Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director Customer and Communities.  (Copy attached.)

10.1  With reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of 28 September 2017, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Customer and Communities setting out proposals with regard to the second round of the Localities Bid Fund Pilot.  The report explained that it had already been agreed at Council that full evaluation would be conducted at the end of the pilot, but interim feedback from Area Partnerships, social media and Project Leads had been captured.  A public survey was also undertaken at the end of the first round in order to assist the development of these proposals.  181 responses were returned and the results were summarised in Appendix A to the report.  Draft proposals had also been discussed with Elected Members over the previous few weeks and the outcome of these discussions were reflected in the proposal detailed in Appendix B to the report.  The main changes with regards to the voting process and criteria were:

·  Pre-registration would be required

·  A mandatory cast of votes to encourage spread voting

·  Only Borders residents (16yrs plus) could vote

·  The removal of ballot papers and ballot boxes out in the community with paper voting only taking place at planned voting events.

10.2   It was proposed that each Area Partnership would have the discretion to decide whether the funding for each Area Locality Bid Fund was to be allocated in a particular way (e.g. urban/rural split); if any themes were being applied to a particular release of funding; if there was to be any cap on the amount of grant for any project and whether a cash contribution would be required.  Officers would be able to provide guidance to Members at Area Partnership meetings on any potential consequences of any proposed allocations, caps, etc.  The total allocation to this initial pilot was £500k.  £208k was put forward for the 1^st round with £204k awarded to community projects by the public. It was agreed that the balance of £296k could be carried forward to 2018 to fund the 2^nd round.  The breakdown of the fund and the financial alignment to the draft proposal was detailed in Appendix B to the report.  The Scheme of Administration would need to be amended to amend the remit of Area Partnerships to allow decision making regarding the operation of the fund. Following discussion regarding the membership of the Bid Assessment Panel the Convener adjourned the meeting for a short time to allow Members to consider how this could be best amended.  Councillor H. Anderson proposed that an additional recommendation (b) (iii) be added to read “that membership of the assessment panel be proposed by each area partnership, up to a maximum of 2 members per locality, with a view to improving gender balance; the membership of the assessment panel to be 10 plus the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods & Locality Services; and with a quorum of 6”.  This amendment was unanimously accepted.

                   DECISION

                      (a)     NOTED:-

                   (i)      the findings of the public survey as detailed at Appendix A to the report;

(ii)     the financial breakdown of the pilot Localities Bid Fund as            detailed at Appendix B to the report; and

(iii)    the proposed timetable detailed at Appendix C

            (b)     AGREED:-

          (i)      the proposals for Round 2 allocations and criteria as detailed at Appendix B to the report;

          (ii)     to amend the Scheme of Administration to include within the remit of Area Partnerships – “Decide whether the funding for each Area Locality Bid Fund is to be allocated in a particular way (e.g. urban/rural split); if any themes are being applied to a particular release of funding; if there is to be any cap on the amount of grant for any project and whether a cash contribution will be required; and

          (iii)    that membership of the assessment panel be proposed by each Area Partnership, up to a maximum of 2 members per locality, with a view to improving gender balance.  The membership of the assessment panel to be 10 plus the Executive Member For Neighbourhoods & Locality Services, with a quorum of 6.