Agenda item

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

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

Members considered each application in turn and welcomed the high level of engagement from groups providing services to the community. As it was not possible to fully fund all applications, Members undertook further scrutiny and discussion, including whether alternative grant funding might be available and whether some requests met the agreed criteria. In some cases, applications did not clearly demonstrate the community benefit of the proposed purpose.

The Committee showed particular interest in an application to establish a community arts festival and, while unable to offer the full amount requested, agreed that support could be provided as subsidised use of the Corn Exchange as an alternative.

Members also noted the application from the Oxfordshire Play Association and that funding for this had been agreed through a separate budget line.

Resolved:

1.      That, the report be noted and,

2.      That, Witney Woodland Volunteers be awarded a grant of £653 and,

3.      That, Windrush Church of England Primary School be awarded a grant of £250 and,

4.      That, Be Free Young Carers be awarded a grant of £2,000 and,

5.      That, Oxfordshire Foster Care Association be awarded a grant of £400 and,

6.      That, Windrush Community Choir be awarded a grant of £2,350 and,

7.      That, West Oxfordshire Performing Arts Foundation be awarded a grant of £1,000 towards the bursary part of their application and subsidised hire of the Corn Exchange for an inaugural Festival of Speech, Drama & Musical Theatre and,

8.      That, this subsidised hire fee be taken from budget line 4111/408 and,

9.      That, Oasis Family Church is not awarded a grant on this occasion and,

10.   That, the grant application from Oxfordshire Play Association for £1,000 towards a 2026 Play Day as previously agreed in principle, be noted and approved and,

11.   That, any underspend in the grants budget for 2025/26 be rolled forward to the budget for 2026/27 and,

12.   That, these grants be awarded under the General Power of Competence and awardees be asked to acknowledge the Town Council in any promotional material.