Issue - meetings

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its confidential Part II exempt* appendix and the two recommendations in section 2 of the report namely:

(1)  To consider the recommendation of the Grants and Concession Panel in respect of this application as at paragraph 5.1 of this report.

(2)  Should a further grant award be made, to determine that this should be funded from the New Homes Bonus reserve.

[Note *Paragraph 3 as stated in agenda item 16]

RESOLVED

In the light of the decision of the Grants and Concession Panel to offer a grant of £25,000, that a further sum of £25,000 be added from the New Homes Bonus reserve in order to offer a total grant of £50,000 to the St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Southcoast) “Dreambuilding” project towards the cost of a new hospice.

[Note As recorded in minute para 339 above Mrs Plant declared a personal interest in respect of this item]

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report (copy attached to the official minutes) and its confidential Part II appendix which was circulated to CDC officers and relevant officers only.

The report was introduced by Mrs Lintill.

Mr Hansford was in attendance for this item.

Mrs Lintill explained how the Grants and Concessions Panel (GCP), of which she was the chairman, had considered at its meeting on 19 January 2017 an application by St Wilfrid’s Hospice (SWH) for a grant of £50,000 towards the cost of building a new hospice at Bosham. The GCP agreed an award of £25,000, the maximum sum allowed under Mrs Lintill’s delegation. The GCP had referred to the Cabinet consideration of the merits of awarding all or any part of the additional £25,000 in the light of the matters set out in the report and the Part II appendix. 

Mr Hansford did not wish to add to Mrs Lintill’s comments.

During the discussion Mrs Plant said whilst that she was very supportive of SWH and the excellent work undertaken by its staff, she was mindful of the many other demands and needs in Chichester District which were also worthy candidates for an award under CDC’s grants and concessions scheme.

Referring to the important service provided by SWH, Mrs Keegan, Mrs Taylor and Mrs Hardwick spoke with wholehearted support for acceding to an award of an extra £25,000.     

In the light of the apparent approval by several members for awarding an additional £25,000, Mr Dignum read out a proposed resolution the text of which appears below. 

Decision

The Cabinet was on a show of hands in favour of the resolution below, with six members being in support and one abstention by Mrs Plant.

RESOLVED

In the light of the decision of the Grants and Concession Panel to offer a grant of £25,000, that a further sum of £25,000 be added from the New Homes Bonus reserve in order to offer a total grant of £50,000 to the St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Southcoast) “Dreambuilding” project towards the cost of a new hospice.

[Note At the end of this item there was short adjournment between 11:20 and 11:24]