Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from the Director of Place, Sustainable Growth and Transport.

To receive declarations by Councillors of any disclosable pecuniary interest, personal interests, other registrable interests or any other interests in respect of items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

RESOLVED, There were no items on the agenda for the press and public to be excluded.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2023.

RESOLVED, That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2023 be approved.

To consider a report but the Senior Manager – Community Services

Members received a report which set out the current position of the Neighbourhood Investment Fund allocation to this Community Panel as agreed by the Cumberland Council Executive and detailed investment applications for consideration and approval from the budget allocation, together with the draft Neighbourhood Investment Plan for consideration.

A member asked if targets were being met with the funding allocations and if the priorities were being met and requested that figures were fed back i.e how many people have benefited from the funding or been empowered.

The Area Planning Manager and the Community Development Officer advised that no targets had been set for the last financial year, however this could be something that’s looked at going forward. Members were advised that project achievement records were completed by the beneficiaries of the funding, moving forward these would be shared with Members along with success stories being included in future reports.

A Member requested that the investment application for Workington Heritage Group be deferred due to further information being required.

The Development Officer, Allerdale Locality (CYP Community and Safeguarding Lead) took Members through the investment awards made by Active Cumbria which were detailed in the report.

A Member asked if the investment funding from the Panel for 2023/24 would be carried over to 2024/25. The Area Planning Manager advised that a decision would be made at a future Full Council meeting.

The Panel noted the investments that had been approved outside the Community Panel which were referred to in appendices 6 – 8 of the report.

RESOLVED, that

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  the agreed priorities be considered and discussed to better understand where the focus needs to be going forward;

(3)  £5,000 be allocated to 1^st Seaton Scout Group to provide a climbing wall.

(4)  £3,050 be allocated to St Mary’s Parish Council for equipment to create a community garden.

(5)  the investment application for Workington Heritage Group be deferred and further information be sought and brought back to the next panel meeting.

(6)  the Neighbourhood Investment Plan (NIP) as presented up to 31 march 2025 be noted;

(7)  the NIP be reviewed at each Community Panel meeting.

To consider a report by the Community Development Officer.

Members received a report which informed the Community Panel of the recent activity within its area and included information on Network Events and Network Activity, Co-opted Member Recruitment, Active Cumbria (Street Tag, Active Travel to School – Bikeability, Active Start, Ramblers Wellbeing Walks and Active Lives Survey), Local Focus Hub Update (Operating Model and Partners) and a Libraries Update.

The Community Development Officer advised the Panel that a funding application that the panel granted in September to A New Hope, to provide ASIST training, the first of two sessions had been held this week and after having attended the first session she confirmed it had been very rewarding. There are more dates set for May which the Community Development Officer will be distribute to Members.

The Chair thanked the officers for the detailed report.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

To note the minutes from the meeting held on 30 January 2024.

The Panel received the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Highways Board held on 30 January 2024.

RESOLVED, that the minutes be noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Panel is to be confirmed.

Members noted that future meeting dates of the Panel were still be agreed at the full Council meeting in May 2024.

It was requested that the next meeting be held in the St John’s Ward.