Issue - meetings

Report of Strategic Director Environment and Community

Summary

The Council has been approached to support three developments planned in Bicester’s places of worship, all of which have some clear wider community benefits.  This report considers these and proposes support for them.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

1)         Approve grant aid of £30,000 for St Edburg’s Church and £10,000 each for The Church of the Immaculate Conception and Emmanuel Church.

2)         Make these grants conditional upon the construction and operational financial viability plus a clear long term programme of accessible community use of each project.

Approved

The Strategic Director Environment and Community submitted a report to support three developments planned in Bicester’s places of worship, all of which have some clear wider community benefits. 

Resolved

1)         That grant aid of £30,000 for St Edburg’s Church and £10,000 each for The Church of the Immaculate Conception and Emmanuel Church be approved.

2)         That these grants be made conditional upon the construction and operational financial viability plus a clear long term programme of accessible community use of each project.

Reasons - There are many places of worship in Bicester which play an important part in the life of the town. The Council has been approached by three of these with a request to support their planned developments. Each request has also demonstrated the willingness to receive bookings from a wide range of community groups and to adopt an open approach to non religious use by the local community.  This is an important point of principle which should be a condition of any grant aid.