Supporting Communities Fund 2023/24
Argyll and Bute Council · 6 June 2023
Back to Bute and Cowal Area Committee — 6 June 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL BUTE AND COWAL AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S UNIT 6 JUNE 2023 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND 2023/24 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to decide on the allocation of the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund (SCF) for Bute and Cowal. 1.2 The total Supporting Communities Fund budget made available by the Council for allocation in Bute and Cowal for distribution in 2023/24 is £38,228.09 1.3 It is recommended that 17 applicants are awarded funding. 1.4 Applicants awarded funds from the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund have 18 months in which to spend the funds.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL BUTE AND COWAL AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S UNIT 6 JUNE 2023 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND 2023/24 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The report details recommendations for the award of the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund (SCF). The Supporting Communities Fund budget made available by Council in Bute and Cowal for 2023/24 is £22,500. 2.2 The total available for allocation is £38,228.09 due to additional funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, funds to support resiliency in communities impacted by Covid-19 and from the return of unspent funds from previous applicants. 2.3 Organisations applying to the fund were able to request up to £2,500. The SCF is popular and this year has attracted 29 applications from the Bute and Cowal area, requesting a total of £60,854.50. 2.4 Applications have been scored by the Council’s Community Development Team against criteria set out in the guidance (https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/council- and-government/third-sector-grants) and a summary of all applications is appended to this report. 17 are recommended to be funded. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Members are asked to agree that the 17 applications, marked as ‘Award’ within Appendix 1 are awarded funding from the Supporting Communities Fund totalling £38,228.09. Detailed information about these projects is contained within Appendix 2.
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4.0 DETAIL 4.1 The SCF is assessed through a robust process which involves financial checks and Community Development Team contact with the applicant to verify any information where required. All applicants need to provide satisfactory essential information on governance and finance to be eligible. Scoring is based on a set of criteria outlined in the guidance and made available on the council’s website: (Guidance for applicants). Applications to the fund must be for projects that come under one or more of these categories: Fairer Communities – tackling poverty by sharing opportunities. Resilient Communities – community capacity building/rebuilding and repairing from a pandemic Greener, Cleaner Communities – environmental action to support addressing climate change Creative Communities – creativity for health and wellbeing 4.2 Of the 29 eligible applications received (requesting a total of £60,854.50), 21 are either new applicants to the fund or have not applied within the last two years. 4.3 Of the eligible applications to the SCF, 17 are recommended to be awarded funding. 3 of these are for island based projects. The applications recommended for funding are labelled as ‘Award’ in the recommendation column in Appendix 1. The detail of the projects is in Appendix 2. 4.4 The projects recommended will deliver a range of activities from gardening and cooking projects to woodland restoration and museum outreach. 4.5 Unsuccessful applications are marked as ‘No award’ in Appendix 1. These applicants will be offered support from the Community Development Team and provided with information on alternative sources of funding. 4.6 This year the total of £38,288.09 available for allocation is comprised of: £22,500 from the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund. £7,500 from the Shared Prosperity Fund. This is specifically to support projects related to Climate Change. These funds are ring fenced to the highest scoring projects under the ‘Greener, Cleaner Communities’ criteria. £5,000 of funding specifically for projects that support resiliency in communities impacted by Covid-19. These funds are ring fenced to the highest scoring projects under the ‘Resilient Communities’ criteria. Return of unspent funds totaling £3,228.09 from projects from the financial periods 2020/21 and 2021/22 due to underspend or to projects being unable to go ahead due to the pandemic restrictions.
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4.7 Successful projects funded have to complete a report at the end to evidence the impact of the spending of the money. The results of this are brought to Area Committee in March 2025, if not before, depending on project duration. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Supporting Communities Fund application and assessment process has been completed as set out within its guidance (https://www.argyll- bute.gov.uk/council-and-government/third-sector-grants ). 5.2 The recommendations made fully allocate the funding available for financial year 2023/2024. 5.3 The 17 projects being put forward for an award will help communities to deliver priority activities in their area in 2023/24. 5.4 All applicants to the fund are supported throughout the process and beyond by the Community Development Team. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy: n/a 6.2 Financial: Recommendations in the report are limited to the budget allocation available in 2023/24 for the Supporting Communities Fund in Bute and Cowal . 6.3 Legal: Applications are initially assessed to ensure that groups are constituted with managed accounts. 6.4 HR: n/a 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: The Supporting Communities Fund supports community groups in tackling poverty, reducing inequality and building a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics: Applicants are given the options of receiving the application in large print and other languages. 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty: None known 6.5.3 Islands: 7 of the applicant projects are island based. 3 of these are being recommended funding. 6.6 Climate Change: One of the four criteria within the process is specific to mitigating climate change. 6.7 Risk: risk to the public pound is managed through the assessment and scoring, and through end of project monitoring process. 6.8 Customer Service: None
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Pippa Milne Chief Executive Alastair Redman Policy Lead Councillor 12 May 2023 For further information contact: Antonia Baird - Community Development Officer (MAKI) Tel: 01546 604270 Email: antonia.baird@argyll-bute.gov.uk Kirsty Moyes – Community Development Team Leader Tel. 01436 657635 Email. kirsty.moyes@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1 - Assessment Score and Recommendations Appendix 2 - Project Summary Sheet
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Appendix 1 - Assessment Score and Recommendations Ref Applicant Recommendation Assessment Score Value of Project Amount Requested Recommended Award 2023/24 Cumulative Total 1 ARC Addictions Recovery Cafe Award 7.7 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 2 POP Shop Enterprises CIC Award 7.6 £12,102.00 £2,450.00 £2,450.00 £4,950.00 3 *Waterbaby Arts SCIO Award 7.2 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £7,450.00 4 Comann nam Parant Comhghall Award 7.1 £1,300.00 £1,300.00 £1,300.00 £8,750.00 5 Cowal Open Studios Award 7.1 £2,488.00 £2,488.00 £2,488.00 £11,238.00 6 **Friends of Glenan Wood Award 7 £4,650.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £13,738.00 7 Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust Award 6.9 £10,000.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £16,238.00 8 **Sandbank Community Development Trust Award 6.8 £2,965.00 £1,975.00 £1,975.00 £18,213.00 9 **Fyne Futures Ltd. Award 6.7 £22,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £20,713.00 10 Scenic Sandbank Award 6.7 £22,534.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £23,213.00 11 Dunoon and Cowal Heritage Trust Award 6.6 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £25,713.00 12 Bullwood Nature Trail Award 6.5 £5,500.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £28,213.00 13 *Dunoon Foodbank Award 6.5 £3,000.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £30,713.00 14 Bute Community Land Company Award 6.4 £3,700.00 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £33,213.00 15 Bute Community Band Award (partial) 6.3 £2,250.00 £2,250.00 £2,157.04 £35,370.04 16 **Hunter's Quay Com Council Award 6.3 £701.00 £701.00 £701.00 £36,071.04 17 Toward Seasports Club(SCIO) Award (partial) 6.3 £5,311.00 £2,490.50 £2,157.05 £38,228.09 18 South Cowal Community Enterprises Ltd. No award 6.2 £2,500.00 £2,500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 19 Voices of Argyll CIC No award 6.2 £5,760.00 £2,500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 20 Positive Pedals No award 6.2 £470.00 £470.00 £0.00 £38,228.09
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21 Duthchas No award 5.7 £2,690.00 £2,490.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 22 Loch Goil Community Council No award 5.5 £500.00 £500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 23 Isle of Bute BID No award 5.4 £5,880.00 £1,880.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 24 Crossroads Caring For Carers Cowal & Bute No award 5.3 £2,773.00 £2,500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 25 Bute Shinty Club No award 4.9 £2,400.00 £2,400.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 26 Cowal Choral Club No award 4.8 £25,198.00 £2,500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 27 Dunoon Senior Citizens Club No award 4.7 £2,335.00 £2,335.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 28 Carr Gomm No award 3.7 £625.00 £625.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 29 Starter Pack Plus No award 3.5 £1,500.00 £1,500.00 £0.00 £38,228.09 TOTAL £159,132.00 £60,854.50 £38,228.09 £38,228.09 * Projects recommended to receive funds ring-fenced to support resiliency in communities impacted by Covid-19 ** Projects recommended to receive funds ring-fenced to support Climate Change as part of the Shared Prosperity Fund
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Appendix 2 – Project Summary Sheet Applications Received (in order of scoring by Community Development Officer) For submission to Bute and Cowal Area Committee for final decision (maximum value £2,500). * Projects recommended to receive funds ring-fenced to support resiliency in communities impacted by Covid-19 ** Projects recommended to receive funds ring-fenced to support Climate Change as part of the Shared Prosperity Fund Ref: 1 Applicant: ARC Addictions Recovery Café SCIO Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.7 Project Summary: Diversionary and creative activities for people in recovery including growing food and cooking it, with the aim of tackling food poverty, gaining new skills and friendships to build community and individual resilience. Costs will include refreshments for 30 people for 52 weeks, plants and seeds, protective clothing and cooking lessons for 52 weeks. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 2 Applicant: POP Shop Enterprises CIC Recommended Award: £2,450 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.6 Project Summary: Accredited training sessions to stimulate successful social enterprise start-ups in the area. The training will focus on nature based business, enterprise and female entrepreneurship, supporting up to 24 people. The project was developed in response to Dunoon Area Alliance’s research into the unmet needs of people working around the challenges of childcare and on low and unstable incomes. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 3 Applicant: *Waterbaby Arts SCIO Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.2 Project Summary: 16 accessible creative movement workshops with over 25 additional support needs dancers supporting improved health and confidence. Adult dancers (18-30) will be supported to become dance teachers and little dancers (11-18) gain confidence from interaction with older peers. The project will end with a concert. This group were particularly vulnerable to the pandemic and were only permitted to remove their masks in Christmas 2022 – this project aims to help overcome their still current fear of physical contact and proximity.
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Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 4 Applicant: Comann nam Parant Comhghall Recommended Award: £1,300 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.1 Project Summary: A Gaelic immersion day to publicise the breadth and variety of work undertaken by the local gaelic groups and stimulate new interest in the language and the area. The funding will include hall hire and workshop leaders, including drama, singing and Bookbug. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 5 Applicant: Cowal Open Studios Recommended Award: £2,488 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.1 Project Summary: Pilot set of art workshops for disadvantaged young people in Cowal, led by them, to enable Cowal Open Studios to make new community partners and develop community work. They will reach out to 46 young people and the project will culminate in an exhibition at Dunoon Burgh Hall. Funding is requested towards sessional fees to deliver the workshops and some art materials. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 6 Applicant: **Friends of Glenan Wood Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 7.0 Project Summary: Biodiversity and accessibility improvements to the woodlands to encourage greater enjoyment in its use. They will increase the amount of native species by building bird and bat boxes, construct leaky dams and bog bridges to encourage more wildlife, as well as supporting all members of the community to engage by including transport costs and tools for their volunteers. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 7 Applicant: Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.9 Project Summary: Creative Blethers will engage with 45 persons from vulnerable groups, supported by 10 volunteers, to enjoy and discover a variety of arts programming in a way that is accessible to them, aiming to reduce isolation, learn new skills and improve confidence and mental health.
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Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 8 Applicant: **Sandbank Community Development Trust Recommended Award: £1,975.00 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.8 Project Summary: A contribution towards the costs of producing a new Community and Climate Action Plan, which will be delivered by the community and includes printing and distribution costs of both survey materials and the action plan itself when completed. It will have a climate action element included. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 9 Applicant: **Fyne Futures Ltd. Recommended Award: £2,500.00 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.7 Project Summary: To continue to support work parties to maintain Bute’s 8 Incredible Edible sites; to offer 4 food celebration events and to pilot a new foraging project with the object of increasing certified learning opportunities, decreasing food poverty and social isolation. Funds are requested to cover volunteer expenses, training for 10 volunteers and 4 Food Sharing Celebrations. These activities will contribute towards their goal of educating and empowering people to achieve sustainable rural living. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 10 Applicant: Scenic Sandbank Recommended Award: £2,500.00 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.7 Project Summary: Contribution towards startup costs, including compost, tools, seeds and bulbs, for a new growing site that has recently been acquired for the community in a formerly derelict site. The new raised beds will provide edible and ornamental plants for the citizens and the streetscape of Sandbank. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 11 Applicant: Dunoon and Cowal Heritage Trust Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.6 Project Summary: “Memory Boxes” and “Heritage Blethers” will create new resources to outreach to schools, care homes and community groups while also bringing people in to
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explore their local museum. A graduate trainee will research and develop creative resources for these. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 12 Applicant: Bullwood Nature Trail Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.5 Project Summary: Tidy up and repairs of much loved community woodland to welcome new users from mental health and school groups, enabling them to participate in wellbeing and environmental improvement activities. They are requesting funds for interpretive signage, art materials, timber for repairs to their shed, horticultural supplies, tools and bird feeders and food. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 13 Applicant: *Dunoon Foodbank Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.5 Project Summary: The foodbank wishes to expand its activities to support people to move from dependence to independence with the provision of supportive activities and advice, particularly a new foodbank garden. Their gardening group has been formed by foodbank attendees and they wish materials to build raised beds and grow vegetables. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 14 Applicant: Bute Community Land Company Recommended Award: £2,500 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.4 Project Summary: A programme of arts and wellbeing activities designed to increase engagement with the community and with partners, with the object of improving the woodland and awareness of biodiversity. The fund will contribute towards the purchase of art, photography and yoga classes, a theatre event, a Scottish History event and other seasonal activities. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 15 Applicant: Bute Community Band Recommended Award: £2,157.04 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.3 Project Summary:
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Costs of preparation for and delivery of this inclusive and intergenerational band’s Christmas concert, to ensure that there are no barriers to participation. Costs include sheet music, percussion instruments, stands and banners and sound and video engineering. Recommendation: Award (partial) Conditions: No conditions Ref: 16 Applicant: **Hunter's Quay Community Council Recommended Award: £701.00 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.3 Project Summary: 2 new picnic tables to join the 12 benches along the sea front, which will also be refurbished for the summer season. This will allow locals and visitors alike to appreciate and enjoy the scenery. Since the loss of the village shop this community now has no social space and this will encourage people of all ages to meet again, some of whom have still not come out since the pandemic. Recommendation: Award Conditions: No conditions Ref: 17 Applicant: Toward Seasports Club SCIO Recommended Award: £2,157.05 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.3 Project Summary: Training courses for 6 volunteers to become kayak leaders or coaches to increase the capacity and sustainability of the Club of up to 50 members as well as a contribution towards a high-volume hybrid kayak suitable for all abilities – to increase their inclusivity. Recommendation: Award (partial) Conditions: No conditions Ref: 18 Applicant: South Cowal Community Enterprises Ltd Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.2 Project Summary: Towards the cost of community led and delivered classes for up to 200 people in a variety of topics as a means of bringing people together following the recent difficult years, with the potential to support the development of new training businesses. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 19 Applicant: Voices of Argyll CIC Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.2 Project Summary:
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Towards the cost of their winter concert, including rehearsals, and voice coaching. There are to be free tickets to refugees in the area, and recordings made available to Dunoon Community Radio. The choir offers health and wellbeing benefits to singers. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 20 Applicant: Positive Pedals Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 6.2 Project Summary: The purchase of a gazebo to allow the organisation to continue to refurbish and repair unwanted bicycles to allow affordable access to bikes to people in greatest need across the community. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 21 Applicant: Dùthchas Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 5.7 Project Summary: Community consultation costs to gauge interest in a community growing project with environmental benefits. Costs include the purchase of a projector, room hire, fliers and some seeds and soil for demonstration. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 22 Applicant: Loch Goil Community Council Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 5.5 Project Summary: Microphones to enhance the experience of attending online meetings, aiming to make them more attractive to a bigger and more diverse audience and open up new opportunities for the hall. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 23 Applicant: Isle of Bute BID Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 5.4 Project Summary: Electricity supply and fees to artists in order to enhance Rothesay town centre by the projection of locally produced artistic images, thereby increasing awareness of the local arts trails and skills on the island. Recommendation: No award Conditions:
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Ref: 24 Applicant: Crossroads Caring For Carers Cowal & Bute Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 5.3 Project Summary: Creative activities for carers and young carers in both Bute and Cowal in order to provide a break from caring activities in a way that also improves health, wellbeing and resilience in order to sustain the caring role. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 25 Applicant: Bute Shinty Club Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 4.9 Project Summary: Purchase of shinty equipment for children and travel costs to permit attendance at off-island competition to ensure that the sport of shinty is accessible for all. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 26 Applicant: Cowal Choral Club Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 4.8 Project Summary: A contribution towards the annual overheads of Cowal Choral club, including venue hire, musical Direction and performance licenses. This will permit delivery of their annual programme including visits to care homes, local flash mobs and some subscription waivers where required. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 27 Applicant: Dunoon Senior Citizens Club Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 4.7 Project Summary: A contribution towards essential repairs of this busy hall, in particular fees for labour for repairs to glazing of hall doors, which will improve heating retention and safety. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 28 Applicant: Carr Gomm Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 3.7
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Project Summary: To fund ‘Keep Warm Boxes’ to help those who are vulnerable or impacted by rising energy costs and power cuts to stay warm. Funding is requested to provide 12 boxes. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 29 Applicant: Starter Pack Plus Recommended Award: 0 Assessment Score (out of 10): 3.5 Project Summary: A contribution towards the costs of purchasing basic household goods and bedding for vulnerable individuals or families who find themselves homeless; also the costs of insurance for the organisation. Recommendation: No award Conditions: