Applications for Financial Assistance
Perth and Kinross Council · 6 February 2023
Back to Perth Common Good Fund Committee — 6 February 2023 and its agenda
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PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL Perth Common Good Fund Committee 6 February 2023 APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Report by Head of Cultural and Community Services (Report No. 23/36) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 The report asks Perth Common Good Fund Committee to consider three small grant applications. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that Committee: • consider the grant 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: Changes to Approved Funding • Section 6: Proposals: Small Grants • Section 7: Conclusion • Appendices 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.
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4.3 Applications to Common Good Funds vary across the different former burghs of Perth and Kinross. The Perth Common Good Fund is larger and receives a much higher number of applications than the other Funds. Therefore, additional criteria are applied to assist with assessing applications (see Appendix 1). 4.4 The 2022/23 Budget for the Perth Common Good Fund was approved at the Committee meeting on 21 February 2022 (Report 22/40 refers). A summary of the approved Financial Assistance budget, committed grant funding, and the budget remaining, is provided below: 2022/23 Financial Assistance Budget St John's Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table - Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants £2,000 £16,500 £60,000 £40,000 Value of grants paid and committed St John’s Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table - Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants £2,000 £20,594 £34,311 £37,000 Remaining Financial Assistance Budget Small Grants Capital Grants £20,095 £3,000 Value of funding requested and under consideration Small Grants Capital Grants £9,375 Nil 5. PROPOSALS – SMALL GRANTS Ad-Lib Arts 5.1 A grant of £1000 has been requested from Ad-Lib Arts. The grant will enable the group to hold informal focus group conversations with members and other community groups from the LGBT community in Perth, including Perthshire Pride, LGBT Youth Scotland, and Perth Parrots. These conversations will enable Ad-Lib Arts to develop a series of workshops that will benefit young people aged 17-25 who are part of the LGBT community in Perth and involve them in performing arts. 5.2 The project's total cost is estimated at £1,500, of which £500 will be covered by a contribution from the group. It is estimated that around 30 people from the common good area will benefit. A breakdown of costs is provided below.
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Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Freelancer fees 2 x £30p/h for 5 hours over four weeks £1200 Space / Venue hire Meeting and prep space £300 Total proposed expenditure £1,500 Contribution from Group £500 Funding requested £1000 Consideration 5.3 In line with Criteria 9.8, the Committee is asked to consider the request and determine the level of any grant to be awarded. North Muirton Community Group 5.4 A grant of £3,500 has been requested from the North Muirton Community Group for their big Christmas Fun Day. The Fun Day consists of outdoor children's entertainment with music, dancing, fun and games, an indoor market, food & drink, and the decorating of the community Christmas tree with in-memory decorations. This project is estimated to benefit 360 people in the common good area. 5.5 The total cost of the project is estimated at £4,000, of which £500 has been secured through a financial contribution from the local Asda supermarket. A breakdown of the full costs has been provided below. Specific items Amount Children's Entertainment for the event £1,930 Stage and Lighting hire £700 Food and Drink £320 Decorations and Grotto gifts £550 Afternoon Tea Catering £500 Total proposed expenditure £4,000 Contribution from Asda for Afternoon Teas £500 Funding requested £3,500 Consideration 5.6 In line with Criteria 9.8, the Committee is asked to consider the request and determine the level of any grant to be awarded. This application was submitted before the event took place, but too late to be considered at the Committee on 21 December.
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Perth Chinese Association 5.7 A grant of £4,875 has been requested from Perth Chinese Association. The grant is for part of their annual event to share the biggest Chinese Cultural Celebration with residents in Perth and Kinross. This project is estimated to benefit 1750 people in the common good area, with participants in the event also coming from other areas in Perth and Kinross and further afield. 5.8 The Perth Chinese Association were awarded funding from the Perth Common Good in Financial year 21/22 and at the start of 22/23 for the Mela Festival. Financial Year Amount Granted Projects funded April 2021 £4,200 Chinese New Year 2022 April 2022 £9,000 Mela Festival 5.9 The total cost of the project is estimated at £12,854 of which £1,000 has been secured through a financial contribution from the group. A breakdown of the full costs has been provided below. Specific items Amount Singer/ Performers £1,000 Lion and Dragon Performance £2588 Rhythm Wave group £1,300 Perth Kyokushin Ryu Karate £250 Taiko Drummers £250 Dancers £400 Stage £1,300 Stewards £588 First aid £288 Arts and crafts providers £1,100 Adventure Circus £400 Puppets £390 Entertainers £1,250 God of Fortune £750 Traffic Management £500 Mobile Toilets £500 Total proposed expenditure £12,854 Contribution from the group £1,000 PKC Events team funding £6,979 Funding requested £4,875 5.10 It is considered that a grant of £4,875 is consistent with Criteria 9.2(a) 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The Committee is asked to consider the applications for funding and agree any financial assistance to be awarded.
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Author(s) Name Designation Contact Details James Gardner Lee Haxton Community Empowerment Officer Community Planning Team Leader (01738) 475000 ComCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Barbara Renton Executive Director (Communities) 19 January 2023 APPENDICES • Appendix 1 – Perth City Common Good Fund Criteria
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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. The recommendations contained within this report are in accordance with the priorities of Perth Common Good Fund's criteria for
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financial assistance. Corporate Plan 1.2 The proposals will contribute to the Corporate Plan's objectives of developing educated, responsible and informed citizens and the outcome of people are ready for life and work. The recommendations contained within this report are in accordance with the priorities of Perth Common Good Fund's criteria. 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 2022/23 Financial Assistance budgets. Workforce 2.2 Not applicable. 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.
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Sustainability 3.5 Not applicable. Legal and Governance 3.6 Not applicable. Risk 3.7 Not applicable. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 The Head of Finance and the Head of Legal and Governance have been consulted. External 4.2 Not applicable. 5. Communication 5.1 Not applicable. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 Perth Common Good Fund Application papers.