Agenda item

Papers to follow.

7.1       There had been circulated copies of the recommendations of the Berwickshire Community Fund Assessment Panel that outlined the Panel’s review of applications submitted to the Fund.  The Funding Panel had held its third meeting on 17 February 2022 to review eighteen funding applications which totalled £75,000 with under £40,000 available within the Fund.  The paper outlined the process the Panel undertook and the Panel members.  The paper presented a summary of recommendations for organisations to be awarded funding and for changes to the guidance and notes and application forms for future cycles of the Community Fund.

7.2       Mr Dickinson, Chair of the Assessment Panel, presented the report and explained that the Panel wanted to demonstrate that the process had been fair, rigorous and consistent.  Seven attendees of the Berwickshire Area Partnership were members of the Panel.  Applications were initially blind marked individually by panel members and then submitted to the Locality Development Coordinator and the Community Engagement Officer.  This process showed that there were consistent differences amongst the markers between applications though the scores were between each panellist.  Discussion in the Panel meeting focussed on the applicants that were scored between the highest and lowest markers.  All awards were agreed by consensus and endorsed by all panellists.  Elected Members of Scottish Borders Council were in attendance and participated in discussions but did not take part in final decisions on recommendations.

7.3       Mr Dickinson highlighted the Panel’s request for consent to make changes to the guidance notes and application forms.  Panellists felt that many applications need not have been as long as they were.  One applicant had submitted an application 150 pages long.  The Panel felt that a new starting question should be added for a 50-word summary of what the project would achieve and how much it would cost.  The Panel also felt that the questions should be more closely matched to the funding criteria.  Mr Dickinson stressed that the Panel was not suggesting changes to the funding criteria.

7.4       The applications to the Community Fund were considered:

7.5       Mr Dickinson summarised the decisions made by the Assessment Panel which attendees discussed.  The Locality Development Coordinator explained that the two Horse Time applications were accepted with the caveat that the Resilience Workshop would be funded after receiving an evaluation of phase one of the Individual Therapy project.

7.6       The Assessment Panel’s recommendations, which were detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, were as follows:

(a)       Berwickshire Youth Piping
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £5,000.

(b)       Berwickshire Marine Reserve
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £4,990.05

(c)       Abundant Borders
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £2,448.

(d)       Connect Berwickshire Youth
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £2,000 to contribute towards salary costs.

(e)       Horse Time (Individual Therapy)
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £4,500

(f)        Horse Time (Resilience Workshop)
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £4,500 on the condition that further information on project delivery and participant numbers is received and that the impact of two month’s delivery of Horse Time’s Individual Therapy programme be submitted to SBC before the Resilience Workshop grant is released.

(g)       Survivors Unite
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Survivors Unite. The panel felt the Community Fund is not the most appropriate fund for this project.

(h)       Eyemouth and District Community Trust
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to EDCT. The panel recommend EDCT seek support from BAVS for the development of future funding applications.

(i)        Birgham Community Trust
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Birgham Community Trust. The panel recommends that the Trust approach the Federation of Village Halls.

(j)        Sea the Change
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Sea the Change.

(k)       Eyemouth Parish Church
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Eyemouth Parish Church.

(l)        Eat Sleep Ride
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Eat Sleep Ride.

(m)     Gordon Village Hall
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Gordon Village Hall. The panel recommends that Gordon Village Hall approach the Federation of Village Halls.

(n)       Reston Concert Band
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £2072.74.

(o)       Duns Tennis Club
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £2,000.

(p)       A Heart for Duns
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £5,000.

(q)       Borders Talking Newspaper
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership award a grant of £4,857.

(r)        Live Learn Earn
It was agreed to recommend that Berwickshire Area Partnership not award funding to Live Learn Earn.

DECISION

AGREED to:

(a)       Approve the recommendations of the Assessment Panel, as detailed above and in Appendix 2 of the report; and,

(b)       Allow the Assessment Panel to make minor amendments to the application form and guidance notes prior to the opening of the next round of applications.