Agenda item

Councillor Andrew Curtin, Cabinet Member for Culture, Towns and Communities, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded about the development of a project to restore the Upminster Windmill Heritage Site following a successful Stage 1 application for development funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).  In November 2012 funding of £128,920 had been granted to progress plans to restore the windmill and build an Education & Training Centre. 

The report sought approval to make a Round 2 application to the HLF Heritage Grants Programme in partnership with the Upminster Windmill Preservation Trust (the Trust), for £1,384,500.

The Round 2 bid would build on the work undertaken during the development phase outlining in detail the delivery plans to restore the windmill and build the Education & Training Centre.  The bid would also encompass the range of community activities that would meet the HLF learning, participation and conservation aims.

The Council had worked closely with the Trust to develop plans for the site and an integral part of the project had been the volunteer time allocated during both the development stage and the delivery stage. 

Reasons for the decision:

Upminster Windmill was a Grade II* listed building, currently registered by English Heritage as in poor condition and priority D on their At Risk Register (Priority D was classified as: “slow decay; solution agreed but not yet implemented”).  English Heritage had been consulted during the development phase and awareness of the project had raised expectations of delivery from English Heritage.

In order to maximise the benefits of HLF funding, a decision by Cabinet was required to authorise the submission of funding bids in excess of £500k.  The Constitution set out that pursuant to the delegated authority for corporate functions in Part 3 Section 2.2 in the following paragraphs to Cabinet:-

(a)       To take decisions on all matters relating to the Council’s finances including but not exclusively:

(i)        budgetary control

(q)     To approve applications for the submission of bids for grants and other financial assistance which require the provision of additional finance or match funding or are likely to lead to residual costs or implications for the Council or where the amount of the grant application exceeds £500,000

Other options considered:

Submitting external funding bids above £500k required Cabinet approval, without which there were no other options available.

Cabinet:

Agreed that a submission of a Round 2 grant funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, Heritage Grants Programme for £1,384,500 be made.