Decision details

To provide details of the matched funding request received by the Council during the third quarter of the 2017/18 financial year.

A matched funding bid has been received from 1^st Sarisbury Scout Group towards the cost of installing a new purpose-built scout hut at Burridge Recreation Ground.  It is anticipated that the hut, in addition to providing a permanent base for the group’s activities, will increase the facilities available for hire by the local community.

The total cost of the project is £190,000, of which 1^st Sarisbury Scout Group has received commitments for donations and grant applications totalling £158,000.  In addition, the group currently has several grant applications outstanding, although none of these have been confirmed to date.

1^st Sarisbury Scout Group has requested £25,000 towards their project to install a purpose-built scout hut.  This grant award is critical to the delivery of the project and is also needed to secure other sources of grant funding.

The group received a small community grant of £750 from Fareham Borough Council in March 2016 towards the cost of purchasing a marquee.  Under the current community Grant Fund criteria any organisation that has received a grant award must wait two years before being able to submit another bid for community funding.

However, building the new scout hut is a major building project.  The Scout group has accumulated a significant amount of funding and is ready to proceed with the building works.  Without the award of the Community Fund Grant the project will be in jeopardy.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  agrees a matched funding grant of up to £25,000, to 1^st Sarisbury Scout Group, to install a purpose-built scout hut at Burridge Recreation Ground; and

(b)  agrees the award of funding, subject to 1^st Sarisbury Scout Group agreeing terms for community use as set out in the Community Fund Agreement in Appendix B and Community Fund Award Letter as set out in Appendix C.