Briefing Paper South Community Assembly

Community Assembly Members’ Briefing Paper

For Decision (please describe in detail below)

Information / Progress Update

Recommendations to the Community Assembly Members’ Briefing:

1.Background

The Climate Change Fund was launched at the end of June 2010 with a closing date for applications of Friday 13th August 2010.

Eligibility

Organisations

• The CCF is available to not-for-profit organisations, and/or public sector organisations working in partnership with communities and/or not for profit organisations. ‘Applicants are required to submit some evidence of their not for profit status and public sector organisations need to submit some evidence of the partnership work they are involved in. Further, if the application is for work to a building applicants must provide evidence that the building has significant use for community purposes.

• SCC/publically owned buildings are eligible (e.g. school, library, community centre, scout hut), as long as a community-use aspect is evidenced beyond just their principle designated Council function (i.e. as a school or library etc.).

• Private businesses and individual households & groups of houses are not eligible.

Activity

There is a very wide variety of projects the money could be spent on. Examples are set out below but these are only meant to be indicative and not exhaustive. The two principle overlying themes are:

 Combating climate change

 Capital-only projects

Energy

The main area of actions to reduce carbon emissions which can be funded using capital are associated with energy. These include (but are not restricted to):

• Energy efficiency measures involving insulation (e.g. roof space, cavity walls, under floor, solid wall) & draught-proofing (windows, doors), or the upgrading of gas heating systems.

• Installation of renewable / low carbon energy generation equipment, such as Solar Photovoltaic panels, Solar Thermal (hot water) panels, Wind turbines, Hydro turbines, Ground or Air Source Heat Pumps, Combined Heat & Power (gas powered heating which also produces electricity), Biomass heating (burning wood or other organic fuel).

Non-energy

There are many possible non-energy actions which could be funded using capital, some indicative examples are:

• Purchase a vehicle for a community car club
• Cycling facilities, such as secure cycle parking and subsidised or recycled bicycles
• Measures to help food growing, such as acquisition of land or tools
• Planting of trees (especially fruit/nut trees for food)
• Rainwater harvesting – provision of water butts or storage tanks
• Provision of composting bins

As the funds available are capital they cannot be used for leasing of land or equipment, or awareness raising exercises, or capacity building - these would require revenue funding. However, the promotion of the CCF and the publicity associated with funded projects should be used to maximise awareness of climate change and measures which can be taken to combat it.

Applications Received

The South West Community Assembly received 18 applications for this fund jointly totalling £94,099.

Assessment Panel

An assessment of applications received took place on Tuesday 17th August 2010. The initial assessment was undertaken by a panel consisting of the Chair of the South West Community Assembly, the Community Assembly Manager, Community Assembly Officer, an officer from the Sustainable Housing and Affordable Warmth Team and the Accountable Body Services Team.

The assessment was used to identify any projects that did not meet the eligibility criteria for the fund and also to score the projects against set criteria.

A copy of the scoring criteria used by the assessment panel is attached at Appendix A.

The following table gives an overview of the applications received and the scores agreed by the assessment panel. The comments section includes any special conditions that will need to be met as part of a funding agreement.

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• No additional benefits in terms of impact on Climate Change
• Funding would help with future financial sustainability of the organisation

• Info sharing with other schools, parents and teachers
• Increase number of bees attracted to allotment
• Increase variety of plants and fruit
• Installation of water butts reducing the use of tap water usage

• Publicity of funding to community groups, members and church users
• Roof installation installed reducing level of gas consumption.

• Co2 Savings
• Reduction of parked cars
• Financial savings through disposal of private cars
• Brings community together

• Capture and storage of carbon through planting and restoration.
• Flood alleviation
• Provide eco-system services
• Aid food production
• Bring in an additional £238,000 of investment

• Encourage understanding of climate change to promote behaviour change
• Recycling, water conservation, healthy eating, locally grown food
• Encourage volunteering

• Reduction in gas consumption
• Promotion of Climate Change Funding and benefits to community groups, members and church users

• Promote sustainable behaviour
• Discourage fly tipping
• Saving on packaging, transportation and processing

• CO2 Savings
• Livery would stress the environmental benefits of the project

• Educate local community
• Increase sense of community and encourage interest in supporting community activity
• Increased number of volunteers
• Cultivation of plots

• Publicity of benefits of the Climate Change Fund
• Installation of double glazing
• Lower energy usage

• Establish small holding with livestock and crops
• Clearance of Land in preparation for food growing
• Links with local Primary Schools
• Events to encourage community involvement

• Encourage local food growing
• Engage local community
• Increased number of volunteers
• Official opening of garden
• Mums and tots sessions
• Encourage pledge for action (e.g. This summer I will grow my own tomatoes)

• Encourage local food growing
• Social meeting place for local residents
• Development of a Community garden

• Encouraging sustainable travel
• Reduction in car journeys

• Encourage conservation
• Promote biodiversity
• Teaching and learning area

• Planting of Fruit Trees
• Reduction in CO2
• Linkages with local schools

• Reduction in Nitrogen Oxides
• Community Planting Event
• Reduction in CO2

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1. Options

The applications for the Climate Change Fund that meet the criteria for the funding total £86,509. The total amount available is £40,000. . The assessment panel proposed the following options for consideration by Community Assembly members.

Option 1

Fund all project scoring 7 and above, this would utilise £37,493 of the £40,000 available. The remaining £2,507 be given to the Crosspool Harvest project as they presented a number of funding options and would utilise the funding to improve the overall project. This option would agree funding for the following projects:

Crosspool Harvest£14,470

Millhouses Methodist Church£1,960

Banner Cross Methodist Church£3,150

Hanging Water Allotment Association£1,150

Notre Dame£4,300

Sheffield Wildlife Trust£10,000

Grow Sheffield City Council£4,970

Option 2

Fund all project scoring 7 and above and allocate the remaining £2,507 to one of the projects that scored 6. The Project that scored 6 are as follows:

Commonwheels Transition Porter Valley£4,975

St Thomas Church Crookes£4,978

Transition Crookes/Walkley£4,958

Please note that the remaining £2,507 would not meet the total costs of any of these projects, the groups would need to look for alternative funding to make up the shortfall.

Option 3

Fund All projects scoring 6 and above. This would cost £52,404 and would mean that the Community Assembly would need to allocate an additional £12,404 from its discretionary budget.

This option would mean that all projects highlighted in option 1 an 2 would receive funding.

These are the three main options recommended by the assessment panel, members may however wish to agree a alternative option to that has not been highlighted above.

1. Recommendations

That the South West Community Assembly Members consider the information contained within this report consider the options proposed and advise the Community Assembly Manager which is the preferred option for allocating the £40,000 Climate Change Fund pot. This will inform the recommendation that is taken forward for decision at the Community Assembly Meeting on 30th September 2010.

Tammy Barrass

South West Community Assembly Manager

18.08.10

Appendix A

The assessment panel should agree a Score out of 5 for:

• Overall Project Information
• Promotion of Climate Change Benefits/ Wider Community Benefit

Scoring: 0 = Very poor / not evidenced; 1 = Poor; 2 = Reasonable; 3 = Good, 4 = Very Good, 5 = Outstanding

Overall Project Information (score out of 5)

• Is organisation’s status (not for profit etc.) and community benefit evidenced? (by official documents and description)

• Is project description clear, are the overall benefits to Climate Change clearly demonstrated?

• Any additional useful info provided?

• Are all cost items eligible?

• Are figures acceptable & clear?

• Official Quotes Provided?

• CO2 savings estimate - submitted & acceptable?

Promotion of Climate Change Benefits/ Wider Community Benefit (score out of 5)

• Will the project improve understanding of climate change?

• Will the project promote environmentally sustainable behaviour?

• Will the project increase community involvement?

• Are measureable outputs clear?

• Are measureable outputs realistic?

• Are qualitative outputs clear? Are qualitative outputs realistic?

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