Agenda item

Eildon Assessment Panel to present funding recommendations for the following NSF applications:

·                Live Learn Earn

·                Channelkirk Primary School Parent Council

·                Stable Life

·                The Heartland Market

(Copy attached.)

6.1       There had been circulated copies of the Eildon Assessment Panel’s recommendations. The Chairman welcomed Ms Jenny Mushlin of the Eildon Assessment Panel to provide an overview of each of the recommendations. 

6.2       Live Learn Earn

The application from Live Learn Earn was for £11,150 to help fund the Selkirk Community Garden Art Project, a cross-generational initiative which aimed to create artistically designed pieces within Selkirk High School Horticultural and Selkirk Community Shed garden areas.  A consultant would be commissioned to provide training on metal working skills to the attendees, who would design and produce their own pieces.  Marginalised pupils would be selected to take part.  The Panel had expressed their opinion that the consultancy fees involved were very high, and were not justifiable given the expected outcomes of the project.  The project would have an impact on a relatively small group of pupils at the High School, and would not necessarily benefit the wider community.  The Panel had recommended not to fund the project, and invited the group to submit a new application if the consultancy fees could be reduced and wider community benefit could be evidenced.  Mr Aegir MacIver of the group was present at the meeting and explained that the consultancy fees referred to in the Assessment Panel recommendations were in fact for tutoring provided directly to attendees.  Mr MacIver stressed that the group had a genuine desire to promote intergenerational collaboration on the project, with work ongoing with Selkirk Shedders.  In response to a question regarding other sources of funding, Mr MacIver explained that no other funding had been sought.  Regarding research carried out to ascertain demand for the project, and whether the project would duplicate work already carried out at the high school, Mr MacIver outlined that they key aim of the project was to teach young people the practical skills that they were not taught in school, including the use of power tools.  In response to a question regarding the formal qualifications which would be attained by those who attended the course, Mr MacIver clarified that a workbook was used through the academic session which recorded what skills were attained and an official SQA-recognised qualification would be gained.  Members in attendance expressed that the project had a commendable aim, and that teaching young people real world practical skills was a good project. The lack of wider community benefit was highlighted, in particular due to the high sum of money involved.  There was a lack of consensus amongst Elected Members, and a vote was held to decide whether the application for funding was approved or rejected:

VOTE

Councillor PatonDay seconded by Councillor Douglas moved that the application for funding was approved.

Councillor Cochrane, seconded by Councillor Sinclair moved as an amendment that the application for funding was rejected.

As the meeting was conducted by Microsoft Teams members were unable to vote by the normal show of hands and gave a verbal response as to how they wished to vote the result of which was as follows:-

   Motion – 3 votes

   Amendment – 4 votes

   Absent – 1 vote

            The amendment was accordingly carried.

The application for funding was consequently rejected.  The Chairman expressed hope that the Group would work on their application to address the issues raised, and seek support from the Communities and Partnership Team. 

6.3       Channelkirk Primary School Parent Council

The application from the Channelkirk Primary School Parent Council was for £5,616 to address the lack of after-school childcare at Channelkirk Primary School.  The funding would be used to provide a free transport service between Channelkirk and Lauder Primary School during term time, which would allow the children to attend Lauder Out-of-School Club.  Peter Hogg of Jedburgh would operate the service between their Earlston School runs, which would reduce the cost to £108 per day.  The planned project was a pilot.  The Panel felt that the project was well researched and would help working parents in a rural area, with benefits to the children.  The application was unanimously approved. 

6.4       Stable Life

Stable life had applied for £15,000 to deliver a structured programme for at least 100 referred young people, 51% of whom would be based in the Eildon locality.  The programme involved equine assisted therapy, riding lessons and psychological based interventions, as well as work placements and volunteering opportunities.  The Panel had recommended to defer the decision on the application to seek additional information, which was unanimously agreed. 

6.5       The Heartland Market

The application from The Heartland Market was for £13,360 to purchase 20 market stalls to ensure that a monthly market in Galashiels could continue to run.  The market operated using rented stalls, which had been deemed to be financially unviable.  The Panel stressed that if the stalls were owned by the group, then the Community Interest Company (CIC) would be able to provide access to the stalls to charities and groups based in Galashiels.  The CIC would build a website to manage bookings, and would promote the stalls as a community asset.   The Assessment Panel expressed that the market had been popular in Galashiels and had recommended to approve the application.  There had been confusion regarding funding which had been awarded to the group from a separate organisation for the purchase of stalls.  Mr Coltman explained that The Heartland Market had experienced difficulties securing stalls on a consistent basis from their supplier.  They had approached Galashiels Community Council and Energise Galashiels Trust (EGT) for assistance, and it had been agreed that EGT would purchase and own the stalls, on the condition that the Heartland Market would purchase the stalls prior to the end of the current financial year.  Mr Coltman stressed that the approach was within the criteria of the Neighbourhood Support Fund, and that EGT would be acting as a supplier.  Members expressed their concern that the market took place on the same day as the market in Selkirk.  In response to a question regarding the necessity of developing a booking system, Mr Coltman explained that the funding applied for did not relate to the booking system, and would be used solely to purchase market stalls. The application for funding was unanimously approved in full.