Agenda item

Three applications for approval:-

(a)  Saturday Polish School

(b)  Hawick Community Pump Track

(c)   Strawberry Lemonade Events

(Three assessments attached plus Teviot & Liddesdale funding information).

Assessments of three applications to the Teviot and Liddesdale Community Fund had been circulated, plus a summary of grant funding for Teviot and Liddesdale in 2020/21 and the source of that funding. The summary showed grant applications awarded, those under assessment and those to be considered by the Area Partnership.  Gillian Jardine, Locality Development Co-ordinator, outlined the process of assessment of applications to the Community Fund and the criteria used for that assessment.   She advised that applications to the Community Fund would be put forward to the Area Partnership for consideration based on the assessment and whether the criteria had been met.  Ms Jardine advised that since the agenda pack had been published, a grant to Hawick Rugby Memories had been approved to the value of £1,467.00.  Two other fast track applications were being assessed together with the three applications for consideration this evening.  Ms Jardine explained that the total requests amounted to £29,264 which meant that the funding pot was oversubscribed by £6,401.  It was therefore agreed that because of this shortfall, the decision on allocation of funding would follow consideration of all three applications.  

5.2       Saturday Polish School Hawick

The first application for consideration was from the Saturday Polish School Hawick (SPHS) who were seeking funding of £7,425 to enable the SPSH to continue to operate for the 2020/21 school year despite the loss in revenue due to reduced pupil numbers.  The grant would be used to cover the cost of teaching staff, additional teaching support for student and admin/management costs.   Since the start of lockdown classes had been provided virtually.  During this time student numbers had decreased by 40% which had a knock-on effect on income raised by parental fees.  A representative from the Polish School was in attendance and in response to a question advised that Brexit had caused a small part in the reduction in numbers attending the school, with some families returning to Poland.  The main reason for the reduction was because of Covid-19 restrictions.  Classes were currently held online and parents of younger children, particularly those 3 to 6 years of age, preferred attending classes in school.  The work of the Saturday Polish School Hawick was commended by those in attendance at the meeting.   

  5.3       Hawick Community Pump Track

An application for a grant of £9,757.35 had been received from the organisation Hawick Community Pump Track.  The grant would be used for the purchase of five year floodlight inspection and maintenance, electronic footfall counter, defibrillator and purchase and installation of eight picnic benches.  The organisation had been planning to introduce Club membership but because of Covid-19 this was currently on hold.   A representative from the Hawick Community Pump Track was in attendance and advised that the track attracted people from out with the area and they hoped to build on this when Covid-19 restrictions allowed.   In response to a question he advised that the five year maintenance grant was part of the planning agreement for use of the floodlights.  They had raised funding for all of the costs associated with running the floodlights for this year and next.  Those present commended the work of the Hawick Community Pump Track organisation.

 5.4        Strawberry Lemonade Events

The final application for consideration was from Strawberry Lemonade Events who had requested £9,500 to pay for a Project Manager and Project Co-ordinator with the aim to run a training programme called Event Management Fundamentals for those facing social exclusion.  The funding would also be used to support additional training course materials including venue hire, training courses, supplies, printing and uniforms.  Ms Jardine advised the assessment had shown difficulty in identifying need as there were other services offering employability support in the Hawick area.  A representative from Strawberry Lemonade Events was in attendance and in answer to questions explained that they were originally from Edinburgh but were rolling out the programme nationally, this was an opportunity to bring the programme to Hawick.  They identified people to join the programme by reaching out to organisations and partnerships.  The sessions involved were two hours and covered fundamental course work and introduced skills such as budgeting in an accessible way. The aim of the project was to get people into jobs, by giving them experience, teaching transferable skill, helping with CVs and arranging paid work experience placements.  Third sector organisations and partnerships provided referrals. Covid-19 had meant that they had managed other opportunities such as food and clothing deliveries which had given access to third party organisations.  They were also working with Asda and a haulage company.  Strawberry Lemonade Events were a company limited by guarantee and a not for profit organisation.

 5.5        Following consideration of all three applications, the Area Partnership unanimously approved grant funding of £7,425.00 to the Saturday Polish School Hawick and £9,757.35 to Hawick Community Pump Track.   The Strawberry Events Lemonade application was to be deferred until next year when the Covid-19 situation had hopefully improved.   The Chairman thanked all three applicants for their attendance at the meeting.