded £1,720
FR1036 - Kilbarchan Improvement Projects – awarded £2,000
FR1044 - Lochwinnoch Choral Society – awarded £2,070
FR1050 - Houston & Killellan Kirk Men's Shed – awarded £2,500
FR1052 - Lochwinnoch SWI - awarded £300
FR1053 - The Kilbarchan Singers – awarded £3,010
FR1108 - Lochwinnoch Toddlers Group – awarded £2,701
FR1120 - Houston Community Council – Christmas Lights Switch On – awarded £2,900
FR1122 - Elderslie Community Council – Stoddard Benches – awarded £1,545
FR1127 - Elderslie Community Council – Caddy Storage – awarded £200
FR1136 - Elderslie Community Council – Queens Road Park Planting - awarded £3,000
FR1152 - Brookfield SWI – awarded £400
FR1156 - Kilbarchan Community Council – awarded £2,000
FR1175 - Improving with age - awarded £920
FR1139 - Howwood Community Council – Social events – awarded £5,235
FR1062 - The Renfrewshire Toy Bank – awarded £1,428
FR1128 - Paisley Sea Cadets – awarded £200

(ii) that the undernoted applications be awarded partial funded, as detailed:

FR1137 - Local Energy Action Plan - LEAP Together - Volunteer Development; FR1120 - Local Energy Action Plan - LEAP Together - Family Fridays; and FR1145 - Local Energy Action Plan - Community Larder: Facility Fit-Out & Membership Development – awarded £10,000 across all three applications

(iii) that the undernoted applications be declined and referred to other funds, as detailed:-

FR1166 - Paisley and District Boys Brigade – declined and referred to the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund
FR1121 - Houston Community Council – Flower Planting and Environment Enhancing - declined and referred to Green Spaces Fund
FR1041 - Elderslie Community Council – Dog bag holder – declined and referred to Village Investment Fund 
FR1111 - Howwood Woodlands & Wildlife – declined and referred to Village Investment Fund 

(iii) agreed that the undernoted applications be declined:-

FR1071 - Rainbow Turtle - declined
FR1091 - Renfrewshire Rainbow Buddies - declined
FR1148 - Renfrewshire Access Panel - declined
FR1170 - Pachedu - declined
FR1123 - Renfrewshire Witches Hunt 1697 - declined


Councillor Robert Innes, seconded by Councillor Cameron moved that Lamont Farm be awarded £500 and that the balance of £837 be divided equally between 1st Bridge of Weir Scout Group, Lochwinnoch Arts Festival and the Renfrewshire Model Railway Club.

Councillor Ann-Dowling, seconded by Councillor McMillan, moved as an amendment that Lamont Farm be awarded £1,000.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillor Ann-Dowling, Councillor Gilmour, Councillor Graham, Councillor McCulloch and Councillor McMillan.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillor Airlie-Nicolson, Ann-Marie Balfour, Councillor Cameron, Councillor Audrey Doig, Councillor Andy Doig, Margaret Dundas, James Fletcher, Meg Gilzean, Councillor Innes, Councillor J MacLaren, Stirling McGee, Steve Banks, Councillor Steel, Neil Thomson and Brenda Whitelaw.

5 members having voted for the amendment and 15 members having voted for the motion, the motion was accordingly declared carried.

FR1141 - Lamont Farm – awarded £500
FR1047 - Lochwinnoch Arts Festival – awarded £2,789, being 50% of amount requested plus £279, being one third of the remaining funding and referred to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1060 - 1st Bridge of Weir Scout Group – awarded £5,279, being 50% of amount requested plus £279, being one third of the remaining funding and referred to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1116 - Renfrewshire Model Railway Club – awarded - £2,654, being 50% of amount requested plus £279, being one third of the remaining funding

DECIDED: That it be agreed to award the grant applications as noted above.