Decision details

Grant Award Policy

The Committee received and considered the report of the Democratic Services officer as referred by Full Council on 15 May.  Increasingly the Council was receiving applications for    £1,000 or more and the annual budget for grant aid was £3,560.  Members discussed increasing the amount of money available in total, capping the amount that could be applied for and possibilities of restricting what the Council would be prepared to support. 

Members agreed that the level of grant available from budget line 4100/407 should be increased to £10,000 per annum subject to annual review.

It was also suggested that the grant application form be revised to include a section on how the application met Witney Town Council’s objectives.  This was felt to be a good idea, although the Council would need to set its objectives at the next Committee meeting on 15 July before this could be introduced.

The Committee also discussed capping grant awards and agreed that a limit of £500 per application would enable more groups/people to be helped. Members looked at possible exclusions – what would not be funded - and asked officers to make some amendments and bring this back to the next meeting.  It should be noted, however, that schools should not be excluded as long as their applications could demonstrate some form of community engagement. 

RECOMMENDED: 

1.            that the report be noted;

2.            that the budget line 4100/407 be increased to £10, 000 to be reviewed annually;

3.            that each grant is capped at a maximum of £500 and that an applicant may only apply once in any 12-month period;

4.            that officers make some amendments to the exclusions and bring this back to the next meeting of the Committee;

5.            that schools should not be excluded subject to demonstrating community engagement.