Decision details

Details of decision:

1)  Unlocking Potential Somerset -

A bid to continue to support the costs of running one of the three, three year ‘Insights to Apprenticeships’ programmes being run across the Taunton Deane area and specifically the Unparished Area. (£12,000 had been granted in year one (July 2020), with an expected cost of £36,000 over the life of the project.).

RECOMMENDATION: The Standing Committee recommended that the allocated funds of £24,000 were released to the Unlocking Potential Somerset project to enable them to complete years 2 and 3 of the project. Three requests were made

1)         A breakdown of the households from the Unparished Area participating in the scheme if possible.

2)         Further feedback in due course on the Academic year/calendar year approach and any change to that.

3)         A written update report in 6 months time if possible.

2)  Southern Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra –

A bid to support the costs of running two small concert recitals in individual Care Homes for those who are unable to go out and /or a concert in a community church hall (St James) to which the audience can travel and another concert for a larger audience (probably approximately 80 people) in St James would take place in spring or summer 2022 when the weather should be better for travel. The proposed budget for a concert in each of two Care homes would be £2,600 in total. The budget for a concert in St James Church Hall would be £2,620, with the same number of musicians, and would include hall hire for the day.

RECOMMENDATION: The Standing Committee recommended that the Chamber Orchestra were provided with the £2600 to fund the two concerts in care homes in the Unparished Area. The proposal for a concert at St. James in Spring/Summer 2022 was felt to require further detail.

3)  Cllr Chris Booth –

A bid to utilise a historical capital budget of around £10,995 specifically ring-fenced for the replenishment of play equipment in Unparished Area parks. A proposal had been worked up by Cllr Booth to place various pieces of equipment in Hamilton Gault Park including a nest rocker with back support, inclusive back to back roundabout and a swing with a parent/child seat.

RECOMMENDATION: The Standing Committee recommended the approval of this bid.

4)  Cllr Hazel Prior-Sankey –

A bid to install two waste bins on the green area between Laurel Close and Sycamore Close and another on Holway Road by the stream. The bid total is £2000 and would fund the installation and emptying until 2023.

RECOMMENDATION: The Standing Committee recommended approval of this bid.

5)  North Taunton Partnership –

A bid of £1450 to the Contain Outbreak Management Funding supplied to the Taunton Charter Trustees/Somerset West and Taunton Council on behalf of Somerset West and Taunton Council. The funds would enable the partnership to restart their social, fitness and educational groups on hold since March 2020. These include games afternoons X 2. Weekly luncheon club. Computer support group. Tai chi. Circuits exercise class. Cooking group. Knit & Natter. Creative Writing group. History group. Tea & Talk. Health Walks. Write to Read.

RECOMMENDATION: The Standing Committee recommended approval of this bid.

The Standing Committee also considered matters relating to Civic Hospitality and approved the spend for circa £2000 related to the Remembrance events that the Mayor would be hosting in the Town, which included Orders of Service printing, Transport, PA Kit hire, repair of robes and replacement Civic Marshall Stathe. This would be funded from the approved Civic Trustee budget and a further budget monitoring report would be provided to the Charter Trustees at their December meeting.