Applications for Financial Assistance
Perth and Kinross Council · 3 February 2025
Back to Perth Common Good Fund Committee — 3 February 2025 and its agenda
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Perth Common Good Fund Committee 3 February 2025 Applications For Financial Assistance Report by Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities (Report No. 25/20) 1. Purpose 1.1 The report asks Perth Common Good Fund Committee to consider four small grant applications. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the 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: Proposals: Small Grants • Section 8: 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. 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).
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4.4 The 2024/25 Budget for the Perth Common Good Fund was approved at the Committee meeting on 29 January 2024 (Report 24/28 refers). A summary of the approved Financial Assistance budget, committed grant funding, and the budget remaining, is provided below: 2024/25 Financial Assistance Budget St John’s Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table Small Grants Cost of Living Grant Capital Grants £2,000 £20,000 £75,000 £30,280 £50,000 Value of grants paid and committed St Johns Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table Small Grants Cost of Living Grant Capital Grants £2,000 £20,204 £65,952 £17,533 £41,184 Remaining Financial Assistance Budget St Johns Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table Small Grants Cost of Living Grant Capital Grants £0 £0 £9,048 £12,747 £8,816 Value of funding requested and under consideration St Johns Kirk Carillon Perth Strathearn Round Table Small Grants Cost of Living Grant Capital Grants £0 £0 £13,472 £0 £0 5. Proposals - Small Grants Perth Festival of the Arts 5.1 Perth Festival of the Arts are seeking £2,281 to contribute towards their Community Stage and free shows in Perth City Centre.
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5.2 May 2025 marks the 53rd Perth Festival of the Arts, delivering around 30 events, concerts and exhibitions across Perth City. Funding under consideration is to support a series of 11 free concerts to take place at lunchtimes, the Festival Service, and the Community Stages. The lunchtime concerts will feature five local secondary schools giving performance opportunities to young musicians. Perth Youth Orchestra will perform at the Festival Service. The Community stages will feature pop-up concerts showcasing performing arts organisations from across Perth & Kinross, including groups such as Perthshire Brass, Perth Amateur Operatic Society, Fair City Singers and the Jamboree Choir. The stages will be spread around the city, with concerts taking place in St Matthew’s Church, St John’s Kirk and outdoor plazas. These concerts aim to celebrate and promote the variety of home-grown artistic talent in Perth & Kinross and bring vibrant concerts and pop-up arts experiences to local people in a way that is fully accessible and free to the audience member. 5.3 It is expected that over 200 young people, and 80 performers from the Common Good area will take part in the performances. It is hoped that audiences will reach 2,000 members of the public. The festival as a whole expects to reach 12,000 people, half of whom are expected to be from Perth. 5.4 Perth Festival of the Arts have received £3,477 from the Perth Common Good in the previous three financial years. Allocated as below: Year Funding Project 2023/24 £1,942 Community Stages 2024 2022/23 £1,535 Marketing for 2023 festival
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5.5 Proposed expenditure is detailed below: Consideration 5.6 It is considered that a grant of £2,281 is consistent with criteria 9.2a. Perth Chinese Association 5.7 Perth Chinese Association are requesting a grant of £4,655 towards their Chinese New Year Celebration on 25th January 2025. 5.8 Over the years, Perth Chinese Association’s New Year Celebrations have grown to be the biggest and most attended Public Chinese New Year Event in Scotland, attended by people from all over the UK. In order to achieve this, the Perth Chinese Association continue to work closely with Perthshire Welfare Society, Perth Minorities Association, and PKC’s Equalities Team as well as local schools and Perth College UHI. Links have also been made with the Confucius Hub at Kinross High School. 5.9 This year, the event will include Chinese Workshops, Music & Dance at 2 High Street followed by Chinese Lion & Dragon Dancers leading a procession along the High Street, along St Johns Street and down South Street before ending at the event centre at 2 High Street. It is anticipated that 1,750 people from the common good area, 3,200 from elsewhere in Perth and Kinross, and 800 from further afield will attend. 5.10 Perth Chinese Association have confirmed that there will not be any fireworks at this years’ event. Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Donations/Fees to seven community arts organisations (including Perth Youth Orchestra) Mix of hire costs/donations (aim to cover costs for groups who are mainly charities.) Budget of £400 per group. £2,800 Production 130 x Chairs - £333 1 x Piano Tuning - £70 £403 Venue Hire 6 x £200 St John’s Kirk 1 x £300 St Matthew’s Church £1,500 Transport for schools 2 large coaches for 2 trips £700 Printed programmes for School Concerts Quote £25 Performance Royalties Charges made by Performing Society for live music at free events – estimated at £25 x 11 events (excludes Perth Youth Orchestra) £275 Total proposed expenditure £5,703 Contribution from Individual/Group £2,622 Public donations £800 Funding Requested from Perth Common Good Fund £2,281
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5.11 Security Staffing, Parking Services, Barriers, First Aider, Signage, Flyers, Marketing and Signage for the event have not been included in the budget table as they will all be provided in-kind. 5.12 Perth Chinese Association have received £16,115 from the Perth Common Good in the previous three financial years. Allocated as below: Year Funding Project Funded 2022/23 £9,000 Perth Mela Festival 2022/23 £4,875 Chinese New Year 2023 2023/24 £2,240 Chinese New Year 2024 5.13 Expected costs for the event are noted in the table below: Consideration 5.14 It is considered that an award of up to £4,655 is consistent with criteria 9.2a Hearts and Minds 5.15 Hearts and Minds are seeking a grant of £1,536 towards their 2025 Clowndoctors in the Classroom project at Fairview Primary School. Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Chinese Singer/Performers/Magicians Quotation £3,500 Chinese Lion & Dragon Performance Quotation £2,588 Workshops for Children Quotation £1,700 Face Painter Estimate £350 Giant Panda, God of Fortune, Buddha Quotation £3,500 Total proposed expenditure £11,638 Contribution from Individual/Group £2,000 Donation from Chinese Community Members £250 PKC Equalities Funding (approved) £750 In-kind support (covering the singer/performer and part of the God of Fortune and Buddha) £3,983 Funding Requested from Perth Common Good Fund £4,655
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5.16 Hearts & Minds aims to help vulnerable people overcome feelings of powerlessness, anxiety and isolation through the art of therapeutic clowning. The Clowndoctors in the Classroom programme supports learners with complex additional support needs to have positive learning experiences. The Clowndoctors facilitate the delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence through sensory play and character-based theatrical clowning, encouraging participation, increased confidence, increased social interaction and improved verbal and non-verbal communication skills. The use of magic, music, puppetry, improvisation and slapstick focuses on literacy & language, numeracy, dance & movement, music & expressive arts, drama & role play. The programme has received positive feedback from the school and parents in previous years. 5.17 Clowndoctors visit the school for a full day each week and aim to work with every pupil at least once per fortnight. Some pupils receive intensive blocks where they work with the Clowndoctors weekly. 64 children from the Common Good area are supported. 5.18 Hearts and Minds have not received funding from Perth Common Good Fund in the previous three financial years. 5.19 Project costs for the project are detailed in the table below: Consideration 5.20 Committee are asked to consider an award in line with criteria 9.8. Scottish Brass Band Association 5.21 The Scottish Brass Band Association are seeking a grant of £5000 to assist with the hire of Perth Concert Hall for their March 2025 Regional Contest. Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Artist fees 2 x freelancers at £145pp per visit x 36 visits £10,440 Training costs £28 per visit x 36 visits £1,008 Travel Costs £35 x 36 visits £1,260 Costumes, props and miscellaneous admin costs £11 x 36 visits £396 Programme management costs £48 per visit x 36 visits £1,728 Total proposed expenditure £14,832 The Gannochy Trust (approved) £10,000 D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust (approved) £3,296 Funding Requested from Perth Common Good Fund £1,536
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5.22 The Scottish Brass Band Association covers Brass Bands the length and breadth of Scotland. It holds two events each year in Perth Concert Hall; the Scottish Festival of Brass in November, and the Regional Contest in March. During these events they encourage visiting bands to support the local community and economy by using local hotels and eateries as well as to book local halls for any rehearsals. Approximately 55 bands will take part in the competition bringing 2000 people into the city. Roughly 50 players from Perth City take part, with another 25 from the rest of Perth and Kinross. These local players can enjoy the chance to play before their peers as well as gain experience playing on a large stage in a professional hall. The event is entirely volunteer run with 30-40 volunteers helping across the weekend, 6 of whom are from Perth and Kinross. The event is open to the public to purchase tickets to attend, and the group aim to sell 500 tickets. Typically, 100-150 residents of the Perth Common Good Area attend. It is hoped that this event is not only a success for the bands, but that it will also have a positive economic impact on local businesses. 5.23 The Scottish Brass Band Association have not received funding from the Perth Common Good Fund in the previous three financial years. 5.24 Expected costs for the event are detailed in the table below: Consideration 5.25 It is considered that an award of up to £5,000 to support the local content is consistent with criteria 9.2b. Specific items Basis of Costing Amount Accommodation for volunteers Royal George Hotel and other venues £7,000 Total Hall Cost Perth Concert Hall £15,000 Catering Various local businesses £2,000 Professional Adjudicators (including travel) Adjudicator fees £3,000 Volunteer expenses Estimate £1,000 Hire of percussion equipment Quote £4,000 Prizes and commemorative medals Estimate £2,000 Compere and PR Estimate £1,000 Total proposed expenditure £35,000 Contribution from Individual/Group – Funds will be raised through advertising in the programme, programme sales, audience ticket sales, fees from trade stands that attend the event, band entry fees (£100 per band), band registration fees, Scottish Brass Band Association Reserves. £30,000 Funding Requested from Perth Common Good Fund £5,000
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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 Stokoe Community Empowerment Officer Service Manager Communities 01738 475000 EPLCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Elaine Ritchie Strategic Lead Housing and Communities 9 January 2025 Appendices • Appendix 1: Perth 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. 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 Strategic Lead, Finance & Business Support has been consulted and has indicated agreement with the proposals. The recommendations contained within this report will be funded from the 2024/25 Financial Assistance budget. Workforce 2.2 Not applicable. Asset Management (land, property, IT)
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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 the Strategic Lead, Legal and Governance have been consulted. External
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4.2 Not applicable. 5. Communication 5.1 Not applicable. 2. Background Papers 2.1 None.