Scottish Borders Council

Agenda and minutes

Venue: via Microsoft Teams

Contact: William Mohieddeen  Tel: 01835 826504; Email:  william.mohieddeen@scotborders.gov.uk

Link: Live stream link

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Introductions

Minutes:

Councillor Fullarton welcomed attendees to the Meeting and explained that the Meeting had been convened to address funding applications that had been due to be presented at the cancelled Meeting of the Area Partnership on 2 December 2021.  The Meeting had been cancelled due to the impact of Storm Arwen.

2.

Build Back a Better Borders Recovery Fund pdf icon PDF 508 KB

Consider application for funding:

 

(a)          Connect Berwickshire Youth Project (copy attached.)

 

 

Photos of BBBB funded projects: BBBB Fund Awards 2021/22 | Flickr

 

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Minutes:

2.1       The Locality Development Coordinator, Ms Jardine, presented a summary of the application received for the Build Back a Better Borders Recovery Fund:

 

2.2       Connect Berwickshire Youth Project
An application had been received for £14,250 to support families in Coldstream and build extra youth work provision.  This would be done by developing a new youth and family hub, using the annexe next to the Primary School in Coldstream, working alongside Community Learning and Development who are also looking to use the facility.  The application was assessed as medium noting that Connect Youth had a successful history in delivering youth work opportunities in the Coldstream area and that their intention to deliver youth work sessions and an after-school club would provide support to young people and families to recover from the impact of the pandemic.  The Locality Development Coordinator added that the amount applied for by Connect Berwickshire Youth Project was slightly reduced from the application submitted and was now for £13,581, with the applicants ready to deliver the services in January 2022 and that funding had been received from Berwickshire Association for Voluntary Services (BAVS). 

2.3       Ms Jardine added that the approach of Connect Berwickshire Youth Project was to provide flexibility for families and young people in the Coldstream area so where they could afford to pay they would do so but there was discretion for those who could not afford to pay.  Ms Gillie of Connect Berwickshire Youth Project advised that the application would support school children that had missed the transition experience of progressing from primary school to secondary school.  Furthermore, an after school club was to be delivered where parents that could pay for children to participate would be expected to pay; however families that could not afford the service would have opportunities for free participation, and this was part of the funding from BAVs.  Responding to a question from Councillor Laing, Mr Brims advised that work had been undertaken to get funding from other mainstream sources including Children in Need and that they were aware of the need for a sustainability plan.

DECISION

AGREED to award Connect Youth Berwickshire Project the sum of £13,581, subject to the following condition that the applicant must follow Scottish Government Covid-19 guidance.

3.

Community Fund pdf icon PDF 136 KB

Consider funding recommendations from the Berwickshire Assessment Panel for:

 

(a)          Duns Players,

(b)          Eyemouth & District Community Trust.

 

(Copy attached.)

Minutes:

1.1         There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Berwickshire Community Fund Assessment Panel.  Keith Dickinson, Chair of the panel presented the Minute and explained the process of the Community Fund.

1.2         Two applications had been received for the Berwickshire Assessment Fund.  Duns Players had submitted an application for £5,000 to deliver Duns Play Fest in 2022.  Duns Players had established in 2019 and had proved to have been successful.  Duns Players’ ambition and track record for attracting participants were recognised by the Panel.  The Panel also anticipated that the project would attract visitors from within and out-with Berwickshire and that past evidence from annual reports had shown Duns Players managed resources well.  The panel recommended that Duns Players be awarded £5,000 with the note that the Group should not rely on the Community Fund for repeat funding.

1.3         An application for £4,480 had been received from Eyemouth and District Community Trust (EDCT) for a Fund Finder.  The Panel found that the application was unclear and the aims and impact of the Fund Finder had not been adequately expressed.  The aims seemed to conflate with the role of the Community Development Manager.  The panel were supportive of the principle but could not support the application as it had been submitted.  Detail the Panel felt may have been needed included the role distinction from the Community Development Manager, how the role would be recruited for and the scope of the role.  The Panel suggested that EDCT should seek support in order to submit a revised application to the Community Fund which would be welcomed by the Panel.

1.4         The Locality Development Coordinator advised the Meeting of funds remaining in the Community Fund and the Build Back a Better Borders Recovery Fund.  Just under £40,000 was remaining in the Community Fund and approximately £44,000 was remaining in the Build Back a Better Borders Recovery Fund.  It was advised that Rachel Parker, member of the Community Fund Panel, was to work with the Locality Development Coordinator on promotion of the Community Fund to encourage more applications.

1.5         Councillor Greenwell raised that the Community Fund Panel enquired about limiting the word limit on applications for the Community Fund.  Mr Dickinson advised that the Panel found that applications that were lengthy tended to complicate their bid unnecessarily and there was agreement in the Panel that 500 words would be appropriate for the applications.  The criteria of the Community Fund was not recommended to be amended.



DECISION

AGREED to:

(a)          Note the Minute of the Meeting of the Berwickshire Community Fund Panel held on 11 November 2021.

(b)          Approve the recommendations of the Panel to:

(i)            Fund Duns Players £5,000 with the note that they should not rely on repeat funding from the Community Fund; and,

(ii)          Not to approve the current funding application from Eyemouth and District Community Trust but that the Trust seek support to re-write and re-submit their application

(c)          To approve applying a 500 word limit on applications for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Date of Next Meeting

Minutes:

The Locality Development Coordinator advised that the remaining scheduled meetings of the Berwickshire Area Partnership were 3 February 2022 and 3 March 2022.  It was felt that the meetings were scheduled too close to each other and cognisant of the cancelled meeting of the Berwickshire Area Partnership on 2 December 2021, it was suggested that the next meeting should be brought forward to Thursday 27 January 2022.

 

DECISION

AGREED to reschedule the 3 February 2022 Meeting of the Berwickshire Area Partnership to 27 January 2022.

 

 

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