Agenda item

(a)  That the expenditure to date from the Community Investment Fund 2018/19 be noted; and

(b)  That it be agreed that any unused funding from 2018/19 will be rolled-forward into 2019/20 and allocated on the basis of the Cabinet requests in line with the scheme as tabled at the meeting.

The Lead Member for Corporate Finance & Housing introduced a report that updated the Cabinet regarding the 2018/19 Community Investment Fund and proposed how the scheme would operate in 2019/20.

In 2018/19, each Councillor had an allocation of £20,000 capital and £5,000 revenue with a Cabinet allocation of £210,000 revenue and £210,000 capital.  Spending had to be in accordance with the parameters of the scheme to further the outcomes in the Five Year Plan.  A summary of schemes was provided in the appendix to the report which showed the investment made in a wide range of Member led community projects across the Borough.

The Leader tabled proposals to invest in the following schemes from the 2018/19 underspend:

·  Replacement of lost trees (£40k revenue)

·  Green gyms (£25k revenue, £5k capital)

·  Defibrilators in parks (c. £8k)

·  Langley and Farnham Road shopping areas – public realm improvements (£24k)

It was also proposed to make the following investments from the 2019/20 Cabinet allocation:

·  Replace signs in parks and public spaces (£100k)

·  St Mary’s Church War Memorial restoration/improvements (up to £15k)

The remainder of the Cabinet’s £210k capital would be allocated later in 2019/20 via the update report scheduled to be considered by the Cabinet on 18th November 2019.  It was suggested that the Cabinet allocate some CIF resources over the year to ensure there was at least one piece of disabled access play equipment in each ward across Slough.

The Cabinet agreed that the fund was a valuable way of identifying and supporting relatively small neighbourhood level schemes.  However, some anomalies in the appendix were highlighted and it was agreed that the process could be further tightened up.  Members commented on the need to accelerate the delivery of schemes once identified.  The revised guidance and procedure for the CIF was set out in Appendix B and the Director of Finance & Resources clarified that the scheme would start from 6^th May each year, after local elections, to ensure the ward allocation wasn’t committed prior to this time.

The recommendations and proposed use of the 2018/19 underspend and 2019/20 Cabinet allocations were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the expenditure to date from the Community Investment Fund 2018/19 be noted; and

(b)  That it be agreed that any unused funding from 2018/19 will be rolled-forward into 2019/20 and allocated on the basis of the Cabinet requests in line with the scheme as tabled at the meeting.