Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader

RESOLVED that the application guidelines for the 2011 community pride scheme be approved subject to the closing date being the 1 July 2011. 

The Leader introduced the report as circulated with the agenda.  Council had agreed to set aside £30,000 for the community pride scheme funded from the Local Area Agreement Performance Reward Grant, as part of the 2011-12 budget. He was pleased that despite the current economic climate, the council was still able to offer support to local community initiatives.  

In the past the focus of the scheme had been the public environment with more recent rounds having added emphasis on promoting sustainability and building-up community ownership of the environment.  However, in 2011, a shift of emphasis was being proposed to reflect the council’s aspirations that communities be more influential in shaping and delivering public services.  The focus for 2011 would be to build community resilience and enable local groups to be more influential.

He advised members that the closing date for applications should be Friday 1 July 2011 and not 1 June as indicated in the report and the guidelines.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Community Development supported the focus on enabling communities to do more for themselves and supporting volunteers.  This would help address some of the issues arising from cutbacks in public services.

RESOLVED that the application guidelines for the 2011 community pride scheme be approved subject to the closing date being the 1 July 2011.