Agenda item

To receive the Annual Report.

The Assistant Director – Corporate Services presented his report as a factual summary of work undertaken by the Committee.

Councillor Driscoll referred to the changes made in respect of the time permitted for questions to the executive and committee chairs at meetings of the Full Council and asked that these changes be communicated ahead of Full Council.

The Assistant Director – Corporate Services confirmed that Democratic Services would take this forward.

Councillor Khan congratulated the officer on his report and said that the main issues had been picked up, including grants governance.

            RESOLVED that the Annual Report be taken forward to Full Council.

The Chair thanked all members of the Committee for their work during the year.

The meeting closed at 8.40 pm.

Debden Residents Community Group (DRCG) response to presentation from Cllr Luck

UDC GAP Meeting 10th June 2021

Cllr Luck : We all know the Covenant agreement is for the MOD & Civilian organisations to work together for the better good of the community.

DRCG : So why was a more affordable scheme, with full planning permission not pursued years ago ? (This would have helped fulfil the duty on the Village Hall Trust to ‘act in the best interests of their charity’).

Cllr Luck : The grant application followed a Due Process and continued following agreed process until September 2020 when it was decided by the AFCT with concurrence by UDC that the Grant should be withdrawn. They came to this decision because in their view there was no Substantial and irretrievable progress on the project. The VHT dispute that claim.

DRCG : The application did not have the permission of the PC & no mention of the various ‘good will’ extensions given to avoid withdrawal of the Grant. It stated the grand opening would be in spring 2017. There is no mention of an alternative scheme with full planning permission. No building work has commenced, how do they evidence ‘substantial AND irretrievable’? The Grant was to pay for building work NOT expenses.

Cllr Luck : Therefore, since September 2020 Debden has only been able to make a little progress towards completion of the project its mainly because of the shadow of the withdrawal of the grant hanging over them.

DRCG : This is not true. Even with the PWLB loan there are insufficient funds to meet the huge cost of this project. This is compounded by the unnecessary cost of demolishing & rebuilding the pavilion - currently not funded.

·         The MoD Grant application was submitted by Stephanie Watson in 2015. At the time she was Chairman of the Village Hall Trust and a member of Debden Parish Council. She has been a member of the Council since then and was Vice Chairman and now Chairman of Debden Parish Council.

·         On May 6^th2021, an election was called, and Stewart Luck was elected to the Parish Council.  In 2015 Stewart Luck was a Parish Councillor and Chairman of the Village Hall Group (an unconstituted organisation representing fund raising activities).

·         Neither Stephanie Watson nor Stewart Luck informed the Parish Council in 2015 about the application. The Parish Council's name was included on the application without their knowledge.

·         The Grant, which was erroneously handed over in its entirety to the Village Hall Trust has sat in the Village Hall Trust current account for 6 years. There has also been little additional fund raising throughout the six-year period.

·         Even with the grant, the shortfall for building a new village hall and sports pavilion is huge. Cllr Luck mentions in his statement to the GAP meeting on 10^th June, “the Responsible Financial Officer will not sign the application for a large Public Works Loan Board grant”.  It is not a grant but a loan with repayments over 40 years, with interest, payable (in the form of a Precept) by the residents. It was initiated by Debden Parish Council's flawed Public Consultation exercise conducted 19th February to 20th March 2020.Their actions have consistently lacked transparency, accountability, and competence.

·         There is a significant number of residents who do not believe this scheme is affordable & that their voices are not being heard. This includes the 82% who supported an alternative, more affordable scheme. (Result of a recent Parish Poll organised by UDC)

·         The refusal of the Village Hall Trust to return the grant, even though there is no clear way ahead to complete the build, is a total embarrassment to the village and to our Army neighbours.