To consider the detailed assessment of applications made under the Transport Accessibility Grant Scheme, the Vehicle Allocation Scheme, and the Local Sustainable Transport Fund Business Grant Scheme.
Decision:
1. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the outcome of each small grant application (up to £9,999) through the Transport & Accessibility Grant Scheme. The total value of the applications recommended for award is £80,408.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 1 Community Transport, Macclesfield District Defer - £9,999
TAG 2 Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Award £2,439
TAG 3 North Staffs Community Rail Partnership Award £1,624
TAG 6 rewe Christian Concern Award £9,999
TAG 7 Audlem & District Community Action Award £6,000
TAG 8 Goodwill Village Hall Association / CHALC Not Award
TAG 9 Congleton Disabled Access Group Award £9,999
TAG 11 Wishing Well Project Award £8,350
TAG 16 Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Award £3,000
TAG 17 Disability Information Bureau (Macclesfield) Not Award
TAG 18 Congleton Partnership Award £9,999
TAG 20 Great Places Housing Association Not Award
TAG 21 Peaks and Plains Housing Trust Award £9,999
TAG 23 Odd Rode Parish Council Award £9,999
TAG 24 Open Hands, Poynton Award £3,000
TAG 15 Disley Parish Council Award £6,000
2. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the short listing of expressions of interest for a large grant (over £10,000) through the Transport & Accessibility Grant Scheme, and that the applicants be invited to proceed to submission. In addition that Cheshire Community Action be invited to accept instead the immediate award of a small grant (up to £9999) for which the information currently provided will suffice and no further submission of a Business Plan need be made. The total value of the applications recommended for short listing is £81,586.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 25 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £18,000*
TAG 26 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £22,500*
TAG 13 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £30,000*
TAG 19 Cheshire Community Action Shortlist £11,086*
TAG 22 Community Transport, Halifax Not Shortlist
* Note that the final award value depends on Business Plan submission so the figures above are indicative at this stage.
3. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the allocation/offer of 9 surplus Council vehicles to community and voluntary organisations.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 4 Rainow Parish Plan Implementation Group Offer Vehicle
TAG 5 Crewe YMCA Offer Vehicle
TAG 10 Congleton Disabled Access Group Decline
TAG 12 Macclesfield Town Community Sports Trust Offer Vehicle
TAG 15 Disley Parish Council Offer Vehicle
TAG13 Poynton Town Council Offer Vehicle
TAG 14 Calveley & Acton Primary Schools Offer Vehicle
TAG 29 Congleton Partnership Offer Vehicle
TAG 22 Community Transport, Halifax Decline
TAG 28 Odd Rode Parish Council Offer Vehicle
TAG 27 Central Cheshire Buddy Scheme Offer Vehicle
4. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the outcome of each application for an LSTF Business Travel Planning Grant. The total value of the applications recommended for award is £38,810.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
LSTF 1 Cheshire Bespoke Ltd Award £4,999
LSTF 2 Christian Concern Award £3,925
LSTF 3 Leighton Hospital Award £4,999
LSTF 4 Manchester Metropolitan University (1) Award £4,999
LSTF 5 Manchester Metropolitan University (2) Award £4,999
LSTF 6 South Cheshire College Award £4,999
LSTF 7 Storage Boost (Crewe) Ltd Award £4,750
LSTF 8 Trax Commercial Ltd Defer - £4,750
LSTF 9 The Up and Under Group Ltd Award £4,096
LSTF 10 The Up and Under Foundation Ltd Award £1,044
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the allocation of funding and vehicles in line with the associated Council policies, and to the approval of expressions of interest for large grants. It was reported that the organisations concerned had applied for assistance from the various schemes and a detailed assessment of each application had then been undertaken in order to assess it against the relevant criteria.
It was noted that the aim of the Transport & Accessibility Grant Scheme, and of the Vehicle Allocation Scheme, was to support community-led activities in the provision of improved access to essential services such as healthcare, shopping, leisure and other destinations important to local residents. It was reported that the applications recommended for award/shortlist best met the criteria in improving access to services, particularly for disadvantaged groups, with a high level of community involvement and proposals to sustain the project into future.
In October 2013 Cabinet had agreed the allocation of £250,000 for the Transport and Accessibility Grant Scheme from the approved 2013/14 base budget. The grant scheme operated two tiers of funding namely small grants up to £9,999 and larger grants of over £10,000. The value of the expressions of interest for large grants would be dependent on the subsequent submission of detailed Business Cases/Plans which were due to be submitted by 17 February 2014. At that same time the Cabinet had also agreed to allocate 9 Council-owned vehicles which were surplus to requirements to community and voluntary organisations. The vehicles varied in age from 9 to 4 years old and the policy made it clear that the vehicles would be gifted in the condition as of the date of transfer. These donations would facilitate the development of community-led transport initiatives tailored to local needs. It was reported that the Council had received 11 applications and, following assessment, all 9 vehicles had been allocated; ten applications had been made to the LSTF Business Travel Planning Grant Scheme and of these it was recommended that nine were awarded.
The Portfolio Holder requested confirmation of the reasons why some of the applications had been deferred, declined or not awarded. It was noted that in the cases of deferral there was no reason why the application could not be resubmitted for further consideration at such time as the outstanding information requested could be provided. In addition particular reference was made to the following applications:
TAG 19 Cheshire Community Action – to be asked if it would be prepared to accept a small grant of under £9999 as this could be awarded immediately rather than proceding to the next stage of its application for a larger grant of £11,086 which would necessitate a Business Plan submission.
TAG 13, 25 & 26 Poynton Town Council – as part of the detailed Business Plan to be submitted as stage 2 of the large grant application process, the Town Council was to be asked to provide as much information as possible on the involvement of, and the effect of, the application on the various other organisations involved for which the Town Council was acting as a broker for their involvement in the roll out of the proposals.
RESOLVED
1. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the outcome of each small grant application (up to £9,999) through the Transport & Accessibility Grant Scheme. The total value of the applications recommended for award is £80,408.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 1 Community Transport, Macclesfield District Defer - £9,999
TAG 2 Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Award £2,439
TAG 3 North Staffs Community Rail Partnership Award £1,624
TAG 6 Crewe Christian Concern Award £9,999
TAG 7 Audlem & District Community Action Award £6,000
TAG 8 Goodwill Village Hall Association / CHALC Not Award
TAG 9 Congleton Disabled Access Group Award £9,999
TAG 11 Wishing Well Project Award £8,350
TAG 16 Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Award £3,000
TAG 17 Disability Information Bureau (Macclesfield) Not Award
TAG 18 Congleton Partnership Award £9,999
TAG 20 Great Places Housing Association Not Award
TAG 21 Peaks and Plains Housing Trust Award £9,999
TAG 23 Odd Rode Parish Council Award £9,999
TAG 24 Open Hands, Poynton Award £3,000
TAG 15 Disley Parish Council Award £6,000
2. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the short listing of expressions of interest for a large grant (over £10,000) through the Transport & Accessibility Grant Scheme, and that the applicants be invited to proceed to submission. In addition that Cheshire Community Action be invited to accept instead the immediate award of a small grant (up to £9999) for which the information currently provided will suffice and no further submission of a Business Plan need be made. The total value of the applications recommended for short listing is £81,586.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 25 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £18,000*
TAG 26 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £22,500*
TAG 13 Poynton Town Council Shortlist £30,000*
TAG 19 Cheshire Community Action Shortlist £11,086*
TAG 22 Community Transport, Halifax Not Shortlist
* Note that the final award value depends on Business Plan submission so the figures above are indicative at this stage.
3. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the allocation/offer of 9 surplus Council vehicles to community and voluntary organisations.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
TAG 4 Rainow Parish Plan Implementation Group Offer Vehicle
TAG 5 Crewe YMCA Offer Vehicle
TAG 10 Congleton Disabled Access Group Decline
TAG 12 Macclesfield Town Community Sports Trust Offer Vehicle
TAG 15 Disley Parish Council Offer Vehicle
TAG13 Poynton Town Council Offer Vehicle
TAG 14 Calveley & Acton Primary Schools Offer Vehicle
TAG 29 Congleton Partnership Offer Vehicle
TAG 22 Community Transport, Halifax Decline
TAG 28 Odd Rode Parish Council Offer Vehicle
TAG 27 Central Cheshire Buddy Scheme Offer Vehicle
4. That approval be given to the recommendations listed below regarding the outcome of each application for an LSTF Business Travel Planning Grant. The total value of the applications recommended for award is £38,810.
Ref No Organisation Recommendation
LSTF 1 Cheshire Bespoke Ltd Award £4,999
LSTF 2 Christian Concern Award £3,925
LSTF 3 Leighton Hospital Award £4,999
LSTF 4 Manchester Metropolitan University (1) Award £4,999
LSTF 5 Manchester Metropolitan University (2) Award £4,999
LSTF 6 South Cheshire College Award £4,999
LSTF 7 Storage Boost (Crewe) Ltd Award £4,750
LSTF 8 Trax Commercial Ltd Defer - £4,750
LSTF 9 The Up and Under Group Ltd Award £4,096
LSTF 10 The Up and Under Foundation Ltd Award £1,044
Supporting documents: