Agenda item

To consider allocating the remaining unspent and unallocated Locally Important Projects (LIPs) budget, to benefit local communities by supporting important grassroots projects.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets presented the report for consideration in the Chairman’s absence. The report was to consider the allocation of the remaining unspent and unallocated Locally Important Projects (LIPS) budget, to benefit local communities by supporting important grassroots projects.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets referenced the funding provided to investment in the South Lakes area for the last ten years, including the LIPs programme. He highlighted section 3.3 of the report which set out the 2013 Cabinet criteria for the LIPs evaluation. To date there had been seven funding rounds for LIPs to which   parishes, County Councils, community organisations and charities were all eligible to apply. Due to the Covid pandemic the last round of LIPs grants were awarded in 2019. Currently, £61,500 of funding remains available within this financial year. Due to Local Government Reorganisation and additional workload, the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets confirmed that Officers had undertaken a light touch assessment with Portfolio Holders. The results of this assessment had led to the proposals for the remaining funding to be devoted to four key areas: contributions to two parish councils for public conveniences to help them to continue to be viable; an award of £3,900 to Hawkshead Parish Council in order to complete the Town Squares enhancement project; an allocation of £15,000 in total to Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) to assist with their work achieving a net zero carbon South Lakeland; and a grant to Kendal Civic Society for a project at Nobles Rest.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets stated that Members should be proud of the Council’s LIPs scheme through which more than one hundred organisations had been supported in making improvements for communities through LIPs grant payments totalling more than £1.2m. The Council has supported a wide variety of local projects right across local districts, diverse projects were referenced such as local football pitches, new footpaths, playground improvements, and studies to assist with alleviating village traffic congestion. The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets was happy to propose the recommendations as set out at section 2.1.

Councillor Jones thanked Officers for their hard work and praised their collaborative working and innovation. In particular their work with Cumbria Action for Sustainability was highlighted in efforts to promote more green community action. Councillor Jones stated that she looked forward to seeing more community action groups being formed in the future.

Councillor Jenkinson asked whether there would be an opportunity for the new Westmorland and Furness Council to take forward a similar initiative to the LIPs grant scheme. The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets confirmed that Councillor Jenkinson’s question would be a matter for the new Council.

Decision

RESOLVED – That

(1)£8,000 for the upgrade of Milnthorpe Public Conveniences and £2,600 for Grange Public Conveniences be approved;

(2)an additional £3,900 (supplementing their original successful £20,000 LIPs bid) be approved for Hawkshead Parish Council for their Town Squares project in order to commence the works;

(3) the transfer of the remaining £13,875 to Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) be approved to supplement their Community Climate Grants Fund and a payment of £1,125 be made to CAfS to cover their administration of the funding; and

(4) the remaining £12,000 be approved for allocation to Kendal Civic Society for an enhancement project in Nobles Rest Park.

Alternative Options

An option was considered to run a further LIPs round internally, however the limited funding available and the lack of officer capacity ruled this out.

Reasons for Decision

The decision links to the following Council Plan Priorities:-

·         A fairer South Lakeland – commissioning services through the third sector

·         Addressing the climate emergency – working with partners to deliver energy saving and energy efficiency initiatives, pursuing opportunities to develop renewable energy, promoting environmental technologies and the green economy, achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2037