Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1. Relevant Background Information

      Committee will recall that in February 2010 it approved a request from an organisation to create a community garden in the Waterworks.

      Grow is a non- profit organisation which has a mission to build community partnerships by increasing and enhancing community gardening.  Grow works to promote and support all aspects of community food and gardening to improve people’s lives by providing a catalyst for neighbourhood and community development and stimulating social interaction.

2.   Key Issues

      With support from Council officers and with funding from the Peace III programme, Grow successfully established the community garden, recruited participants and sustained participation.  This has included support from a part-time community gardener, trained in community development and the Grow co-ordinator.

      To date, officers are satisfied that the garden has been well-managed and has further opportunity to develop its links in the local area. 

      The group are now preparing for next year’s growing season and is seeking support from the Council.  It has made an application to the Good Relations Partnership for support on the good relations workshops as part of the programme.  However, this will not cover running costs, some of the community engagement activity, the sessional costs for the community gardener and some co-ordination costs for Grow.

      Committee will be aware that work is ongoing to develop a strategy for allotments and community gardens.  This is due to be presented to Committee in March 2011.

In advance of this, it is proposed that interim one-off support is offered to Grow to sustain and further develop the community garden in the Waterworks.  Given existing relationships and management arrangements, Grow is in a unique position to offer these services in the Waterworks on the basis of their track record in this particular community garden.  Any future support will only be made in the context of the new strategy.

      As part of this, it is also recommended that Grow is requested to facilitate some training for Council officers on the principles of community gardening, in order to build the internal capacity for this area of work.  Another suggested condition of the financial support is that Grow extends its community reach to work with young people in the area.  An appropriate target on this can be negotiated with Grow and Council officers.

      Similar to the evaluation and reporting procedures of the Good Relations Partnership, Grow will be asked to demonstrate the impact of the support in an evaluation report and account for the financial support to Committee, following the programme.

3.   Resource Implications

      Financial

      Total: up to £12,000.  This is covered in revenue estimates for 2011/12.

·         Contribution to running costs (inc. insurance) £1,500

·         Contribution to community engagement activities £2,000

·         Sessional community garden costs £4,000

·         Grow co-ordination costs (inc. Council training workshops) £4,500

Subject to:

·         2 workshop sessions for Council staff on community gardening principles and techniques by October 2011;

·         Increased participation by local young people; and

·         An evaluation report to be completed by November 2011.

      As the aims and objectives of the Waterworks community gardens sit within the overall aims and objectives of the Programming Open Spaces project (funded by Peace III), there is potential that part of these costs can be recouped (up to end June 2011).  However, this would be subject to the agreement of the Good Relations Partnership and the funding body SEUPB.

      Human Resources

      Officer time including participation in training workshops.

      Asset and Other Implications

      This project continues to sustain use the area of land in a more proactive and positive matter to improve quality of life for the surrounding community.

4.   Equality Implications

      None evident.  The forthcoming strategy will be assessed in line with standard equality obligations.

5.   Recommendations

            It is recommended that the Committee approve the one-off financial support up to £12,000 to Grow to sustain and expand the Waterworks community garden in 2011, subject to an appropriate legal agreement to be drawn up by the Assistant Chief Executive and Town Solicitor between Grow and the Council.

6.   Decision Tracking

      Officer Responsible: Area Manager, North Area.

      All actions to be completed by December 2011.”

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendation.