Agenda item

            Councillor O’Hara declared an interest in this Item, in that she was a Council nominee on the Local Action Group for Hannahstown, and left the room for the duration of the discussion).

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of the report is to seek Members’ approval for the Council: To act as the lead applicant for submission of a bid under the Rural Basic Services theme as part of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP) 2014-2020, on behalf of Hannahstown Community Association: To recommend that the capital match funding element and the request that the Council acts as the delivery agent, which is required to support the submission, is referred to the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee for consideration.

2.0       Recommendations

            The Committee is asked to:

-        Authorise the submission of a bid under the Rural Basic Services Theme of the Rural Development Programme for Hannahstown Village by Council, on behalf of Hannahstown Community Association.

-        To secure the maximum funding allocation of £50,000 for the scheme, which is 75% of a total budget of £66,666, this requires Council to contribute a minimum of £16,666 which would make up the remaining 25% of the budget. As this money is capital, it needs to be considered by the SP&R Committee as the Council’s investment decision maker and Members are asked to agree that this scheme is referred to the SP&R Committee for its consideration

-        That the project is delivered by the Property and Projects Department, subject to approval by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Members will recall that at its meeting on the 13 January 2016 the City & Growth Committee agreed to enter into an SLA with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council to support the development and delivery of activities within the eligible area for the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (NIRDP).

3.2       At the 8 March 2017 meeting Members agreed to authorise the submission of a bid under the Village Renewal theme of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) for Hannahstown and Edenderry.

3.3       The SP&R Committee Council on 24 March 2017 agreed to provide match funding of £70,000 to secure the maximum allocation of £150,000 capital and approval of a contribution of £7,500 per year for 2016/17 and 2017/18 to support programme overheads from within existing Departmental budgets. It was also agreed that Officer time resource is used to work up the proposals. 

3.4       A further funding programme under the RDP 2014-2020 is the Basic Services Measure. This is designed to support investments in the setting up, improvement or expansion of local basic services for the rural population including related infrastructure. The call for funding opens on 9 October 2017, and closes on Friday 22 December 2017. Applications can be made for up to £50,000.

3.5       Hannahstown and Edenderry have been identified as the only villages within the city council area eligible for funding under the Rural Basic Services theme. Mandatory workshops for all potential stakeholders on the RDP measures, including the Rural Basic Services theme were held on 24 November 2015 in Malone House and 2 December 2015 in Sally Gardens Community Centre Poleglass.

3.6       Hannahstown Community Association identified a project to improve the Association’s community hall facility, however as a community association they cannot apply for the funding and have requested that the Council act as the lead applicant for this funding on their behalf.

3.7       To secure the maximum funding allocation of £50,000 for the scheme, which is 75% of a total budget of £66,666, this requires Council to contribute a minimum of £16,666 which would make up the remaining 25% of the budget. There is also a requirement for the Council to act as the delivery agent for the proposal and it is proposed that this is taken forward via the Property & Projects Department, subject to approval by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

3.8       Key Issues

            The call for funding will officially open on 9 October 2017, and close on Friday 22 December 2017.

            The delivery timescale and pre application requirements will include the development of a

-        Business Plan

-        Evidence of planning permission approval

-        All related procurement documentation (quotes/tender documentation)

-        Evidence of match funding

3.9       Equality and Good Relations Implications

            All activity will be subject to equality screening.

3.10     Financial and Resource Implications

            Match funding - The Rural Development Programme is subject to securing match funding from the Council.  To secure the maximum funding allocation of £50,000 for the scheme, which is 75% of a total budget of £66,666, this requires Council to contribute a minimum of £16,666 which would make up the remaining 25% of the budget. As this money is for capital works this needs to be agreed by the SP&R Committee as the Council’s investment decision maker, and it is proposed that this is referred to the SP&R Committee for their consideration.

            Officer time resources is required in continuing to work up the proposals and as the delivery agent, subject to SP&R approval.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.