Newport council concerned over 'fishing' applications

The council had previously specified on its website that it only gave “seed funding” for new projects or “crisis funding”, but found it was dealing with speculative and sometimes non-local bids at every monthly meeting.

Members approved a suggestion, put forward by Councillor Tim Nelson, to handle “new activity” grants and ongoing applications of benefit to the town biannually, but leave an “emergency fund” open for discussion at any monthly meeting.

Mayor Peter Scott said: “We should be helping those who need it, rather than those who are, basically, fishing.”

Councillor Lyn Fowler said she favoured an annual, rather than biannual, grant funding meeting, but said whatever system they used should have a non-negotiable cut-off date

She said: “We should go back to the strict time period and, if you aren’t in time, I’m sorry, wait for the next one.”

Cllr Nelson said: “If someone is going to do someone new, they are planning for it.

“Six months is a cycle they could easily match up with.”

Councillor Thomas Janke asked: “Can I suggest an addition that either you (Councillor Scott) or the clerk are able to assess the applications and, if they don’t meet the criteria, they don’t even come to the council?”

Quid

Councillor Scott said that was already built into the rules, but added it would be more rigorously applied in the future.

He added: “You can tell a ‘fishing’ request when you see one. They’re often national. They say ‘bung us a couple of quid if you can’.

“We’re here for the people of Newport and we’re here to support local groups. That is why a lot of them have turned into annual grants.”

The draft rules, submitted by Councillor Nelson, said annual or bi-annual grants “to support an ongoing activity that benefits the town” should have a distinct budget line and be considered during the autumn budgeting process.

“New activity grants” will also have their own budget line and be considered “twice per year only”.

Applications that qualify as “emergency funding” could still discussed at any town council meeting.

Newport town councillors have discussed grant applications at seven out of their 11 monthly meetings so far in 2019.

In their November meeting, they granted £800 to help Newport and District Swimming Club buy an adjustable starting block, £1,000 to the organisers of the Food Frenzy event and £10,000 – to be paid out of the 2020-21 budget – towards the upgrade of the Cottage Care Centre’s X-ray machine.