Maintenance of Community Facilities Scheme

Shetland Islands Council
Maintenance of Community Facilities Scheme

Guidelines

 

1. Introduction

This is a grant aid scheme designed to assist voluntary organisations, through grant assistance to maintain the standard of community facilities throughout Shetland.  

We hope this scheme makes a real difference to the quality of life for people living in Shetland.

 

2. What our grants are for

This grant scheme aims to support projects and activities that: –

  • Encourage participation in community life, in particular those focusing on young people and those most disadvantaged,
  • Assist in the process of sustaining and regenerating fragile rural areas,
  • Ensure organisations are open to those who want to take part and that they actively encourage more people into their organisation,
  • Promote individual and community achievement.

 

3. We expect all funded applications to demonstrate that

  •  it meets a community need
    
  •  it represents value for money
    
  •  it is well planned
    
  •  there are long term benefits
    
  •  it makes a difference to the community
  
  •   the project expenditure can be accounted for

 

4. Who can apply?

Your organisation can apply for Maintenance of Community Facilities grant if: –

  • you are based in Shetland
  • you are a non-profit making organisation
  • you have an open constitution or set of rules which clearly defines your organisation’s aims, objectives and procedures
  • you have a bank or building society account in the name of your organisation which requires at least 2 signatures on each cheque or withdrawal
  • you can enclose your most recent annual accounts which have been certified as true by a person independent of your organisation
  • you own / lease, manage and maintain a community facility in Shetland

 

5. New organisations

We welcome applications from new organisations.  If you are a new organisation, your committee should draw up and adopt a constitution or set of rules before you apply.  We realise that new organisations do not have a set of accounts for the last year but instead we would need an estimate of your income and expenditure for your first year and an office bearer from your organisation must sign this.

 

6. Constitutions

A Constitution should include:-

  • an organisation’s name, aims and objectives
  • details of how it achieves those objectives
  • details of how its committee is elected or appointed
  • details of how people can join the organisation
  • details of what will happen to the assets of the organisation if it closes
  • the date when the constitution was adopted and signed on behalf of the organisation

If you need help drawing up a constitution or changing your existing constitution our staff can assist with this.   See Section 18, Contact Details.

 

7. Are you a local branch of a national organisation?

You may apply if you are an independent branch of a national/umbrella organisation and have your own bank account, constitution, and management committee and have control over your own income and how you spend it.  

 

8. Who cannot apply?

  • Public bodies
  • Organisations in receipt of annual core funding from either Shetland Charitable Trust and/or Shetland Islands Council for services purchased
  • Companies which aim to make a profit
  • School organisations and school projects 
  • Individuals
  • Organisations outwith Shetland
  • Organisations who do not manage and maintain community facilities

 

9. How do we apply / when do we make an application?

Due to the significant demand for this grant aid scheme applicants must initially complete a Maintenance of Community Facilities Proposal Form and join the scheme’s waiting list.   Organisations must submit a completed Proposal Form by 31 March annually for consideration in the Council’s following financial year.

In April all proposal forms received are duly considered and prioritised.  The projects deemed as highest priority are invited to complete the Maintenance of Community Facilities Application Form.  Those projects not selected to apply will remain on the waiting list unless notified otherwise by the applicant organisation.   

The Grants Unit must receive your completed Maintenance of Community Facilities application form and supporting documentation prior to the project works commencing.  To be eligible for consideration organisations must not commence works until the outcome of their funding application has been received in writing from the Grants Unit.

If you require any help with completing your grant application form please contact the Grants Unit as soon as possible for assistance. 

 

10. What can we apply for?

We will consider funding the costs of maintenance work for all types of property belonging to voluntary organisations.  This includes repairs and maintenance to buildings, equipment, boundary walls, fences, marinas, piers, slipways, paths, car parks and other community facilities.

We will fund: –

  • Replacement of doors and windows
  • Repairs to heating and ventilation systems
  • Repairs to plumbing and electrical services
  • Roof and guttering repairs
  • Car park resurfacing
  • Access road resurfacing
  • Path and pavement maintenance
  • Internal floor refurbishment
  • Interior and exterior painting
  • Replacement of septic tank
  • Reharling and recladding costs
  • Wall and fence repairs
  • Renewal of fendering
  • Renewal of anchors, chains and bollards
  • Professional fees and statutory consents
  • Non recoverable VAT
  • Other maintenance works to a community facility

We will not fund: –

  • General running costs
  • Items that only benefit an individual e.g. medals, engraving, trophies, prizes, etc
  • Equipment purchase
  • Loan or endowment payments or bank charges
  • Development or special project costs
  • Feasibility, Design or Capital costs
  • Business or commercial projects
  • Any other expenditure that is deemed as non-maintenance of a community facility

 

11. How much can we apply for?

There is no minimum grant specified for this scheme.  However eligible organisations can only apply for up to 75% of eligible costs up to a maximum grant of £5,000. 

Please note that we will not award more than the amount you request in your application.  If you are unsure about how much funding you can apply for, please contact the Grants Unit in advance of submitting your grant application for guidance and assistance.

Organisations may only be considered for Maintenance of Community Facilities grant assistance once per Council financial year.

 

12. Application process

All applicants must initially complete and submit Maintenance of Community Facilities Proposal Form and join the scheme’s waiting list.  Projects are prioritised annually and those with the highest priority are invited to formally apply for grant assistance.

Once you have completed your grant application in full, attached all the necessary documents and worked through the checklist, please send the application and enclosures to the Grants Unit for processing and consideration.

  • On receipt of your application we will check if it is complete and ensure all the necessary information has been enclosed.
  • We will acknowledge receipt of your application within 5 working days or return your application if not complete, and will let you know what else you need to do.
  • Your completed application will be assessed and you will be informed of the decision in writing in no more than 6 weeks of receiving the completed application. 
  • Successful applications will be issued with a grant offer letter and acceptance docquet.
  • Once your organisation has accepted the terms and conditions of the grant and returned the acceptance letter 90% of the total grant due will be paid into your organisation’s bank account.   
  • Following the initial payment the remainder of grant assistance will be paid on receipt of completed SIC/ECS1 grant claim form and receipted expenditure.
  • All approved grant assistance must be claimed by no later than 31 March in the Council financial year it is awarded.

You must fully comply with grant conditions and only use the grant assistance for the purposes as set out in your application form.

 

13. If your grant application is unsuccessful

We will tell you the main reasons why in a letter within 6 weeks of receiving the completed application.  You may also find it useful to contact the Grants Unit as appropriate for advice and further assistance. 

Following receipt of the explanation your committee may wish you to revise your Maintenance of Community Facilities grant application form and resubmit it. 

Alternatively you may wish to appeal the original decision.  If your committee wish to appeal a decision, please contact the Grants Unit who will instruct you how to proceed.

 

14. Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Please note the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 gives members of the public the right to request any information that we hold. The Council regularly releases information about grant awards and informationregarding your application may be made available to the public. Any personal information provided will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

 

15. Child Protection requirements

From 1 April 2008 any organisation seeking financial assistance from this grant aid scheme must comply with Child Protection requirements if they:

  1. Organise activities for children and young people under the age of 18;

Or

  1. Arrange activities attended by children and young people under the age of 18, and have staff or volunteers engaged in a ‘childcare’ position as defined in the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 *

If either of these conditions applies to your organisation, then you will need to ensure that you have in place all of the following:  a Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Procedures; a Code of Conduct for staff and volunteers; an Equal Opportunities Policy. 

Templates for these documents are available from the Education and Social Care Department or at www.shetland.gov.uk/childsafeshetland/Grantaidtemplate.asp and must be approved and signed by committee members of your organisation.  You must also carry out Enhanced Disclosure checks for any individuals working or volunteering in a ‘childcare’ position, to ensure that they are not on the Disqualified from Working with Children List.  This is in order to comply with the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003.

* Staff or volunteers in a ‘childcare’ position include those ‘whose normal duties include caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children’ and would cover, for example:

  • Instructors or coaches who work with children (even with other adults present)
  • Adults who accompany children on visits (even if their own children are part of the organisation)
  • Adults who supervise other people’s children who are ‘sitting out’ of activities

Even if your organisation does not fall within this list, it might still be subject to the requirements of the Act.   If this is the case, you may wish to seek further advice from either the Central Registered Body for Scotland (CRBS), who process Disclosure checks for volunteers, on 01786 849777, or Disclosure Scotland on 0870 609 6006.

Contact details for local support on this subject and more information are available on the ChildSafe Shetland website: www.shetland.gov.uk/childsafeshetland

 

16. Other considerations

In addition to the above the following considerations also apply to this scheme:

  • The applicant must have adequate insurance cover in place for its community facility and be able to evidence this insurance cover on request.
  • All proposed works must comply with current building regulations and have the necessary statutory consents in place, where required.
  • No applications can be considered for expenditure already incurred, except with prior agreement of the Executive Director, Education and Social Care Department.
  • All grant awards are subject to the Shetland Islands Council’s approved grant conditions and availability of finance.
  • In the event that your actual project expenditure is underspent your organisation may be required to repay part of the grant assistance back to Shetland Islands Council.  If this happens you will be contacted in writing and asked to repay the identified underspend.

Your organisation’s contact details must be included in the Council’s online Community Directory and you will be responsible for making any changes to your organisation’s details as necessary.   If you have not joined the Community Directory please contact the Grants Unit for information, or look up the website at http://www.shetland.gov.uk/communitydirectory/

 

17. Service pledges

In order to improve service delivery of the department’s various grant aid schemes available, we have introduced the following service pledges:

  • The Grants Unit will provide accurate information about its grant aid schemes and the application procedures.
  • All grant application forms requested will be sent out within 2 working days.
  • All grant application forms received will be acknowledged within 5 working days.
  • All organisations receive a decision on completed grant application forms within 6 weeks *
  • All organisations that have had grant applications rejected will receive a written explanation of why it was unsuccessful.
  • All organisations that have had a rejected grant application advised in writing have the right to appeal against the decision.

     

*   Please note this timescale only applies to Grant Schemes that are delegated to officers within the Council’s Education and Social Care Department.

 

18. Contact Details

Grants Unit Sports Development Officer
Hayfield House Hayfield House
Hayfield Lane Hayfield Lane
Lerwick Lerwick
ZE1 0QD ZE1 0QD
Tel. (01595) 743827 / 743828 Tel. (01595) 744045
   
Lerwick, Bressay and Gulberwick Office North Isles Office
Old Library Centre C/o Yell Leisure Centre
Lower Hillhead Mid Yell
Lerwick Shetland
ZE1 0EL ZE2 9BN
Tel. (01595) 743880 Tel. (01957) 702040
   
North Mainland & Whalsay Office South Mainland & Fair Isle Office
4 Havragord C/o Sandwick Junior High School
Brae Sandwick
Shetland Shetland
ZE2 9SZ ZE2 9HH
Tel. (01806) 522417 Tel. (01950) 431439
   
West & Central Mainland Office Community Work Manager & Skerries Office
Scalloway Public Hall Hayfield House
Scalloway Hayfield Lane
Shetland Lerwick
ZE1 0UJ ZE1 0QD
Tel. (01595) 880440 Tel. (01595) 744060

Or email (for all offices):

community.development@shetland.gov.uk