Issue - meetings

Purpose:  To receive a verbal update on the review of external funding.  Invites have been given to both Flintshire Local Voluntary Council and Cadwyn Clwyd to give a verbal update on the external funding opportunities available to organisations taking on community assets.

That the presentation be noted.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) provided background information and introduced June Brady and Shaun Darlington, representatives of Flintshire Local Voluntary Council, and invited them to report on  Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Revenue and Capital funding, Deeside Leisure Centre.  A joint presentation was given which covered the following areas:

·         overview

·         funding opportunities – large grants

·         funding opportunities – small grants

·         funding opportunities – geographical grants

·         social enterprise – Finance

·         social Business Growth Fund – WCVA

·         revenue – Income Generation

·         sustainability

·         charities and structure

The Chair thanked June Brady and Shaun Darlington for their presentation and invited Members to raise questions.

Councillor Andy Dunbobbin asked if all the opportunities to access funding had been explored and cited the Armed Forces Covenant as an example.  Shaun Darlington acknowledged that there were many funding sources available and explained that the FLVC used a programme called ‘grant finder’ to identify appropriate funding schemes. 

Referring to the Social Business Growth Councillor Clive Carver raised a concern around the high interest fee for the micro business loan fund.  Shaun Darlington responded to the query and advised this was due to unsecured loans.  Councillor Carver asked what happened to any surplus within the fund.  The Officer confirmed that any surplus would be reinvested into the fund. 

Councillor Chris Dolphin expressed concerns around the availability of ongoing  and future funding streams.  June Brady commented on Community Asset Transfers and explained that the income generated from the community use of the asset would provide investment for the future. 

Councillor Carolyn Thomas raised concerns around the management fees for maintaining play areas which are paid by the residents in new housing developments.  She said that the arrangements for charges and maintaining the play areas was an issue that needed to be considered by the Authority. 

Councillor Bernie Attridge agreed there was a need to have funding in place to pay for the ongoing maintenance of play areas and commented on  S106 agreements.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.