Ayr Shopmobility has been awarded £75,000 from Ayr Common Good Fund, subject to meeting special conditions.

As part of the 2006/07 Common Good budget Elected Members received bids from local organisations for revenue funding.  In February 2006 the Policy and Resources Committee agreed to approve 50% of the funding requested.  A   Common Good Working Group was set up to consider the balance of the 2006/07 funding requests, and whether or not they should be awarded.  Each organisation was informed of the committee decision in relation to the balance of funding for 2006/07 and advised that there would be no funding in future years.

During 2006/07 Officers worked with various local organisations helping them to identify alternative funding sources.  Ayr Shopmobility has been in discussion with other funding organisations and managed to obtain funding of £8,000.  The Common Good Working Group, at a previous meeting, recommended that Ayr Shopmobility continue to receive support from the Ayr Common Good Fund until the outcome of other funding bids is known.

In February 2007 a Policy and Resources Committee agreed that in principle £75,000 should be awarded to Ayr Shopmobility to support them until the outcome of alternative funding bids was known.  The organisation has made no funding bids since this date but intend to make a bid to the Big Lottery Funding before 23 July 2007.  Ayr Shopmobility's projected financial position for 2007/08, based on expected historic external funding, is that it will attract £19,250.  Their total budget for this period is £94,750 leaving a balance of £75,500.  Proposed substantial changes to Ayr Shopmobility’s management committee and staff structure are altering the organisations funding position.

After considering the position of Ayr Shopmobility members of the Council’s Policy and Resources Convener and Vice-Convener’s Sub-Committee agreed to award the organisation £75,000, in quarterly instalments, subject to them meeting additional conditions.  Ayr Shopmobility will have to provide the Council with evidence of applications made for funding, evidence of attempts to secure external funding and review their operating practices to ensure they are delivering services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

The Committee instructed Graham Peterkin, Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development, Safety and Regulation to ensure the additional conditions are adhered to prior to releasing the next quarterly funding instalment.  Should Ayr Shopmobility fail to comply with the additional conditions the matter will be referred back to Committee.

April 2007