Feasibility and Design Grant Scheme

Shetland Islands Council
Feasibility and Design Grant Scheme

GUIDELINES


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 These guidelines are intended to assist voluntary organisations which are thinking about applying to the Community Development Service of the Community Services Department, for grant assistance under the Feasibility and Design Grant Scheme.

2. WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF THE SCHEME ?

2.1 The purpose of this scheme is to assist voluntary organisations in obtaining professional technical help at the earliest feasibility stage of conceiving new capital projects. The ability to introduce this professional advice will help to ensure the needs, ideas and vision of the community can thereby be translated into tangible, feasible and costed schemes with all necessary legal and statutory consents. These grants should enable:

* Voluntary organisations to present the best possible information to Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust.

* Maximum gain to be achieved from external grant sources.

* Communities to meet the new statutory obligation to provide a planning supervisor for most building projects.

* Voluntary organisations to provide the best value for money for the community.

3. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY ?

3.1 To be eligible for a grant an organisation must :-

* Be established for charitable, benevolent, social, cultural, recreational or philanthropic purposes.

* Have a constitution, or set of rules, which define its aims, objectives and operational procedures.

* Be able to provide a copy of its latest annual accounts and most recent bank statement. Accounts to be checked and signed by a person independent of the group.

* Have a bank account operated by a minimum of at least two joint signatories.

4. WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FEASIBILITY AND DESIGN GRANT ASSISTANCE ?

* Sports Field
* Changing Rooms
* Public Halls
* Community Centres
* Youth Centres
* Village Clubs
* Marinas
* Breakwaters
* Piers and slipways
* Community Museums/ Interpretative Centres
* Arts based Facilities

5. WHAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THIS SCHEME ?

5.1 Normally the lead professional for your project will either be an architect or civil engineer depending on the nature of the project who will be responsible for assembling the design team which will include a quantity surveyor and possibly other construction professionals. Please note however, that each design team member should be appointed independently of each other by your committee.

5.2 A minority of projects may require an alternative approach with the lead role being taken by other professionals such as a service engineer or interior/exhibition designers.

5.3 In addition to the services mentioned above it may be necessary to obtain the advice of other professionals such as lawyers, accountants or other specialists, which can be funded through this scheme.

6. HOW DOES THIS SCHEME OPERATE ?

6.1 Before doing anything else it is strongly recommended that a meeting be organised with the relevant officer of the Community Services Department, Community Development Service to gain further information and clarification of this scheme.

6.2 PROJECTS - £50,000 AND OVER

6.2.1 For capital projects with an estimated works cost of £50,000 or over excluding VAT, there are two stages to this scheme both of which must be reported to the Council’s Services Committee, prior to final approval of grant assistance by either/or both Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust.

6.3 Stage 1 - FEASIBILITY

6.3.1 To initiate stage 1 and complete this application form a minimum of two competitively obtained fee proposals from suitably qualified and insured professionals e.g. architects or engineers must be obtained. The fee proposal should include a lump sum figure with a full breakdown of fees and expenses for completing the feasibility study to RIBA stage C or equivalent for an engineering project. In addition to this the fee proposal should also provide a sliding scale of percentage fees to which the professional concerned will be contractually committed in the event that they are commissioned to take the project to RIBA stage H or equivalent for an engineering project.

6.3.2 At stage 1 a grant of up to 90% up to a maximum of £5,000 can be recommended to the Council’s Services committee for final approval by either or both Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust.

6.4 Stage 2 - DESIGN

6.4.1 Before any action is taken to initiate the subsequent design stage of the project a second report must be presented to the Community Services committee recommending approval of the further design fees required to bring the project to RIBA stage H or equivalent for an engineering project.

6.4.2 At stage 2 a grant of up to 90% up to a maximum of £15,000 can be recommended to the Council’s Services Committee for final approval by either or both Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust.


6.5 PROJECTS UNDER £50,000

6.5.1 For a capital project with an estimated works cost of under £50,000 excluding VAT, only one report is required to the Council’s Services Committee which can recommend to Council or the Charitable Trust that a single grant be approved to cover stages 1 and 2 as described in sections 5.3 and 5.4 above.

6.5.2. For a project of this size a grant of up to 90% up to a maximum of £5,000 can be recommended to the Council’s Services Committee for final approval by either or both Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust.

7. HOW DO WE OBTAIN COMPETITIVE FEE PROPOSALS FOR THE PROJECT ?

7.1 Firstly your organisation should have a clear idea of the project that it intends to undertake and should be able to supply the following information:

* A general description of the proposed project
* Site information including any site plans available
* Information on the existing building for building projects
* Some indication of size, scale and complexity of project
* Copies of any existing drawings

7.2 Having gathered the above information an outline brief and tender submission should be completed and circulated to suitably qualified and insured architects or engineers depending on the type of project. The professionals who are sent an outline brief and tender submission should be asked to indicate whether they wish to be considered to be invited to submit a tender. A suggested form of outline brief and tender submission is enclosed as form F.D 1 - Outline Brief and Tender Submission. However, your organisation should adapt this form as necessary to suit your purposes and no warranty is given as to the suitability or accuracy of the suggested form.

7.3 On the basis of this information and following an open meeting with the professionals who are to be invited to tender a minimum of two tenders should be obtained which will allow your organisation to complete the feasibility and design grant application form. A suggested Form of Tender to be issued to those professionals who are to be invited to tender is enclosed. Again, however, this should be adapted by your organisation to suit your particular needs and no warranty is given as to the suitability or accuracy of the suggested Form of Tender.

8. IS THERE A MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM SIZE OF PROJECT FOR WHICH A FEASIBILITY AND DESIGN GRANT CAN BE RECEIVED ?

8.1 A capital project must have a total estimated project cost of £3,000 or more before it can be considered for a design and feasibility grant.

8.2 Although all capital projects will be considered for a feasibility and design grant, it is worth noting that through the Community Services Department, Community Development Service Capital Grants Scheme, the maximum grant available is £100,000 which because of limited resources, will only be awarded in exceptional circumstances.

9. HOW WILL GRANTS BE PAID ?

9.1 If an organisation is successful in being awarded a grant from either or both Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust, then 50% of the total grant allocation will be paid when the organisation returns the completed acceptance docquet. The remainder of the grant will be paid by instalments on receipt by the Community Services Department, Community Development Service of the completed SIC ECS1 forms which are sent to the organisation with the acceptance docquet.


10. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

10.1 Your organisation must raise and contribute a minimum of 10% towards the cost of the accepted fee proposal.

10.2 Prior to the beginning of each financial year a priority programme of proposed capital projects, some which require Feasibility and Design Grant assistance, is presented to the Council’s Services Committee for consideration by elected members, prior to consideration of individual projects. Accordingly, if your project is not on this priority programme then your project cannot be considered at this time and your organisation should contact the relevant officer in the Community Development Service to discuss your project and request a Capital Grant Proposal Form.

10.3 Because a great deal of public money is involved there are a number of strict conditions which have to be met.

10.4 Your organisation should be aware that the award of a Feasibility and Design Grant in no way commits Shetland Islands Council or Shetland Islands Council Charitable Trust to provide grant assistance towards the final project.

11. GENERAL INFORMATION

11.1 It is important that organisations should consult with officials of the Community Services Department, Community Development Service prior to completing the application form, as this will provide an opportunity to discuss all relevant points and reduce the necessary time required for completion.