Community Assembly Members’ Briefing Paper

Name of Community Assembly: South West
Date of Meeting: 9th September 2010
Agenda Item: 6
Report Title: South West Community Assembly Climate Change Fund (CCF) 2010/11
Report Author: Tammy Barrass / Contact Number:0114 2037212
Service & Directorate or Organisation:
Neighbourhood Renewal and Partnership Service
Communities Portfolio
Purpose of Paper: (please mark ‘X’)

For Decision (please describe in detail below)

/ X /

Information / Progress Update

Paper Headlines and Summary:
The South West Community Assembly has a Climate Change Fund budget of £40,000 for 2010/11. The closing date for applications for this funding was Friday 13th August 2010.
The Climate Change Fund can be used to provide grants to local groups for energy or non-energy capital projects that meet the aim of improving energy efficiency and reducing the potential impacts of climate change.
The South West Community Assembly received 18 applications for this fund jointly totalling £94,099.
This report presents a number of options for the allocation of this funding within the South West Community Assembly area.

Recommendations to the Community Assembly Members’ Briefing:

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.
What decision, if any, is required from the Community Assembly Members’ Briefing?
To consider the information presented in the report and agree the preferred option to be taken forward for decision at the next Community Assembly meeting on 30th September 2010.

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.

.

1

Applicant Organisation / Project Summary / Amount Requested / Benefits identified / Project Score / Recommendation / Comments/special conditions
1. Hallam Community and Youth Association / To repay Local Carbon Building Programme Grant so the project can claim Feed In Tariff / £11,550 /
  • No additional benefits in terms of impact on Climate Change
  • Funding would help with future financial sustainability of the organisation
/ 1 / Not recommended for funding by assessment panel / CCF is expected to be classed as State Aid, this would not solve the issue for HCYA as they would still be unable benefit from Feed in Tariff.
Does not offer additional benefit to Climate Change.
2. Totley Primary School Gardening Club / Install water butts and hose, plant trees and fruit bushes at Totley Primary School / £915 /
  • 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
/ 5 / Not recommended for funding by assessment panel / Little demonstration of community involvement outside of the School community
3. Millhouses Methodist Church / Roof insulation to main building / £1,960 /
  • Publicity of funding to community groups, members and church users
  • Roof installation installed reducing level of gas consumption.
/ 8 / Recommended for funding / High scoring project with demonstration of Climate Change benefits and wider community involvement. Project to be asked to display info re Climate Change Funding and its benefits as part of funding agreement.
4. Commonwheels/Transition Porter Valley / To establish a co-op car club in the Porter Valley area. / £4,975 /
  • Co2 Savings
  • Reduction of parked cars
  • Financial savings through disposal of private cars
  • Brings community together
/ 6 / Not recommended for funding as option 1 but potential to fund should an alternative option be selected. / Concerns regarding:
(a) Ownership of vehicle, need clarification that car is owned by the Car Club. (b) How the project be sustained longer term. (c) How maintenance/breakdown costs for the vehicle would be covered.
5. Sheffield Wildlife Trust / Extend Landscape scale conservation project, the ‘Living Don’ into the western valleys of Sheffield, including Porter, Limb and Rivelin Valleys / £10,000 /
  • 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
/ 7 / Recommended for funding / Funding of this project will enable Sheffield Wildlife Trust to bring £238,000 of additional match funding to the area.
6. Grow Sheffield / Create a learning environment and practical space at Dobcroft Junior School / £4,970 /
  • Encourage understanding of climate change to promote behaviour change
  • Recycling, water conservation, healthy eating, locally grown food
  • Encourage volunteering
/ 7 / Recommended for funding / High scoring project with demonstration of Climate Change benefits, would recommend asking for more evidence of wider community involvement as part of any funding agreement granted.
7. Banner Cross Methodist Church / Supplying roof insulation. / £3,150 /
  • Reduction in gas consumption
  • Promotion of Climate Change Funding and benefits to community groups, members and church users
/ 8 / Recommended for funding / High scoring project with demonstration of Climate Change benefits and wider community involvement. Project to be asked to display info re Climate Change Funding and its benefits as part of funding agreement.
8. Heeley and District Allotment Protection Society / Build a communal compost bay and chippings bay in car park. / £4,590 /
  • Promote sustainable behaviour
  • Discourage fly tipping
  • Saving on packaging, transportation and processing
/ NA / Passed to South Community Assembly because project falls outside of our area / Not eligible for funding from the South West Community Assembly
9. Sheffield Community Transport / Purchase a minibus that runs on natural gas/bio methane / £4,710 (from each CA) /
  • CO2 Savings
  • Livery would stress the environmental benefits of the project
/ 5 / Not recommended for funding / City wide project. No clear description of how this project would benefit residents in the South West.
10.Hangngwater Allotment Association / Promote improve and maintain Hangingwater Allotments and encourage gardening/food growing in local area. / £1,150 /
  • Educate local community
  • Increase sense of community and encourage interest in supporting community activity
  • Increased number of volunteers
  • Cultivation of plots
/ 8 / Recommended for funding / Need to ensure that the Councils Allotment department are supportive of the project before any funding is awarded.
11. St Thomas Church, Crookes / Replacing windows / £4,978 /
  • Publicity of benefits of the Climate Change Fund
  • Installation of double glazing
  • Lower energy usage
/ 6 / Not recommended for funding as option 1 but potential to fund should an alternative option be selected. / Sketchy application, limited information about wider community benefit.
12. Crosspool Harvest / Local Food Growing social enterprise. Creating a Small holding for people living in or around Crosspool. Clearance of Land in preparation for food growing / £20,818 /
  • 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
/ 9 / Recommended for funding.
Number of options suggested, Panel recommend funding for option 3 £11,963. / Very strong application, presented a number of options for funding.
13. Notre Dame / Create a community and teaching garden at Notre Dame School. / £4,300 /
  • 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)
/ 8 / Recommended for funding / High scoring project with demonstration of Climate Change benefits and wider community involvement
14. Transition Crookes Walkley / Creation of a community edible garden at a site belonging to the Ball Pub. / £4,958 /
  • Encourage local food growing
  • Social meeting place for local residents
  • Development of a Community garden
/ 6 / Not recommended for funding as option 1 but potential to fund should an alternative option be selected. / Little information supplied to show how the wider community would be engaged.
15. Pedal Ready / Adult Learn to ride a bike sessions. Purchase of 4 Bicycles. / £1,160 /
  • Encouraging sustainable travel
  • Reduction in car journeys
/ 5 / Not recommended for funding / Application doesn’t describe how this will be delivered locally in the South West.
16. Dobcroft Infant School / Construction of a roof garden / £3,000 /
  • Encourage conservation
  • Promote biodiversity
  • Teaching and learning area
/ 3 / Not recommended for funding / Not eligible as it does not demonstrate activity outside the schools curriculum.
17. Totley Residents Association / Establish a wildflower meadow at Green Oak Park / £3,445 /
  • Planting of Fruit Trees
  • Reduction in CO2
  • Linkages with local schools
/ 5 / Not recommended for funding / Low scoring project with limited evidence of wider community involvement
18. Carter Knowle and Millhouses Community Group / Planting of Trees in Millhouses Park / £2,970 /
  • Reduction in Nitrogen Oxides
  • Community Planting Event
  • Reduction in CO2
/ 4 / Not recommended for funding / Low scoring project with limited evidence of wider community involvement

1

  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

Climate Change Fund (CCF) – Application Assessment Criteria

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?

1