Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.       Relevant Background Information

             

            Members are reminded that at its meeting on 13th October 2011, approval was given to support the grant scheme for groups wishing to stage events in parks during the summer of 2012.  It was agreed by committee, subject to approval through the estimates process for the 2012/13 revenue budget, to increase the fund from £60,000 to £100,000 and that the maximum grant per group would be £2,250.  Committee also agreed that officers would examine the criteria and structure of the grant award process and report back with recommendation for approval.

 

            Information on the grant scheme was advertised accordingly and the closing date for entries set at 12th January 2012. 

 

2.         Key Issues

 

            The grants scheme has been reviewed by officers and the key changes are outlined below:

 

·         The applications to date were assessed according to the current criteria.  It is recommended that of the 19 applications, 18 met the criteria for an award to be made.  Full details of the applications received and the recommendations for grant awards are presented in Appendix 2.

 

·        A Community Parks Outreach Manager will contact the club that was not successful in receiving an award to help them identify other options for their proposed event.

 

·        Due to the low number of applications received it is proposed that the scheme is changed from the current annual call for funding applications to a monthly assessment running from February to September.  This would operate in a similar way to the Support for Sport scheme with a monthly report to committee outlining the applications and awards.

 

·         The criteria have been modified slightly to put more emphasis on community involvement in our parks and open spaces and to recognise alignment to other council schemes such as Summer Intervention schemes.  The revised criteria are attached at Appendix 3.

 

·         The application process has been modified to allow groups more flexibility in finalising their event expenditure plan as circumstances undoubtedly change in the period from application to the event taking place.

 

·        It is proposed that Community Parks Outreach Managers in each area play a more significant role in working with clubs and groups to avail of the fund. Information on the scheme will also be advertised and the Community Parks Outreach Managers will work to ensure that communities across the city are aware of this funding opportunity and are encouraged to apply.   

 

·        Successful groups will receive 50% of the grant funding before the event takes place subject to the return of a signed ‘letter of offer’ and the remaining balance will be paid on the successful completion of the event and submission of the correct supporting documentation.  This will assist groups who have limited funds to stage events as previously groups received the grant funding after the successful completion of the event on the production of the correct documentation.

 

·        Officers will continue to review the scheme and any further recommendations to improve the scheme will be brought back to the October 2012 committee for consideration and approval.  

 

3.         Resource Implications

             

            Financial

 

            £100,000 was allocated in the revenue estimates to cover this scheme.  

 

            Human Resources

 

            There are no additional human resource implications.

 

            Asset and Other Implications

 

            The running of community events increases use of the parks creating a sense of ownership and contributing to health and well being.

 

4.         Equality and good relations implications

 

            None.

 

5.         Recommendations

 

            It is recommended that the Committee agree:

 

·        that the groups listed in Appendix 2 are awarded grants accordingly to organise events in parks during 2012

 

·         that the scheme is changed to work in a similar way to the Support for Sport scheme with a monthly report to committee from February to September.

 

·          to the modified criteria outlined at Appendix 3.

 

                                                                                                   Appendix 1

 

Criteria for Parks Events Small Grants Scheme 2012

 

Applications will be assessed according to a number of criteria. To be successful, an application DOES NOT have to score highly on all criteria, some inevitably will be more relevant to an event than others. 

 

1. Environmental benefit

 

Does the event provide benefit to the local environment within the park or open space: for example, through a litter clean up, bulb or tree planting, habitat management (this would have to be done according to the park management plan).

 

	Points
No environmental benefit	0
Immediate or temporary benefit e.g. litter clean up as part of event ( not just tidying up afterwards), temporary art	50
Medium or long term environmental benefit e.g. tree/bulb planting, habitat management	100

 

2. Educational benefit

 

Does the event provide some educational benefit to those attending: for example, information on a relevant issue, a theme or message that will help to change attitudes, links to the school curriculum, etc

 

	Points
No educational benefit	0
Some educational benefit  e.g. definite message or theme, as opposed to say just a ‘fun’ day	50
High educational benefit e.g. links to curriculum, changing attitudes	100

 

3. Health benefit

 

Does the event provide a health benefit to those attending; for example, activities that encourage exercise, walking, children’s games (sporting competitions are not covered by this grant fund).

 

	Points
No tangible health benefit	0
Some health benefit, e.g. walking, children’s active games – but not just a bouncy castle	50
Event with health as main theme or thrust	100

 

4. Community benefit

 

Does the event benefit the local community around the park or open space: for example, does it help to encourage a sense of ownership by the local community, provide opportunities for cross community activity, etc.

 

	Points
No tangible benefit to surrounding community	0
Benefit to surrounding community, helping to create ownership of park	50
Event with good relations as a theme	100

 

5. Additional points for

 

Additional points will be awarded for events that make use of the fabric of the park in the event which help promote aspects of it. For example, an event that used the paths of a park for a guided walk or included activities based around an historical or natural feature in the park would score more highly than an event which simply took place in marquees and made no reference to anything within the park itself to promote it.

 

Using the fabric of the park as an integral part of event, rather than just an event staged in a park                                        50 points

 

One of the aims of the scheme is to encourage events in some of the local and district parks, and so scoring is biased towards these parks and away from parks such as Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park and Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park.

 

Using a local or district park or playing field site             50 points.

 

[Appendix 2 is available on the Council’s modern.gov system]

 

                                                                                              Appendix 3

 

Proposed Criteria for Parks Events Small Grants Scheme 2012

 

 

Introduction

 

Community Park Outreach Managers will work with you to ensure that you get the best from our local parks and open spaces.  They will help you identify and develop new possibilities and opportunities to use council sites.  We are about People, Places and Possibilities.

 

Applications will be assessed according to a number of criteria.  To be successful, an application DOES NOT have to score highly on all criteria, some inevitably will be more relevant to an event than others. 

 

1. Community benefit

 

Does the event benefit the local community around the park or open space: for example, does it help to encourage a sense of ownership by the local community, provide opportunities for cross community activity and does it complement other council schemes such as Summer Interventions, etc.

 

	Points
No tangible benefit to surrounding community	0
Alignment to other council schemes, eg Summer Interventions
Benefit to surrounding community, helping to create ownership of park	50
Event with good relations as a theme	100

 

2. Health benefit

 

Does the event provide a health benefit to those attending; for example, activities that encourage exercise, walking, children’s games (sporting competitions are not covered by this grant fund).

 

	Points
No tangible health benefit	0
Some health benefit, e.g. walking, children’s active games – but not just a bouncy castle	50
Event with health as main theme or thrust	100

 

3. Environmental benefit

 

Does the event provide benefit to the local environment within the park or open space: for example, through a litter clean up, bulb or tree planting, habitat management (this would have to be done according to the park management plan).

 

	Points
No environmental benefit	0
Immediate or temporary benefit e.g. litter clean up as part of event (not just tidying up afterwards), temporary art	50
Medium or long term environmental benefit e.g. tree/bulb planting, habitat management	100

 

2. Educational benefit

 

Does the event provide some educational benefit to those attending: for example, information on a relevant issue, a theme or message that will help to change attitudes, links to the school curriculum, etc

 

	Points
No educational benefit	0
Some educational benefit  e.g. definite message or theme, as opposed to say just a ‘fun’ day	50
High educational benefit e.g. links to curriculum, changing attitudes	100

 

Additional points will be awarded for events that make use of the fabric of the park in the event which help promote aspects of it. For example, an event that used the paths of a park for a guided walk or included activities based around an historical or natural feature in the park would score more highly than an event which simply took place in marquees and made no reference to anything within the park itself to promote it.

 

Using the fabric of the park as an integral part of event, rather than just an event staged in a park                                          50 points

 

One of the aims of the scheme is to encourage events in some of the local and district parks, and so scoring is biased towards these parks and away from parks such as Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park and Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park.

 

Using a local or district park or playing field site             50 points”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.