Agenda and minutes

The Chairman varied the order of business as shown on the agenda and the Minute reflects the order in which the items were considered at the meeting.

Minute.   Minute of Meeting of Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 3 December 2014 for noting.     (Copy attached.).

2.1     The Minute of Meeting of Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee of 3 December 2014 had been circulated.

DECISION

NOTED. 

2.2     APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE  - peebles strictly seniors dance group

With reference to paragraph 3 (c) of the Minute of 3 September 2014 Ms Amanda Renwick, Community Capacity Manager, Scottish Borders Council was present at the meeting  accompanied by the organisation’s accountant,  to give further information on the income and expenditure for Peebles Strictly Seniors Dance Group.   Ms Renwick gave background information relating to the Dance Group and explained that the classes had been running for 20 months and the Group was constituted.   In the summer months 16 people had attended but this number had fallen to 12 during the winter months, those attending were each charged £2.50 per session but this did not cover the hall hire and instructor charges.    The application was for £2,500 and Ms Renwick explained this was a one-off grant.  In response to a question,  Ms Renwick  advised that she had had no success in finding alternative premises which would charge less.    Members asked that consideration of the application be deferred until the next meeting for the Group’s income and expenditure accounts to be presented together with an indication of how the Group could be self-sufficient.

DECISION

AGREED to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting to allow income and expenditure accounts to be presented together with an indication of how the Group could be self-sufficient.

Consider report by the Chief Financial Officer setting out details of transactions on the Peebles Common Good Fund for the 9 months to 31 December 2014 and projects full year revenue income and expenditure for 2014/15 and balance sheet values at 31 March 2015. (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Financial Officer setting out  details of transactions on the Peebles Common Good Fund for the 9 months to 31 December 2014 and projecting  full year revenue income and expenditure for 2014/15 and balance sheet values at 31 March 2015.  Appendix 1 to the report provided a projected Income and Expenditure position.  This showed a projected surplus of £5,874 for the year.  Appendix 2 to the report provided a projected Balance Sheet to 31 March 2015.  It showed a projected increase in the Capital Reserve of £880, based on unrealised movement on the Newton Fund investment to 31 December 2014.   As agreed at the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 3 December, 2014 Appendix 5 to the report showed a sample  Risk Register for Peebles Common Good Fund.   The monitoring report was in a new format which was received favourably by Members of the Sub-Committee.     In discussing the risk register the Capital and Investment Manager advised that the Common Good Fund Sub-Committee would need to decide on how to monitor the register, she explained that any risk could be added at any time.  To facilitate this it was agreed that the Capital and Investment Manager would organise a risk register workshop for the Common Good Fund to which officials from Legal, Estates and Finance would be invited.  (This would also be open to Members if they wished to attend).    Members discussed transferring £20,000 from the revenue fund to the capital fund.

VOTE

Councillor Logan, seconded by Councillor Archibald, moved that £20,000 be transferred from the revenue fund to the capital fund.

Councillor Bhatia, seconded by Councillor Bell, moved as an amendment that discussions on transferring £20,000 from the  revenue fund  to the capital fund be deferred for consideration  at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee after decisions had been taken in relation to the applications for financial assistance which were to be considered at this meeting.

VOTE

Motion             -           3 Votes

Amendment     -           2 Votes

Accordingly the motion was carried.

          DECISION

(a)     DECIDED

(i)      the projected out-turn for 2014/15 as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)     in considering  the sample  Risk Register as detailed in Appendix 5 to the report that  the Capital and Investment Manager make arrangements for a Risk Register Workshop to take place for Officers in Estates, Legal and Finance; and

(iii)    that £20,000 be transferred from the revenue fund to the capital fund.

(b)     NOTED

(i)      the projected Balance Sheet as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report;

(ii)     the summary of the property portfolio in Appendix 3 to the report; and

(iii)    the current position of the investment in the Newton Fund as detailed in Appendix 4 to the report.

(Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Peebles Burgh Silver Band for £7,000 to assist with the refurbishment of the Band Hall on Peebles High Street.

                                    DECISION     

AGREED to grant Peebles Burgh Silver Band the sum of  £7,000 to assist with the refurbishment of the Band Hall on Peebles High Street, subject to the following conditions:-  (a)  confirmation of receipt of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund; and (b) confirmation that Peebles Burgh Silver Band had been granted  landlord’s consent for the alterations.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Logan declared an interest in the above item of business in terms of Section 5 of the Councillors Code of Conduct and left the Chamber during the discussion.

(Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Tweeddale Archers in the sum of £3,500 towards the provision of equipment for those learning the sport and for communal equipment.  The applicants were represented by Mr Ian Gray who was present at the meeting and answered Members’ questions.  In discussing the application it was noted that Members were sympathetic towards the application but considered it more appropriate for an application for financial assistance to be made to Awards for All.    If successful in applying to Awards for All it was suggested that Mr Gray might wish to consider coming back to the Sub-Committee at a future date for matched funding.

DECISION

AGREED that the application be refused. 

(Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Tweeddale Rovers AFC for £8,000 towards renewing the roof of their pavilion which was leaking badly causing some internal damage.  During the discussions it was thought that Tweeddale Rovers AFC had planning permission for a replacement pavilion and Members queried why financial assistance was being sought for roof repairs.   If this was the case, the Sub-Committee considered that it might be more appropriate to assist Tweeddale Rovers AFC in submitting a package to replace the pavilion. Members queried what facility sharing arrangements, if any, there were with other similar clubs and the numbers of members and players Tweeddale Rovers AFC had.    Members were also mindful that the accounts showed a healthy bank balance.

DECISION

AGREED to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting to determine the current position in relation to (a) the belief that planning permission for a new pavilion had been applied for; (b) the facility sharing arrangements the Club might have with other similar clubs; and (c) the number of members and players the Club had. 

(Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from The Treefest Partnership towards the provision of marquees and associated facilities for the 2 day Wood Market in Peebles.  Members interpreted the application as a request for the sum of £1,850 towards the Wood/Foodmarket.  During the discussions Members were unsure what the £1,850 was being used for as the wording within the  application was not clear and they asked for a breakdown of income and expenditure to enable them to get a clearer idea of what the funding would be spent on.  It was not assisted that accounts from Treefest Scotland accompanied the application, which was in the name of Treefest Partnership. Members asked what the relationship between those bodies was and what was their respective relationships to the Tweed Valley Forest Festival to which the applicant referred as part of their activities and which the applicant stated had been appraised by the Council to give £85,000 economic benefit, and to whom was that benefit accrued.

                        DECISION     

AGREED to defer consideration of the  application to the next meeting to determine the current  position in relation to (a) what the £1,850 was being used for; (b) information on the relationship  between Treefest Scotland and Treefest Partnership; and (c) to whom was the £85,000 economic benefit accrued. 

(Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Tweedlove Trails for (a) £3,500 event first aid; (b) £4,000 event staff and volunteer event expenses; and (c) £2,500 event insurance and security.  All associated with the TweedLove Bike Festival.   In discussing the application members sought clarity in relation to the links between TweedLove Trails and the TweedLove Bike Festival and agreed that information in regard to that could be sought from the Council’s Economic Development Officers.   The Sub-Committee also sought clarification on the trail routes.   It was noted that the Sub-Committee was required to have  regard to the interests of the inhabitants of Peebles  so as to make this assessment of the application  clarity was needed  in relation to the activities going on  in and around Peebles.  Rather than refuse the application the Sub-Committee considered that it would be helpful if they could be given further information. 

DECISION     

AGREED to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting to allow Council Officers to consult and seek clarification from Economic Development in relation to TweedLove Trails and the Tweedlove Bike Festival

10.1   MAINTENANCE WORKS

There had been circulated copies of quotations for (a) painterwork at Tweed Green Pavilion in the sum of £894 excluding VAT, and (b) gutterwork renewal and repairs at Gun Shed, Peebles  in the sum of £4,300. The Democratic Services Officer was asked to check that the quotation for the painterwork at Tweed Green Pavilion was for both the interior and exterior of the building. (Afternote:  Confirmation received that painterwork was for both the interior and exterior of the Pavilion).

DECISION

AGREED to authorise

(a)     painterwork at Tweed Green Pavilion, Peebles in the sum of £894; and

(b)     gutterwork renewal and repairs at Gun Shed, Peebles in the sum of £4,300.

10.2   PEEBLES RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – PAVILION, HAY LODGE PARK

Councillor Bhatia sought legal advice in terms of a planning application lodged by Peebles Rugby Football Club to carry out work at the Pavilion at Hay Lodge Park, and asked if PRFC should be asking the Common Good Fund Sub-Committee for information.   The Legal and Licensing Services Manager explained that the matter was in hand with the estates service and a report was coming forward.

DECISION

NOTED.

10.3   LEGAL AND LICENCING SERVICES MANAGER

In noting that this would be the last meeting of the Sub-Committee where Mrs Isles, the Legal and Licensing Services Manager would be present as she would be retiring shortly, Members expressed thanks to Mrs Isles for all her hard work for Peebles Common Good Fund over many years.