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); David Blair (Renfrewshire District Scouts); Councillor Jacqueline Cameron; Meg Gilzean (Bridge of Weir Tenants’ and Residents’ Association) and Councillor John Hood. 

 

 

Councillor Colin McCulloch declared an interest in item 3 – Applications for Local Partnership Funding to The Villages Local Partnership 2023/24 – FR1058 - as his son was a member of the organisation and intimated that it was his intention to remain in the meeting and not take part in any discussion or voting thereon.

 

 

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of this Local Partnership held on 2 March 2023.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the funds allocated by this Local Partnership in 2022/23 and the spend against this budget. 

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to applications for funding from The Villages Local Partnership in 2023/24.

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 2022/23, the Local Partnership had decided that £3,832 be ringfenced and carried forward to contribute to activities in the Villages aligned to the Winter Connections programme for 2023/24. This amount had not been reflected in the available balance. It was noted that the budget available for allocation by The Villages Local Partnership was £50,441 and that the total value of applications received for funding was £80,602.61.

The report advised that the Youth Challenge Fund component for 2023/24 amounted to £23,907, which included a carry forward of £298 from the 2022/23 allocation, and it was noted that this funding would be allocated by young people through a participatory budgeting exercise which would take place during May 2023 with decisions announced in June 2023.

The report noted that an initial assessment of the applications had been carried out by officers to support Local Partnership members in their decision-making. The tables in the appendix to the report detailed those applications with direct reference to the Villages local priorities where the project was located in or was specific to the Villages; applications with direct reference to the Villages local priorities where the project was not located in or was not specific to the Villages; and applications with no direct reference to the Villages local priorities where the project was not located in or was not specific to the Villages.

An application for funding received from Kilbarchan Improvement Projects had been issued to members prior to the start of the meeting and it was noted that this was an application with direct reference to the Villages local priorities where the project was located in or was specific to the Villages.

The Convener proposed 

(i) that, as the budget was oversubscribed, a £5,000 limit on applications be agreed;

(ii) that the undernoted applications be referred to the Villages Investment Fund, as detailed:-

FR1048 – Lochwinnoch Arts Festival – award £1,100 and refer to the Village Investment Fund for balance of funding
FR1053 – Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust – award £5,000 and refer to the Villages Investment Fund for balance of funding
FR1059 – Kilbarchan Community Council – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1084 – Friends of Howwood Park – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1086 – Elderslie Community Council – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1087 – Elderslie Community Council – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1088 – Elderslie Community Council – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1090 – Lochwinnoch Gala Day 2023 – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1123 – Bridge of Weir Community Council – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1132 – Lochwinnoch Sustainable Community Garden – refer to the Villages Investment Fund
FR1134 – Lochwinnoch Art Group – refer to the Villages Investment Fund;

(iii) that the undernoted applications be awarded, as detailed:-

FR1045 – REEM (Renfrewshire Effort to Empower Minorities) – award £1,000
FR1046 – Lochwinnoch Choral Society – award £1,980
FR1050 – Local Energy Action Plan – award £5,000
FR1051 – The Renfrewshire Toy Bank – award £900
FR1054 – Calder Drama Club – award £700
FR1055 – Renfrewshire Walking Network – award £570
FR1058 – 1st Bridge of Weir Scout Group – award £5,000
FR1064 – Fèis Phàislig – award £4,470
FR1076 – The Kilbarchan Singers – award £3,452
FR1085 – Elderslie Community Council – award £300
FR1106 – PACE Youth Theatre Bursary Fund – award £1,600
FR1115 – Lochwinnoch S.Wi. – award £250
FR1126 – Bridge of Weir Community Council – award £2,300
FR1130 – Viewfield Rovers AFC – award £5,000
FR1133 – Improving with Age – award £950
FR1156 - Kilbarchan Improvement Projects – award £2,000;

(iv) that consideration of the undernoted applications be continued for further information and the amounts requested be ringfenced meantime:

FR1083 – Kelburne Cricket Club Cricket Section – continue consideration of application for further information and ringfence £240 meantime
 FR1155 – Renfrewshire Access Panel – continue consideration of application for further information and ringfence £2,561.61 meantime; and

(v) that the undernoted applications be declined:

FR1000 – Rainbow Turtle – decline
FR1141 – Lamont Farm – decline as organisation had not provided satisfactory feedback on project awarded funding in 2022/23, in terms of the decision taken by this Local Partnership at its meeting held on 17 November 2022.

The Conveners proposals were agreed unanimously.

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

Following discussion, the Convener proposed that the next meeting of The Villages Local Partnership be held remotely on MS teams at 6.00 pm on 21 September 2023 and that further discussion take place at that meeting as to arrangements for future meetings. This was agreed. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That it be noted that the next meeting of this Local Partnership would be held remotely on MS teams at 6.00 pm on 21 September 2023; and

(b) That further discussion take place at that meeting as to arrangements for future meetings.


At the close of the meeting, Alan McNiven advised that on 21 April 2023 the Scottish Government announced a third year of the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund which would be delivered by TSIs locally. As yet, the amount to be distributed in Renfrewshire and application criteria and deadlines were unknown. An update would be provided to Local Partnerships. Based on previous years this third year of funding would support activity from late 2023 to end 2024.