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 internet site.

Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling and Tom Wallace (Johnstone Community Council).

 

Cllr McMillan declared an interest in Item 4 of the Agenda – Applications for Local Partnership Funding to Johnstone and Linwood Local Partnership 2024/25 as he was a member of Thorn Athletic Community Trust and intimated his intention to take no part in any discussion or voting thereon.

Cllr Hood declared an interest in Item 4 of the Agenda – Applications for Local Partnership Funding to Johnstone and Linwood Local Partnership 2024/25 as he was a member of Johnstone Sound Community Radio Committee and intimated his intention to take no part in any discussion or voting thereon.

Mark McGhee declared an interest in Item 4 of the Agenda – Applications for Local Partnership Funding to Johnstone and Linwood Local Partnership 2024/25 as he was the Chair of Thorn Athletic Community Trust and intimated his intention to take no part in any discussion or voting thereon.

Alan Clark declared an interest in Item 4 of the Agenda – Applications for Local Partnership Funding to Johnstone and Linwood Local Partnership 2024/25 as he was employed by Active Communities and intimated his intention to take no part in any discussion or voting thereon.

Councillor Innes declared an interest in Item 4 of the Agenda – Applications for Local Partnership funding to Johnstone and Linwood Local Partnership 2024/25 as he had a family member who attended PACE and intimated his intention to take no part in any discussion or voting thereon.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of this Local Partnership held on 2 May 2024. 

There was a discussion regarding the Fire Engine Rally, Councillor Audrey Doig advised that she had been notified by Renfrewshire Council’s Events Team that the cost to run this event was in the region of £5,000.00. Councillor Doig suggested that this sum be taken from the Local Partnership grant funding next year. Concern was expressed that ring-fencing this amount would negatively impact other awards and that this be revisited next year. In the meantime, other funding avenues would also be explored.

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 2023/24 and the current budget position.

The report provided detail on the funding awarded by the Johnstone & Linwood Local Partnership in 2023/24. The feedback submitted by grant recipients was appended to the report. It was noted that multiple grant recipients had not provided feedback and that applicants who had submitted feedback would be prioritised.

It was suggested that the grant feedback form be simplified and highlight that grant feedback was mandatory and therefore applicants who failed to submit feedback may be considered less favourably in any future grant funding applications. This was agreed.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the budget monitoring report and feedback from 2023/24 grant recipients be noted; and

(b) That the grant feedback form be simplified and highlight that grant feedback was mandatory and therefore applicants who failed to submit feedback may be considered less favourably in any future grant funding applications. 

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive, Renfrewshire Council, relative to applications for grant funding which had been put forward for consideration by the
Johnstone & Linwood Local Partnership.

The report set out that the sum available for dispersal to Johnstone & Linwood Local Partnership for 2024/25 was £46,344; the total value of applications made was £91,198.67.

Declarations of Interest
Councillors McMillan, Hood and Innes, Mark McGhee and Alan Clark having previously declared interests in applications for Local Partnership funding remained in the meeting but took no part in the discussion or voting on the applications they had declared interests in.

The Convener proposed that applications FR1032 - REEM, FR1057 - Forever Young, FR1102 - Storm Gymnastics CIC, FR1112 - Own Yer Bike and FR1140 – Pachedu not be considered for the reasons that these applications did not fully accord with local priorities and were not based in Johnstone or Linwood. It was also proposed that applications which had included running costs be reduced to exclude this cost element.  Members requested that application FR1032 - REEM be considered as residents of Johnstone and Linwood used this service. It was agreed that this application be considered at the conclusion of the remaining applications.

It was advised that application FR1025 - Corseford Tenants and Residents Association was withdrawn due to their having received alternative funding for this project.

The Partnership then assessed each remaining application and it was agreed that applications FR1034 – Linwood Community Council and FR1125 – Johnstone Business Consortium both be awarded the maximum sum of £5,000 towards their Christmas events. It was proposed that the majority of the remaining applications receive 50 percent of the sum applied for (after the deduction of any running costs).

The total value of grants awarded was £46,344.00. 

DECIDED:

That the following grant application decisions be approved:

FR1025 Corseford Tenants and Residents Association Withdrawn
FR1034 Linwood Community Council £5,000.00
FR1040 Johnstone Castle Learning Centre £3,500.00
FR1058 Johnstone Castle Toddlers £1,000.00
FR1063 Campbell St Seniors Club £   588.00
FR1064 Johnstone Seniors Forum £   875.00
FR1071 Youth Interventions £2,250.00
FR1090 Active Communities Scotland £1,500.00
FR1093 Johnstone Band £2,260.00
FR1096 2nd Johnstone (Fordbank) Scout Group £1,750.00
FR1097 Johnstone Sound Community Radio £1,250.00
FR1122 The Renfrewshire Toy Bank £1,750.00
FR1125 Johnstone Business Consortium £5,000.00
FR1132 CREATE Paisley £1,750.00
FR1150 Thorn Athletic Community Trust £2,500.00
FR1106 The Breastfeeding Network £3,000.00
FR1139 Linwood Elderly Forum £1,000.00
FR1032 REEM (Renfrewshire Effort to Empower Minorities) £   301.00
FR1150 Renfrewshire Walking Network £   279.00
FR1106 Forever Young No Award
FR1139 Rainbow Turtle £   500.00
FR1032 Renfrewshire Schools Pipe Band Fundraising Committee £2,500.00
FR1052 Rays of Hope £   560.00
FR1102 Storm Gymnastics CIC No Award
FR1105 PACE Theatre Company £1,500.00
FR1110 Fèis Phàislig £2,487.00
FR1112 Own Yer Bike No Award
FR1120 Girls Brigade Clyde Division £   250.00
FR1133 Jones & Us Community Interest Company £2,455.00
FR1140 Pachedu No Award

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of this Local Partnership would be held at 6.00pm on 11 September 2024.