25 March 2015

Post date: Jul 22, 2015 1:7:48 PM

Meeting Notes - 25th March 2015

Present: Cllr Stephen Robinson (Chair), Cllr Jude Deakin, Jill Smith-Hughes

Apologies for absence received from: Revd Paul Greenland (Treasurer), Lynn Foster (Secretary), Daniel Kenning

    1. The Bank. No news on this yet.

    2. Locality Course. The previous week, Stephen had attended this course run by a Government sponsored agency, which had been given £2m for the coming year for grants to support community development. The speaker had talked about ‘Our Place’ and the idea of taking over some council services, with communities coming together to get more from funding, as happens in Scandinavia. Stephen felt that this was not appropriate for us at this stage, as we needed a £50,000+ turnover to apply.

    3. ‘First Steps’. However, Locality have another project, called First Steps, for groups starting down this route. Stephen felt that this would be ideal for us, whereby support and help are offered through collaboration. You have to be new to such schemes and applications were due to close on 8th May.

    4. ‘Community Enterprise’. Stephen had attended this 3rd presentation. Volunteers would work to provide, for example, grass cutting and window cleaning in the community, for around £16/hour. The Government thinks that local delivery is more effective.

    5. CSVA. The previous Friday, CSVA had hosted a one-to-one session with the Big Lottery. Stephen had had a 30 minute chat with a lottery officer and had mentioned our project. Two lottery grants were not possible if groups were doing the same sort of thing in an area. For instance, we and the Scouts in Langton Avenue might overlap. One stream of funding has to be for areas of deprivation (LSOA = N, W, E and Kings Road). ‘Reaching Communities’ can give grants, but we have to demonstrate local needs. We could ask Petra of Highwood Village Hall for advice. Some companies will donate to community projects in return for advertising. Stanway School in NE Essex heads up a Teaching School Alliance and has some good ideas which may be worth copying.

    6. Conference. Stephen had been to an interesting workshop about active community involvement at the LD Conference and he had spoken to Stephen Kearney about ‘People Pioneers’. There is a grant for training.

    7. The next meeting was set for Tuesday 19th May at 2.30p.m. at St Andrew’s.