The Commissioners agreed the reasons for urgency as set out in the report.

Chris Holme, Acting Corporate Director, Resources, introduced the report which concerned an application for support by the Boishaki Mela Trust which organised this longstanding community event.  He noted that any support given must be cleared through this Trust.  Additionally the Council had no legal liability to pay a grant.  The Commissioners then heard representations from Councillors Shahed Ali, Rachel Saunders and Peter Golds.  Chris Holme and Shazia Hussain, Service Head, Culture, Learning and Leisure answered Commissioners’ questions relating to how well the organiser had fulfilled its obligations under the terms of the contract it had entered into with the Council in 2012.

In reaching their decisions, Commissioners took into account the following information that was provided at the meeting:

•           The outcome of the Election Petition Hearing has placed the Boishaki Mela into an unforeseen pre-election period.  Commissioners were not satisfied that the event fully excluded wider contexts than solely that of a community function and therefore felt that expenditure of public funds in this circumstance was not appropriate.

•           The Trust has failed to fully implement the terms of its contract.  In particular it was failing to fulfil its audit requirements to the Council, a condition which, under the terms of an Independent Review in 2012 was necessary for the grant of subsequent funds.

•           An application of this kind was likely to fail to meet the requirements of the Main Stream Grants Programme

•           For this year’s event, the Trust would continue to benefit from the Council’s “in kind” support to the value of £25,000 and the free use of Victoria Park.

The Commissioners therefore agreed the following recommendations.

RESOLVED

1.         That the 2015 Boishakhi Mela is scheduled to take place on the 17th May in Victoria Park, and that responsibility for arranging and managing the event rests with the Boishakhi Mela Community Trust Ltd be noted.

2.         That the requirement, under the agreement with the Trust, for the Council to provide a number of services free of charge, as outlined in paragraph 3.7, which represent a subsidy estimated to be £25,000 be noted.

3.         That the position with regard to 2013 and 2014 conditions and payments set out in paragraphs 3.10 to 3.14 of the report be noted.

4.         That the amount sought from the Trust for 2015 (para. 3.20) be noted

5.         To note that following the outcome of the Election Hearing, and subsequent Mayoral election and Ward of Stepney by-election, the Mela will take place during the pre-election period (paras. 3.21 to 3.23) and resulting from this the Commissioners have agreed not to approve grant to support the 2015 Boishakhi Mela

6.         That consideration for 2016 and 2017 grant support be regularised as part of the 2015-18 mainstream grants process, as outlined in paragraph 3.28

7.         That the equalities assessment set out as Appendix A to the report be noted.