Applications for Financial Assistance
Perth and Kinross Council · 28 September 2022
Back to Perth Common Good Fund Committee — 28 September 2022 and its agenda
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PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL Perth Common Good Fund Committee 28 September 2022 APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Report by Head of Cultural and Community Services (Report No 22/234) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 The report asks Perth Common Good Fund Committee to consider a change in use of approved funding, and one small grant application. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that Committee: • Considers the change to approved funding for St John’s Kirk of Perth. • Considers the grant application 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
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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). 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 Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants £16,500 £60,000 £40,000 Value of grants paid and committed Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants Nil £16,754 £37,000 Remaining Financial Assistance Budget Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants £16,500 £43,246 £3,000 Value of funding requested and under consideration Fireworks Small Grants Capital Grants £22,094 £900 Nil 5. CHANGES TO APPROVED FUNDING St John’s Kirk of Perth 5.1 In April 2022, Perth Common Good Committee awarded a grant of £20,000 to St John’s Kirk of Perth towards the repair of the Kirk spire and reinstatement of the gilded finial. Report No. 22/99 (Appendix 2) refers. There has now been a change in circumstances as investigations by the contracted structural engineers Elliott & Co. and specialist building surveyors Hutton & Rostron have shown that it will cost more to repair the leadwork of the spire than originally expected. The repair of the side-belfry of the spire and temporary repairs to the leadwork itself are now the priority, as until the spire has been fully repaired, it is not possible to reinstate the finial. Therefore, the Kirk are seeking approval from the Committee to use the £20,000 awarded in April 2022 as a contribution towards the leadwork repair (a breakdown of costs has been supplied below), as opposed to work on the spire and gilded filial as previously agreed.
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5.2 The change of use requires no additional funds; the group are seeking confirmation that the Committee are content that the previously approved grant is used for this new purpose. Specific items of cost Basis of costing Amount Works to belfry Hardies budget estimate £80,000 Mastic repairs to spire Hardies budget estimate £20,000 Scaffolding to belfry Hardies budget estimate £50,000 Preliminaries Hardies budget estimate £30,000 Contingencies Hardies budget estimate £20,000 Subtotal £200,000 Fees: Hardies 4.9% of sub-total £9,800 Fees: LDN Architects 10.5% of sub-total £21,000 Fees: Elliot & Co, Engineers 3.5% of sub-total £7,000 Hutton & Rostron, Environmental survey Preliminary investigations £6,620 M3D survey Preliminary investigations £3,360 David Dodds Ecological survey Preliminary investigations £1,540 Asbestos Management Consultancy, Survey Preliminary investigations £360 Net cost £249,680 VAT 20% of net cost £49,936 Total proposed expenditure £299,616 Contribution from group £209,680 Trust for St John’s Kirk (requested funds) £20,000 Vat reclaimed through L.P.W.S. (subject to application) £49,936 Funding awarded by the Perth Common Good Fund £20,000 Consideration 5.3 Committee are asked to consider the change to approved funding for St John’s Kirk of Perth. 6. PROPOSALS – SMALL GRANTS Perth and Strathearn 200 Round Table 6.1 A grant application has been received for the Perth Fireworks and Bonfire display for £22,094. As with previous years this is provided as a separate report for Committee to consider. Perth and District Scout Council (joint application between Perth Common Good Fund and Kinross Common Good Fund) 6.2 A grant of £900 has been requested from the Perth and District Scout Council towards their World Scout Jamboree project. The grant would contribute towards financial support for young Scouts aged 14-17 and young leaders aged 18-25 to attend the World Scout Jamboree in Korea 2023. The event, running from 1 – 12 August this year, takes place every four years, enabling
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participants to meet other scouts from different cultures, religions, countries and continents. The event consists of team building, learning, and cultural activities. 6.3 The grant will go towards funding the ticket costs for 7 scouts and 2 young leaders from the Perth Common Good Fund area to attend the event. The other scout and young leader attending the event are from the Kinross Common Good area and have applied to the Kinross Common Good fund for financial support for their tickets. The Scouts are required to raise the ticket funds themselves with the assistance of local leaders. Part of the ticket costs are used towards enabling Scouts from less affluent countries in the world to attend. All 11 participants and their parents are running various fundraising events over the next few months – a Duck Race, Ceilidhs, Race Nights, and supermarket bag packing. 6.4 The total cost of the project is estimated at £37,020, of which £15,115 has been secured through other sources and £6000 is expected through further fundraising activities. A breakdown of costs has been provided below. The applicant has not received grant funding from the Common Good Fund in the last three years, however the same event held in West Virginia in 2019 was funded by the Perth Common Good Fund in 2018 (£1,575). Specific items Basis of Costing Amount 8 Scouts attendance fees 8 x £3,765 £30,120 3 International Service team members aged 18+ attendance fees 3 x £2,300 £6,900 Total proposed expenditure £37,020 Funding from Perth City Boys Club Trust (secured) £2,500 Funding from Jimmie Cairncross Charitable Trust (secured) £2,500 Funding from Forteviot Charitable Trust (secured) £3,765 Funding from Dunkeld Masonic Lodge (secured) £250 Funding from Thomson Charitable Trust (secured) £2,100 Funding from The Rotary Club of Perth (secured) £1,000 Fundraising activities – Duck Race (secured) £3,000 Fundraising activities – Other planned events (expected) £6,000 Funding from Kinross Common Good Fund £200 Funding requested £900
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Additional Pending Funding Basil Death Trust, Lethendy Charitable Trust, Perth Guildry (applied) There are no maximum or minimum request amounts applied to these funding sources. It is up to each funder to determine how much they are willing to give in support of the project. Therefore, the group do not know what they are expecting to receive from each fund. Consideration 6.5 It is considered that a grant of £900 is consistent with Criteria 9.5. 7. CONCLUSION 7.1 The Committee is asked to consider the change to approved funding and the application for funding and agree any financial assistance to be awarded. Author(s) Name Designation Contact Details Lee Haxton Community Planning Team Leader (01738) 475000 ComCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Barbara Renton Executive Director (Communities) 7 September 2022 APPENDICES • Appendix 1 – Perth City Common Good Fund Criteria • Appendix 2 - Report No. 22/99
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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 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.
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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. Sustainability 3.5 Not applicable. Legal and Governance 3.6 Not applicable. Risk 3.7 Not applicable.
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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. 6. BACKGROUND PAPERS 6.1 Perth Common Good Fund Application papers.