Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director Strategy and Policy recommending three projects for approval from the Landfill Communities Fund.  (Copy attached.)

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

          Councillor Parker declared an interest in the following item of business in terms of Section 5 of the Councillors Code of Conduct and left the Chamber during the discussion.  Councillor Bhatia chaired the meeting in the absence of Councillor Parker.

With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of 21 October 2014 and paragraph 7 of the Minute of 30 March 2010, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Strategy and Policy recommending three projects for approval from the Landfill Communities Fund (UK LCF) for the funding period to December 2014.  A further recommendation was that any balance of the UK LCF remaining at 31 March 2015 be allocated to BCCF Environmental, to be held for future approval of Borders projects in 2015/16.  The projects recommended for approval were: Liddesdale Heritage Association – Carbon Reduction Project (Award request £9,675); Smith Memorial Hall – Centenary Refurbishment Project (£14,195); and Earlston Community Development Trust – construction of Adventure Play Park (£27,252).  All three applications had been submitted by BCCF Environmental, which was approved by ENTRUST, the regulatory body of the UK Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.  The confirmed UK LCF balance to 31 December 2014 was £96,551.89 so approval of the above projects would leave a balance of £45,429.81.  The report gave further details of the projects recommended for approval and then went on to inform Members of the new Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF).  The SLCF would continue to allow landfill operators to contribute a capped proportion of their tax liability to be used for environmental and community projects.  The SLCF would be regulated by SEPA (rather than ENTRUST).  There would be a two year transitions period from April 2015 to 31 March 2017 during which time unspent funds held by environmental bodies on 31 March 2015 could be spent on projects located throughout the UK, including Scotland.  This protected the balance recommended to be allocated to BCCF Environmental, to be held for future approval of Borders projects early in 2015/16.  This approach was previously agreed by Executive on

30 March 2010. In response to a question regarding the project to develop an Adventure Play Park in Earlston, the Funding and Project Officer confirmed that the amenity land in question was now owned by the Council.  The award of any funding was also dependent on lottery funding being released to the Group.  The report also gave the outcome of a deferred application from Executive of 21 October 2014.  This was with regard to a project to undertake window restoration at Our Lady & St Andrews Catholic Church.  Following conversations with the Church and the Council’s Conservation Officer, a cheaper solution had been identified, the cost of which could be met by the Church’s existing funds.  The application had now been withdrawn.

DECISION

(a)        AGREED to APPROVE:-

(i)            a grant of £9,675 to BCCF Environmental (Liddesdale Heritage Association – Carbon Reduction Project);

(ii)          a grant of £14,195 to BCCF Environmental (Smith Memorial Hall – Centenary Refurbishment Project);

(iii)         a grant of £27,252 to BCCF Environmental (Earlston Community Development Trust – Construction of Adventure Play Park); and

(iv)         the allocation of any unspent balance at 31 March 2015 to BCCF Environmental, to be held for future approval of Borders projects

(b)        NOTED:-

(i)            the change from the UK LCF to the SLCF from April 2015; and

(ii)          that the application, deferred from Executive of 21 October 2014, had been withdrawn.