The Charter Trustees are asked to consider the allocation of funding under the Twinning budget head in 2021/22 to the Twinning Association taking account of 5.8 of the Financial Regulations.
Minutes:
The Charter Trustees were asked to consider the allocation of funding under the Twinning budget head in 2021/22 to the Twinning Association taking account of 5.8 of the Financial Regulations.
Councillor Iyengar reported on the role and history of the Twinning Association and the request for £1,500 for grant funding in the base budget subject to annual scrutiny by the Charter Trustees. He reported that he had been the Chairman of the Cherbourg Twinning Association since December 2019. He referred to a trip to Cherbourg taken in February 2020, which he financed and the reception that he received which he described as magnificent. He reported that nothing had diminished in respect of the warmth of the relationship and the engagement between the two towns which included sport, cultural activities, a celebration of what the two towns have in common, the farmers market and relationships with the health service. He reported that the funds that have been requested would be to develop the online content to enable more information to be shared together with regular contact and the second option was for events.
Councillor Slade indicated that she was delighted to support the proposal which she highlighted was really important to maintain cultural, business and leisure links. She reported that Poole only had one place that it was linked with but suggested that the Charter Trustees could build on the relationships with places that have historic and cultural links.
Councillor Haines seconded the proposal from Councillor Iyengar for the request for £1,500 to be allocated to the twinning association and welcomed the potential for other contributions from partner organisations.
Councillor Stribley reported on previous proposals by the Borough of Poole to twin with St Johns in Newfoundland due to the potential close links but it was deemed to be too far for a twinning visit. Councillor Stribley referred to the active Wessex Newfoundland Society. Councillor Brooke supported the request from Councillor Iyengar. He also updated the Charter Trustees on the Wessex Newfoundland Society. Charter Trustees were advised that the Society had now been disbanded and was part of another organisation. Councillor Brooke reported that it would be a real tribute if a twinning relationship could be established with St John’s Newfoundland and made a move on that basis which was seconded by Councillor Stribley. The Head of Democratic Services reported that creating and establishing twinning towns was actually a BCP Council function. He explained that there would be nothing to prevent the Charter Trustees from starting that dialogue and establishing some communications and making a recommendation. Councillor Brooke in light of this advice suggested that a recommendation was submitted to BCP Council.
The Head of Democratic Services reported that ordinarily the Twinning budget would cover other incidentals of the Charter Trustees. He sought clarification on the funding of travel and accommodation costs for future events and asked if the grant was made to the Association there would be no further costs to Charter Trustees. Councillor Iyengar confirmed that if the £1,500 was granted to the Association there was no intention for them to come back to request additional funds. The RFO referred to paragraph 5.8 of the Financial Regulations on the allocation of grant funding confirming that if the £1,500 in the base budget for twinning becomes a grant to the Twinning Association paid on an annual basis subject to review that would be the only cost that the Charter Trustees incur on twinning.
RESOLVED that
(a) £1,500 in the base budget under the Twinning budget head be allocated to the Twinning Association as a grant in accordance with Paragraph 5.8 of the Financial Regulations for the purposes detailed above subject to annual review by the Charter Trustees.
(b) The Charter Trustees recommend to BCP Council that consideration be given to establishing a twinning relationship between Poole and St John’s, Newfoundland
Voting: Unanimous