Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Responsible Financial Officer (R.F.O)

The Committee received the report of the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) concerning grant activity to local organisations.

Members received details of the £50 for fifty grants that had been received and recommended for approval . All members supported these awards. Consideration was given to a request received from Positive Measures who were a group based in Eynsham; again all Members were happy to support the request even though it fell outside of the Witney parish area.

The Committee received a retrospective subsidised letting application from FC Mills for a charity football match, along with future subsidised hall letting request for a Seniors Christmas Party and the request of a day’s hire of The Leys by Circus Ginnett to support an event raising funds for the NHS. Members were all in agreement however asked that evidence of the donation to NHS be provided for audit purposes.

Members also agreed that the requests for grant funding from  Witney Vikings Youth FC should no longer be followed up by Officers, requests had been made for further information required to assess the grants request however this had not been forthcoming. A new grant request would be required should they wish to proceed in the future.

The Committee received and considered the request from Rotary Club of Witney for an increase of £400 in their grant to run the Christmas Light Switch on Event.  Previously the grant was set at £2,100 however an increase to £2,500 had been made. Members were supportive of the request and asked that the additional £400 be met from the Christmas Lights Contingency fund.

The Committee were also pleased to receive correspondence by way of an event report from Oxfordshire Play Association thanking the council for the grant toward the summer playday event.

Resolved:

1.             That, the report be noted and,

2.             That, the subsided letting requests for the Seniors Christmas Party (£123.67) and FC Mills (£65) be approved and,

3.             That, the request from Circus Ginnett for a subsidized day hire at The Leys in the sum of £196.60 be approved subject to satisfactory evidence of the contribution to the NHS and,

4.             That, the award of grants of £50 to Witney Fairtrade Action Group, West Oxfordshire Levellers, Witney Pride, Witney Shed and Witney Town Band from the Town Council 50th Anniversary grants fund be endorsed and,

5.             That, the grant application by Positive Measures for a grant of £50 from the Town Council 50th Anniversary grants fund “£50 for Fifty” be approved and,

6.             That,  the grant application by the Rotary Club of Witney in the sum of £2,500 for the Christmas Lights switch-on event be approved with the additional £400 being paid from the Christmas Light Contingency fund and,

7.             That, these grants be awarded under the General Power of Competence and that the recipients be asked to acknowledge the Council’s financial contribution in their promotional literature.

8.             That, the correspondence from the Oxfordshire Play Association be noted and

9.             That, the grant request from Witney Vikings be closed.