Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Deputy Town Clerk.

The Committee received and considered the report of the Deputy Town Clerk highlighting how funds awarded under the General Power of Competence by the Council had been expended.

Members were pleased to receive the updates, noting the social value of how awarded grants had benefited Witney and its residents. Providing evidence of services and payments was a key grant award condition and showed good governance and transparency on the dispersal of public funds.

The Committee later discussed the Witney Music Festival and the financial information they had provided regarding this year’s event. As the Council was setting budgets for 2025-26, a decision on the level of funding which should be provided under the terms of the partnership agreement it held was required. Members agreed the event organisers should be congratulated on running such a hugely well received and managed event but, under scrutiny, felt further detailed figures from the 2024 event and information regarding the Festival’s financial governance were required, due to the close association it held with them. The Committee suggested £10,000 should be budgeted at this juncture.

West Oxfordshire Community Transport should be thanked for providing monthly usage figures. Members felt it would be helpful to have month-on-month comparisons from previous years to assess the success of the town centre services. A Member also advised there were changes to bus services in 2025 and it would be helpful to engage at that time to see how it was effecting them.

The Town Clerk advised a Freedom of Information request for information relating to the grant payments made to Where The Fruit Is had been made following the Council’s decision to award funds. The lawfulness of the payment had been challenged on the basis that it was a private, limited liability company and in the complainant’s opinion, it was questionable that their services would qualify as a significant benefit to the town. 

Members were advised that the latest correspondence requested that the Council inform its External Auditors however, they would not entertain an enquiry from the Council or give advice. In order to get clarity and reassurance the Council had not acted ultra vires, the Town Clerk sought clarification from the National Association on Local Council’s legal team who advised it was for a council to justify its spending in exercising its discretionary powers, if challenged. Council’s eligible to exercise the general power of competence had broad spending powers and payments have been made in this case.

Resolved:

1.      That, the report be noted and,

2.      That, grant recipients in the report be thanked for providing updates and,

3.      That, the grant recipients be reminded that they should acknowledge the Town Council in any digital or physical publication and,

4.      That, no further information is required from Where The Fruit Is, Witney Town Band, Oxfordshire Mind, Witney Day Centre and Broad Hill Play Group and,

5.      That, further information be requested from Witney Buttercross Scouts and,

6.      That, further information be requested from Witney Music Festival including on governance and detailed 2024 event figures and,

7.      That, the legal advice relating to a challenge against payment to Where The Fruit Is be noted, while acknowledging the benefit the Nature Now sessions had provided and,

8.      That, comparable year-to-year quarterly usage figures be requested of West Oxfordshire Community Transport.