Agenda and minutes

Minute of Meeting of 13 September 2017 to be agreed and signed.   (Copy attached.)

1.0    MINUTE

1.1    There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Kelso Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 13 September 2017. 

         DECISION

         AGREED to note the Minutes for signature by the Chairman.

Consider a request for financialassistance received from Roxburgh Street Traders, Kelso.  (Copy attached.)

2.0    APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

         ROXBURGH STREET TRADERS, KELSO 

2.1    There had been circulated copies of an application for Financial Assistance from the Roxburgh Street Traders, Kelso for the sum of £1,000 to promote Christmas shopping in Roxburgh Street during its closure.  It was advised that it was likely that Roxburgh Street would remain closed until after Christmas.  It was explained that Roxburgh Street had been closed to traffic since 22 September 2017 due to an unsafe building at the lower end of Roxburgh Street, next to the Square, although it had been re-opened to pedestrians on 6 October 2017.  The Traders in Roxburgh Street were of the opinion that businesses were suffering due to the lengthy closure.  Although not a Constituted Group they had applied to the Common Good for financial assistance.  As there were no accounts, the Chairman had agreed with the Kelso Community Council that, should the application be successful, the funds would be given to the Kelso Community Council for distribution and expenditure would be monitored by the Elected Members.  There was considerable discussion with regard to the best way to promote and attract shoppers to Roxburgh Street, including signage, Christmas Grotto, children’s rides etc.  The Committee agreed to award a grant of £1,000 towards attracting footfall in Roxburgh Street in the weeks before Christmas, however a detailed plan with costings was required to be submitted and Officers advised that appropriate licences would require to be sought in respect of Street Trading and the sale of alcohol.  The Road User Engineer required to be consulted in terms of any requirement for a temporary traffic regulation order on Roxburgh Street. 

                     DECISION

(a)       NOTED:-

(i)              that the payment was a one-off emergency payment due to the lengthy road closure on Roxburgh Street, Kelso.

          (ii)             that Kelso Community Council would hold the funding.

(b)       AGREED to grant the sum of £1,000 to Kelso Community Council, to be distributed, once a detailed plan with costings had been submitted to Elected Members for the Kelso and District Ward with regard to attracting pedestrians to Roxburgh Street during the road closure.  

          The meeting closed at 12.45 p.m.