Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, at the Council meeting in January 2022, it had been agreed to allocate £500k to the Summer Community Diversionary and Festival programme for 2022.  At the request of the Members, the scheme was reviewed to ensure that it was widely advertised and groups who received funding in 2022 were supported to have the capacity to deliver events in line with the relevant guidelines that the Council had in place for organising events on its land.  Following that approval, the programme was advertised as an open call and officers had completed the preliminary assessment process.

            Accordingly, the Director of Neighbourhood Services submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report which provided details of the assessments and seeking approval to award funding.  The report provided details also of the eligibility criteria, the two-stage eligibility assessment and the process.

            July Programme

            For the July programme, six applications had been received, with a total funding request of £323,301 (total amount available £250,000), which was an oversubscription of £73,301.

            The Director provided the Committee with a possible option on the amount of funding that groups might receive based on the following rationale:

·        The proposed allocation would allow all groups which had applied to receive funding, including two new applicants;

·        As far as possible, groups would receive similar amounts to what they had received in 2021; and

·        To support new applicants within the constraints of available funding, a minimum amount of £25,000 could be awarded to the groups which applied to the programme for the first time, Charter NI and Ballymac Friendship Trust.

August Programme

            Four applications had been received the August programme, however, one application had been withdrawn resulting in a total funding request of £250,000.

            For both programmes, groups were awarded scores based on their capacity to run events and how their projects met the aims and objectives of the programme. To support all successful applicants and, in particular, those who required additional capacity support to meet the aims of the programme, an external Event Management Company, Island Events, had been appointed. This company would work with groups to plan, manage and deliver events and ensure they complied with relevant Health and Safety and Licensing regulations. This would be a mandatory requirement; no funding would be allocated to groups unless they agree to availing of this support.

            Accordingly, the Committee agreed to award funding for 2022 as follows:

July

            August