Agenda item

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

The Convener and Councillors Allan and Clark declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of being the Council’s appointed representatives on the Aberdeen International Football Festival Board. None of the Councillors felt it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

Councillor Milne declared an interest in the subject matter of the following article by virtue of being the Council’s appointed representative on the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Councillor Milne did not consider it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure outlining applications for financial assistance from the 2010/2011 International Twinning Budget and sought approval of the criteria for twinning applications and the monitoring of funded projects.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:-

(a)       re-affirm the following criteria for twinning applications and monitoring of funded projects:-

(a)       Given the limited size of the International Twinning Budget and the significant increase in applications at the start of the financial year 2010/2011, a tighter focus would be given to the promotion of international twinning opportunities within Aberdeen’s Communities to foster the participation of new groups.  The monitoring and evaluation of funded projects would also be reinforced by making feedback from participants and partners in the twin cities condition of award; 

(b)       In the context of the 2010 European Year for Combating Social Exclusion and the 2011 European Year of Volunteering, promotion of the twinning grant would be particularly targeted at third sector and voluntary organisations; 

(c)        Where relevant, incoming applications would be supported to seek match funding from external sources.  The service would take a proactive approach to this;  and

(d)       The criteria for processing applications and the monitoring of funded projects would be stated more explicitly to potential applicants:-

·        Applications would be processed on a first come, first served basis;

·        Priority would be given to new applicants (or new participants within the groups which had previously received funding);

·        Funding recommendations would take into account the need to balance the funding attributed between inward and outward twinning projects; 

·        For outward visits, applicants would be asked to adapt the numbers of participants to the nature of the project and activities involved;  and

·        The requirement to report on return from twinning visits would be implemented systematically and compliance thereof would be a condition for eligibility for future applications;

(b)       approve a grant of £9,486 to the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) including £3,934 towards the cost of an inward visit to participate in AIYF by six members of the rock group Kaifa from Clermont-Ferrand, and £5,552 towards the cost of an inward visit to participate in AIYF by six members of the music group Bifolk from Gomel; 

(c)        approve a contribution of £4,200 towards the cost of an outward visit to Regensburg by twelve members of the Board of YMCA Aberdeen to develop their partnership;

(d)       approve a contribution of £3,000 towards the travel costs for the Scouts project to help teach English and deliver books and equipment to the school and orphanage in Gomel;

(e)       approve a grant of £3,125 to bring the Mayor of Gomel, his spouse and an interpreter to Aberdeen to mark the 20^th anniversary of the twin city partnership between Aberdeen and Gomel;

(f)         approve a grant of £2,400 to enable a delegation of up to six people, including the Lord Provost and an officer from the International Team, to accept Regensburg invitation to mark the 55^th anniversary of the twin city partnership in Regensburg; 

(g)       approve a grant of £1,830 towards the travel and accommodation costs for the Gordon Highlanders’ Museum’s curator and an officer from the International Team to visit Gomel to develop the joint exhibition project;

(h)        approve a contribution of £190 to cover the full cost of local transport for the visit to Aberdeen by the Stavanger Scouts Group;

(i)         approve a grant of £12,500 towards the cost of the Tri-City Youth Theatre Project for performances at AIYF 2010;

(j)         decline the application from Aberdeen International Football Festival for £22,390 (as referred from the Committee at its meeting on 23 February, 2010) (article 16 of that minute refers);  and

(k)        decline the alternative award of £20,548 towards the cost of bringing a third twin city team (Gomel) to the 2010 Aberdeen International Football Festival.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.