Issue - meetings
ANY OTHER BUSINESS THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT
Meeting: 01/08/2018 - Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee (Item 7.)
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT PDF 103 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix A - Restricted, 30/07/2018 Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee , View reasons restricted (7./2)
Decision:
7.1 Emergency Funding Application – Phase 12, Betar Bangla
Reason for Urgency: the organisation has submitted an application for emergency funding due to an unforeseen increase in their rent. The organisation was only given a months’ notice of this increase and not have additional funds to cover this increase. This is the second unforeseen increase the organisation has faced in the past 6 months, after an unforeseen increase in their transmission costs – they managed to crowd fund to cover the costs of this increase.
A decision was therefore required on recommendations within this report. The next meeting of the GDSC is on the 27th September which would be too late to seek a decision on this emergency.
The Sub-Committee were advised of the reasons for this application that Officers were recommending that they be awarded £10,000. They had requested £20,000.
It was also noted that Officers had previously helped the organisation prepare grant funding applications for crowd funding and ESF Community Employment Programme which had been successful. Officers also stressed the need for them to engage with the TH CVS to develop a viable business plan as detailed in the report.
The Mayor invited the Chair of GSSC to comment on the report. The Chair reported that the GSSC sought clarification of the reasons for the rent increase, whether Beta Bangla were looking for alternative accommodation given the rental increase. GSSC endorsed the recommendations.
The Mayor then invited GDSC Members to comment on the report. In responding to the questions, Officers clarified the rent negotiations between, the Council, (who owned the building) and the landlord were still ongoing. However the rent increase had come into effect immediately. The Sub-Committee asked Officers to look into this matter. The Sub-Committee also noted the organisation might experience difficulties in finding alternative accommodation that could accommodate their specific needs.
DECISION
1. That the officer recommendation to award emergency funding of £10,000 to Betar Bangla be approved based on the analysis set out in paragraph 5.2 of this report.
Meeting: 30/07/2018 - Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee (Item 8)
8 ANY OTHER BUSINESS THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT - Emergency Funding - Betar Bangla PDF 103 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix A - Restricted , View reasons restricted (8/2)
Minutes:
EMERGENCY FUNDING APPLICATION – PHASE 12, BETAR BANGLA
Steve Hill, Head of Benefits Services explained an emergency funding application had been received in relation to Betar Bangla, a community radio station which operated within the borough. He informed members the applicants had requested a sum of £20,000 to cover unforeseen increase in their rent costs.
However it was recommended emergency funding of £10,000 be provided to Betar Bangla instead, based on the analysis provided in the table on page 5, of the supplementary agenda. In particular, Mr Hill referred members to point 6.2 and said they would be referring the organisation to THCVS for further support.
Members of the Committee made the following comments and asked questions in relation to the report:
· Does Pearl Blue Ltd hold the freehold to the land?
· How much notice was Betar Bangla given in relation to the increase in rent?
· Whereabouts is the location of the radio station? From which venue do they operate from?
· Is the Council still in negotiation with the landlord Pearl Blue Ltd about the increase in rent?
Members of the Committee AGREED to NOTE and ENDORSE the recommendation to the Grants Determination Committee to:
1. Approve the officer recommendation to award emergency funding of £10,000 to Betar Bangla based on the analysis set out in paragraph 5.2 of this report.
NEXT MEETING DATE FOR GRANTS SCRUTINY SUB-COMMITTEE
The Chair, Councillor Marc Francis informed members that in light of the Grants Determination Sub-Committee moving its meeting from the 12th September to the 27th September 2018, the Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee would need to move its meeting to align with this change.
Councillor Francis informed members an e-mail had been sent to members asking if the proposed change of meeting, for Grant’s Scrutiny Sub-Committee from the 10th September to the 20th September 2018, would be acceptable and asked members for their view. Councillor Francis said he was aware there were other meetings listed for the 20th September however this would be the best date to hold the meeting.
Councillor Wood said he had another meeting on the 20th September and as such Councillor Francis asked the Committee Clerk to canvass the membership again to see if an earlier start time of 4:30 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m. would be agreeable.
· The Committee Clerk to re-canvass the membership with regard to an earlier start time. Members of the Sub-Committee will be informed of the new date and time of the next meeting via email.