Issue - meetings

A funding request has been submitted for two sets of internal automated doors inside the United Reform Church building at a cost of £14,500.

This is above the £10,000 limit for the CIL task group, so a decision is needed by the Joint Committee. The application form is attached.

Woking Joint Committee agreed that:

(i)    The application submitted by Ward Councillors for Mount Hermon Ward to secure £8,000 to install automated doors at the United Reformed Church in Mount Hermon be approved.

(ii)   The Strategic Director of Place be authorised to approve payment for the cost of replacing the automated doors when the works have been undertaken and the invoices have been submitted to the Council. The total cost of procuring and installing the automated doors is estimated at £8,000 plus VAT and will be drawn from the total CIL income earmarked and available for Mount Hermon Ward, this currently stands at £173,262.75; and

(iii)  The Ward Councillors for Mount Hermon Ward be asked to oversee all works relating to the procurement and installation of the automated doors in accordance with their project plan, project specification, costs and quality control.

Reasons for decisions:

The application satisfies CIL requirements.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers Attending: None

Petitions, Public Questions and Statements: None

Member Discussion – key points:

The chairman gave apologies from Ernest Amoako, Planning Policy Manager at Woking Borough Council.

The local Ward Councillor drew members’ attention to the important role played by the church in the local community, providing a service as a venue for clubs and as a vaccination centre, for example. This support was echoed by other members.

There was a concern that providing CIL funding for a church may set a precedent but the Chairman emphasised the paragraph in the officer’s report which stressed the need for all applications to be considered on their own merits, and in this particular case for the benefits to the wider community that the church offers to continue.

It was felt that this application sat in the category off Ward-based low-level infrastructure that Neighbourhood CIL applied to.

Resolved:

Woking Joint Committee agreed that:

(i)    The application submitted by Ward Councillors for Mount Hermon Ward to secure £8,000 to install automated doors at the United Reformed Church in Mount Hermon be approved.

(ii)   The Strategic Director of Place be authorised to approve payment for the cost of replacing the automated doors when the works have been undertaken and the invoices have been submitted to the Council. The total cost of procuring and installing the automated doors is estimated at £8,000 plus VAT and will be drawn from the total CIL income earmarked and available for Mount Hermon Ward, this currently stands at £173,262.75; and

(iii)  The Ward Councillors for Mount Hermon Ward be asked to oversee all works relating to the procurement and installation of the automated doors in accordance with their project plan, project specification, costs and quality control.

Reasons for decisions:

The application satisfies CIL requirements.