Applications for Financial Assistance
Perth and Kinross Council · 29 April 2024
Back to Kinross Common Good Fund Committee — 29 April 2024 and its agenda
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KINROSS COMMON GOOD FUND COMMITTEE 29 April 2024 APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Report by Strategic Lead - Housing & Communities (Report No. 24/141) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 The report asks Kinross-shire Local Area Committee to consider two small grant applications for financial assistance. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that Committee: • Consider the applications and agree any financial assistance to be awarded. 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background / Main Issues • Section 5: Proposals: Small Grants • Section 6: Conclusion 4. BACKGROUND / MAIN ISSUES 4.1 Perth and Kinross Council owns land and property which forms part of the Common Good of the former burghs in Perth and Kinross and has a statutory duty in terms of section 15 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 to administer this land and property “having regard to the interests of the inhabitants” of those former burghs. This duty also applies to the administration of the associated Common Good Funds. 4.2 The Common Good Funds have traditionally demonstrated their support to local residents and organisations by distributing grants. These grant awards allow individuals and local organisations to carry out a wide range of community-based activities. 4.3 Applications to Common Good Funds vary across the different former burghs of Perth and Kinross. This report is for the Kinross Common Good Fund. 4.4 A summary of the projected surplus, committed grant funding, and the surplus remaining, is provided below:
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2024/25 projected surplus £3,400 Value of grants paid and committed £0 Remaining projected uncommitted surplus £3,400 Value of funding requested and under consideration £11,228 5. PROPOSALS – SMALL GRANTS Broke Not Broken 5.1 A grant of £6,228 has been requested by Broke not Broken. The grant would contribute towards financial support for their Winter Warmers Project from September 2024 to February 2025. 5.2 The grant will be used to provide a winter coat voucher for a child, a Christmas hamper, or a Winter Warmer parcel. Christmas hampers will include Christmas treats donated by the local community, a voucher for the bakers and butchers, some donated gifts and crackers, and draft excluders. The Winter Warmer parcel will contain seasonal locally sourced vegetables, a voucher for the local butchers and if needed a slow cooker and electric blanket. The project aims to support 160 households (370 individuals) in the Common Good Area struggling with low income and the cost of living crisis. Broke Not Broken support the PKC cash first approach giving choice and dignity to those experiencing financial hardship. 5.3 The group work with local referral agencies such as welfare rights, schools, health visitors, housing, community learning and development, citizens advice bureaux, social work and probation services. They also have the support of a local hotel who provide the space for making the hampers free of charge. They have 50 volunteers from the community. Local sewing groups make the draft excluders, and local schools and community groups make donations for hampers. They also receive donations from Sainsburys. 5.4 Feedback will be collected from clients and referral agencies to identify the meaningful difference that the project has made. The group aim to carry out a survey across all of their projects this year to help them alter and amend support to ensure they remain client led. Broke Not Broken require this project to be funded as their own unrestricted funds are used for their foodbank. 5.5 The total cost of the project is estimated at £20,700. The group have already secured £2,900 in funding, and plan to fund the remainder of the project through other funding applications and a group contribution. See table below. Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Winter Coat Vouchers £40 x 130 Primark, Asda, Sports Direct or M&S £5,200 Christmas Hamper Vouchers £5 x 150 Baynes Wintons and Hunters at £20 x 150 £10 per head shopping voucher (£3700) £7,450
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Food for Christmas Hampers From Sainsbury’s to fill gaps in donations £1000 Wrapping and boxes Bought online for Christmas hampers £250 Winter Warmer Vegetables From Benarty Fruits £1980 Winter Warmer Vouchers Wintons and Hunters £20 x190 (Oct & Jan) £3,800 Staff costs for project 60 hours x £17 £1,020 Total proposed expenditure £20,700 Contribution from Individual/Group £1,380 Funding from Henry Duncan Trust (approved) £2,900 Funding from Kinross Rotary Club (pending) £3,000 Funding From Warm Welcome Fund (to apply in August) £3,692 Funding From Kinross Newsletter Fund (pending) £3,500 Funding Requested from Kinross Common Good Fund £6,228 5.6 Broke Not Broken have not received funding from the Kinross Common Good Fund in the previous three financial years. Consideration 5.7 Committee is asked to consider the request in the report and determine the level of any grant to be awarded. Glenfarg Community Transport Group 5.8 A grant of £5000 has been requested by Glenfarg Community Transport Group. The grant would contribute towards employing a part-time administration assistant from April 2024 to March 2025. 5.9 The Glenfarg Community Transport Group has been operating for the last 18 months and provides a community led transport option which offers local groups and vulnerable persons an option to travel in a social and trusted environment along with other members of the community. The group is run by volunteers and has some volunteer as well as paid drivers. They aim to alleviate social and mental health issues derived through loneliness and provide a means to use public transport to commute to neighbouring towns and villages for private appointments, retail, sporting, social and cultural needs. The group supports local community groups with field trips and support a school with affordable solutions to their travel needs. The group estimates support for approximately 300 people from Kinross on a weekly basis which is around half of their weekly passengers. The success of the project so far has led to daily enquiries from the public, and the administration has become more than the current volunteer management committee can timeously and efficiently respond to. An employed administrative assistant would help alleviate this and allow the committee to focus on the development of the group. 5.10 The total cost of the project is estimated at £11,040. The group have secured £6,040 in funding. See table below.
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Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Admin Assistant Salary 4 hours per day x 5 days per week x 46 weeks = 920 hours x £12.00/hour £11,040 Total proposed expenditure £11,040 Contribution From Individual/Group £0 Smarter Choices Smarter Places (approved) £6,040 Funding Requested from Kinross Common Good Fund £5,000 5.11 Glenfarg Community Transport Group have not received funding from the Kinross Common Good Fund in the previous three financial years. Consideration 5.12 Committee is asked to consider the request in the report and determine the level of any grant to be awarded. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The Committee is asked to consider the applications and agree any financial assistance to be awarded. Authors Name Designation Contact Details Sarah Kimmet David Stoke Community Empowerment Officer Service Manager Communities ComCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Elaine Ritchie Strategic Lead, Housing & Communities 9 April 2024 APPENDICES • None
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ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION, AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes / None Community Plan / Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial Yes Workforce None Asset Management (land, property, IST) None Assessments Equality Impact Assessment None Strategic Environmental Assessment None Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) None Legal and Governance None Risk None Consultation Internal Yes External None Communication Communications Plan None 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan 1.1 The proposals will contribute to the Community Plan’s aim of safe, healthy and inclusive communities and the outcome of communities will have improved quality of life. Corporate Plan 1.2 The proposals will contribute to the Corporate Plan’s priorities of tackling poverty and supporting and promoting physical and mental wellbeing. 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 The Head of Finance has been consulted and has indicated agreement with the proposals. The recommendations contained within this report will be funded from the 2023/24 Financial Assistance budget. Workforce 2.2 Not applicable.
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Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 Not applicable. 3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. 3.2 This section should reflect that the proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: Assessed as not relevant for the purposes of EqIA. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.3 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.4 However, no action is required as the Act does not apply to the matters presented in this report. This is because the Committee are requested to note the contents of the report only and the Committee are not being requested to approve, adopt or agree to an action or to set the framework for future decisions. Sustainability 3.5 Not applicable. Legal and Governance 3.6 Not applicable. Risk 3.7 Not applicable. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 The Strategic Lead, Finance & Business Support and Strategic Lead, Legal and Governance have been consulted.
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External 4.2 Not applicable. 5. Communication 5.1 Not applicable. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 None.