Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 14^th March 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

·         Disclosable Pecuniary Interests:

·         Other Interests

The Board received a report introduced by Janice Percival, Finance Business Partner, which provided a financial summary of funding available to the Partnership to allocate during the financial year and included financial tables which provided a summary of grant funding. 

Some members were concerned that should the Board allocate the entire budget to strategic projects the Board would be unable to consider other grant applications for valuable projects. Joanne Brooks explained, that if a project was eligible for grant funding she would encourage the applicant to submit an application which would be held until the final Board meeting of the year.  Members could then consider these applications and use any underspent monies towards these projects. Alternatively, if funding wasn’t available towards the end of the financial year, the Board could offer a without prejudice start and submit the application in the new year.

Janice Percival provided members with an explanation of the Council’s Capital Projects Programme and the financial regulations surrounding this.

Councillor Fallows reported that the memorial stone in Whiston was in need of repair and it was confirmed that an application to the Board would need to be submitted. Applications for funding were considered due to the nature of the works and not the ownership. It was also mentioned that it may be worthwhile for the Parish Council to look at the War Memorials website as this could assist with another avenue of funding, particularly when names were wearing away from memorials.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

The Board received a report and presentation on the current status of projects at:-

Bourne Fountain, Cheadle - Works were now complete and the grant paid

Gazebo, Whitehough, Ipstones –Works commenced

67 Tape Street, Cheadle - Works delayed and would not commence until Oct 2019

9 – 11 High Street Dilhorne - Partial grant payment of £3,000 had now been made. £1,000 was being retained until all works were complete

Endon and Stanley Interpretation panels - Repairs complete but awaiting payment.

The Trough, Biddulph - Awaiting commencement.

Leekbrook to Leek (Cornhill) heritage rail link -Planning permission secured. Draft Heads of Terms were to be agreed and the funding of the rail track was being explored.

Leekbrook Station - Works commenced 

Cheddleton Station – A set of plans and proposals for the repair and refurbishment of the building had been completed.  Scope of works to be agreed

Funerary Monuments - Works commenced and contractor appointed to undertake repair of 4 priorities

Biddulph Town Council Projects -Grant offer accepted but no further update.

Biddulph Grange – Works commenced

Cattle Market Cottage, Leek - Grant offer accepted but no further update.

Officers had secured a further £1,500 from the SMDC monuments and cemeteries budget towards the repair of the funerary monuments and  lodged an initial grant enquiry with the Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust to see if there was any additional funding available to continue the programme of repair.

Members discussed closed and open church yards.

RESOLVED:   1)  That the report be noted.

 2)  For the Parish Councils to be contacted to request funding towards funerary monuments and for their assistance in locating the families of the monuments.

The Board received a report to seek members’ approval to allocate grant funding from the Moorlands Partnership Board (MPB). The budget for this year was £50,000. Last year the Board had taken a more strategic approach to allocating funds and targeted projects in both Leek and Biddulph.

This year, officers recommended that funds be targeted towards the repair and restoration of a number of prominent historic buildings.  These buildings were listed and had significant heritage value. However, their current condition and appearance was a cause for concern.  With this in mind, officers recommended that the MPB allocate funds to consolidate and repair 3 key prominent buildings within Leek:-

·         Foxlowe Arts Centre

·         Big Mill

·         Victoria Buildings – Odeon Antiques

RESOLVED:  a) That a grant of £4,000 (inc of VAT) be offered towards the  external repair of Foxlowe Arts Centre subject to the  standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical conditions:

·         That the relevant listed building consents (if  necessary) are obtained prior to executing works on site; and

·         Given the listed status of the building, a detailed specification for the repair of the building is agreed with the Council prior to obtaining estimates to ensure that the project employs best conservation practices.

b) That Members approve a grant of up to £20,000 (inc VAT) towards the temporary roof covering to Big Mill subject to the standard grant scheme conditions and the following technical condition:

·      The grant is recovered if the works are not started by 1 August 2018. This will allow the reallocation of the grant before the end of the financial year.

c) That members note the completion of a condition survey at Victoria Buildings (Odeon Antiques) and considered an in-principle grant allocation of up to £20,000 towards the repair of the building subject to:-

·         The submission of a detailed grant application for consideration by the MPB at its November meeting, prior to making a formal grant offer.

Councillor Jebb had noticed that the street name attached to a property on York Street, Leek was in an extremely poor condition and wondered who had responsibility for this. Officers agreed to look into this after the meeting and would report back on this matter.