Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure introduced the report and explained the mechanism to apply for funding through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF).

                        The LCF was an innovative tax credit scheme which ‘offset’ some of the negative impacts of landfill site operations.  Under the scheme, landfill operators were able to pay a proportion of their Landfill tax liability to ‘not-for-profit’ organisations which delivered projects for the benefit of communitites and the environment in the vicinity of the landfill site.

                        Any ‘not-for-profit’ organisation could apply for funding directly to Cory Environmental Trust (CET), assuming the bid met the criteria and that the organisation was able to provide the necessary 10% contribution.  The Board of Trustees at CET met quarterly to assess applications on merit and to decide which projects would receive funding.

                        In order to raise awareness of the LCF within communities, it was proposed that an information letter be sent to each Town and Community Council and to the local Member providing them with information on the application process.  In addition, the Council would issue a press statement providing details of the scheme and the contact details for CET.  Details on how to make a submission would be provided on the Council’s website.

                        In order to prioritise, regulate and provide consistency in the internal Council bidding process, the submissions would be approved by the Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure following a discussion with the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation), prior to submission to CET.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the mechanism to apply for funding through the Landfill Communities Fund be noted;

(b)       That the proposals to raise awareness of the fund as detailed in the report be approved; and

(c)        That the mechanism for selecting suitable internal Council bids based on the criteria detailed in the report be approved.