Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 12th July, 2006
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Bath & North East Somerset Council |
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MEETING: |
Council Executive |
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DATE: |
On 12 July 2006 |
PAPER NUMBER |
19 |
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TITLE: |
Midsomer Norton Mardi Gras Festival |
EXECUTIVE FORWARD PLAN REFERENCE: |
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EWP |
01384 |
ED |
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WARD: |
All |
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AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
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List of attachments to this report: Appendix 1 - Applications recommended for funding in 2005/6 and 2006/7. Appendix 2 - Statement from 11 May Council Meeting |
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1 THE ISSUE
1.1 Midsomer Norton and District Carnival Association has requested additional funding for their Mardi Gras Festival and European Band Championships 2006. The purpose of this report is for the Executive to consider whether additional funding can be made available.
2 RECOMMENDATION
The Council Executive is asked to:
2.1 Decide whether additional funding of £8,000 can be made available to fund the Midsomer Norton Mardi Gras Festival and European Band Championships 2006.
2.2 Agree the source of council funding if it is to be made available and instruct officers to implement this.
2.3 Confirm that future funding requests by the Midsomer Norton and District Carnival Association should be determined through the Council's established grants bidding process.
3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 The Education budget which includes the Arts budget is under considerable pressure in 2006/07. Taking into account the actual and potential carry forward of overspends from 2005/06, the on-going potential overspend on Home to School Transport in 2006/07, it will take determined and difficult management and policy actions to keep within budget in 2006/07. Even then it is likely that the budget may overspend by £300k-£400k which if not offset by other savings will be a draw on the Council's diminishing revenue reserves. The Education budget therefore appears to be unable to support the request.
3.2 The Executive has the authority to approve the use of up to £25,000 of reserves without the approval of full Council.
3.3 In considering their decision, the Executive must take into account the advice of the S151 Officer, the current level of reserves and the potential risks facing the Council.
3.4 In the budget report to the Council Executive and full Council in February 2006, it was agreed that:
A7 The optimal level of reserves should be A38 - A39 m to be achieved over 3 years. This excludes exceptional risks of the Spa and Single Status.
A7 The recommended minimum level of reserves in any one year is A35.2 million.
A7 There should be no/minimal calls on reserves over and above the risks identified.
3.5 As at 1 April 2006, the Council's reserves stand at £7.5 m. Taking into account the exceptional risks which have been reported/or will be reported to Council reserves may fall to £5.6 m assuming the Council comes in on budget in 2006/07. Further risks in 2007/08 may reduce reserves below the minimum recommended level of £5.2 m.
3.6 Given the day to day risks and exceptional risks faced by the Council the advice as set out in the budget report is that the Council takes every action to maintain its reserves strategy.
3.7 However smaller the amount requested the Executive will, in making its decision, take into account current Council policy on grants and it agreed financial and reserves strategy.
3.8 The Council has the power, under section 145 of the Local Government Act 1972, to contribute towards the expenses of doing anything necessary or expedient for the provision of entertainment of any nature. It may therefore make additional funding available should it consider it appropriate to do so in the circumstances of this case.
4 THE REPORT
4.1 The Midsomer Norton and District Carnival Association (MNDCA) received Voluntary Arts Organisation grant funding of £1,000 per annum via the Arts Development Team for 2005/6 and 2006/7. Information on the applications recommended for this funding in 2005/6 and 2006/7 are attached as Appendix 1.
4.2 The MNDCA also received additional funding of £5,000 from the Education Service and £5,000 from the Chief Executive's office in 2004/5. The Education Service provided additional funding of £10,000 in 2005/6.
4.3 Grants to voluntary arts organisations are administered by the council's Arts Development team which was within the Education Service from 2001 until April 2006 when it moved to Customer Services as part of council restructuring.
4.4 The Arts Development allocation is determined through a bid process with specific grant instructions and monitoring to ensure compliance with the objectives of the grant funding. Additional allocations made to MNDCA in 2004/5 and 2005/6 were outside of this process and had no formal conditions of grant or specific requirements placed on the organisation to address the priorities of the council.
4.5 There is consultation between council services (through the `Best Fit' process) where an application appears to be also relevant to other service areas. An application to the Council for voluntary sector grant funding was unsuccessful as the organisation did not meet the voluntary sector funding criteria.
4.6 The MNDCA made a statement to Council on the 11th May 2006
(Appendix 2) to request additional funding to support the Mardi
Gras Festival and European Open Band Championships for 2006. This
was referred for consideration to the Executive member for Tourism,
Leisure and Culture. The additional funding requested for 2006/7 is
£8,000.
5 RISK MANAGEMENT
A risk assessment related to the issue and recommendations has been undertaken, in compliance with the Council's decision making risk management guidance.
6 RATIONALE
6.1 The Council funds a number of voluntary organisations through grant allocation. There is a published criteria and process for determining funding decisions to ensure they are fair and transparent.
7 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED
7.1 None.
8 CONSULTATION
8.1 Ward councillor, Executive councillor, Section 151 Finance Officer, Chief Executive, Monitoring Officer
8.2 Consultation has been undertaken and feedback incorporated into this report.
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Contact person |
Debbie Durnell - 01225 394210 |
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Background papers |
E640 Grants to Voluntary Arts
Organisations 2005-8. |
S:\Education\EMT Shared Files\EWP Reports\EWP_01834_ED Midsomer Norton Mardi Gras Festival Report.doc