The Chairman of Wilmslow Town Council has used his monthly report to hit back at some wilmslow.co.uk readers who criticised their awarding of grants to local organisations, event organisers, charities and groups.
Speaking at the Town Council meeting on Monday, 16th January, Councillor Martin Watkins read the following report:
After last month's meeting, Lisa published an article of Wilmslow.co.uk headed "Town Council spends 25% of precept on grants". Of the 21 responses, 6 came from one individual, 3 came from Councillor Keith Chapman by way of reply, whilst two other individuals responded twice.
The individual who responded 6 times, said this (and I quote)
- Let's see the church accounts (about a sound system) – we did.
- Firing range improvements...that is not even in Wilmslow – nothing in "the rules" says projects have to be in Wilmslow. However, they should benefit Wilmslow people. In this case, the beneficiaries were the disabled of Wilmslow. The project is a legal enterprise and the Council needed to be, and was, aware of the Disability Discrimination Act.
- How many and which councillors are members of St Barts congregation and what roles they played... - Membership of any recognised religious body will not, and never will, debar any Councillor from considering grants.
- I would like to know what projects have been turned down for funding – read our minutes!
- Cheeky councillors want to raise taxes to fund more pet projects. WTC is awash with cash and short of ideas on how to spend it. - These are neither projects nor ours (WTC). They are grants applied for by organisations seeking assistance from the Council. The council has no control over who will apply or for what amount. It would be more accurate to say that the Council is awash will grant applications with limited funds to meet demand.
- Disclosure of Personal Interests; Can't find this on the WTC website. - All Councillors are required and do declare members interests before every meeting of this Council and its committees. In addition, members' interests are declared against their names on the Council's website and have been there since the Council's inception.
- Disclosure of grants. – The Town Council is under no obligation, legal or otherwise, to disclose grant applications on its web site. In the past, information has been posted to assist those organisations making their application. Note that grants are not made by public acclaim but by a responsibility placed on each and every Councillor. Please note that Cheshire East do not publish details of grant applications made to them.
- This could make the grants illegal. - If you, as an individual, are asked or tempted to donate to any organisation or charity, then that is lawful. Grants made by the Council are equally lawful.
Other comments include:
- Grants to religious organisations are wrong. I would think this grant was illegal. - Wilmslow Town Council will consider all grant applications made to it impartially and without favour. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination, written or said, and we embrace diversity in all its forms. No grant ever made by this Council has been illegal.
- The Town Council needs to get some legal advice on this issue..... - Wilmslow Town Council is a competent Council. Its accounts, which includes both income and expenditure, are subject to both internal and external audit. No observation has ever been made about any grant.
- The whole town infrastructure is crumbling around them. Even if this statement were true, the infrastructure is not a responsibility of this Council.
- Wilmslow Show should never have had a penny – a bold statement made without any supporting evidence. I take it that the writer has not volunteered his services despite entreating others to do so.
- The £2K wasted on the 'eyepatch' of land on Mill Street to turn it into a 'wildflower meadow' was ridiculous – for the record, Wilmslow Town Council has spent not a brass farthing on a wildflower meadow anywhere in the town.
I will end by saying how sad I am how these comments have been received in some parts of our town. Most of the organisations are run by, or rely on, volunteers who give freely of their time. Yet these organisations are being criticised for trying to improve the lot of our citizens by asking for financial help. Wilmslow Town Council is being criticised for aiding them. Some of these organisations are undertaking responsibilities when the state should be providing the lead and when we should be paying considerably more in our taxes then we give as a grant.
Interestingly enough, when Lisa reported this after the last Council meeting, she also reported how the Wilmslow Ju-jitsu team had come to thank us for the contribution we made. Not one of the complainants I have referred to made any comment about how well grants are received. Not one made any mention of improving the lot of Wilmslow citizens, including the disadvantaged. When one individual was invited to an open meeting, he declined. It would be a shame if any organisation benefitting Wilmslow citizens withdrew an application to the Council because of the adverse comments of the very few.
Editor's note: Wilmslow Town Council's Finance Committee will be considering three more grant applications from Wilmslow Library, Age UK and Dean Row Village Hall at their meeting on Monday 23rd January.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
In Feb 2015 WTC agreed to spend £1950, from the special projects budget, £900 for plug plants, £150 for seeds to scatter and £900 for the planting ..Ruth McNulty indicated the postage stamp site chosen because it was 'one of the gateways into Wilmslow' .. I can find no record if the cash was spend or not.. clarity as to how our cash is generally being spent in some easily identifiable format would perhaps be beneficial to everyone.
The application from St Barts for their organ appeal was withdrawn before it was considered by the full council. I assume that is why Martin felt it wasn't appropriate to make a comment.
Cllr Angela McPake
You also seem to still be "talking down to us" again..
Pay good heed to what happened in Alderley Edge- Alderley First might well turn into Wilmslow First.
We have a history of booting out less than perfect "party-political running-dogs (Hamilton)" and the clock is still ticking on the current CEC "representatives"...
All too often I see articles appearing on this website being high-jacked by a cabal of local residents, who do not accept the democratic will of the rest of us. They are all for democracy, but only their kind.
Accusations made, when the surface is scratched, are all too often found to be fatuous, wrong and a long way from the facts. Be thankful we live in a society which allows them to expound such drivel. However, do not confuse this freedom of speech with the mistaken belief that they may know what they are talking about. Councillor Watkins thank you for putting the record straight.
I see the same names time and again, railing against the latest council initiative because it does not suit their agenda - whatever that might be! If they are hellbent on bringing down our elected officials, then can I challenge them to stand at the next election. Let us all know your policies and we can then make a choice.
As an old boss once told me, it is better to appear an idiot than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
His assertion that Community Grants are not awarded by public acclaim was refuted when 10 groups pitched for a share of £20K and the 5 winners were voted for by all those attending the meeting on 6th Jan. presumably inc members of the Public.
Minutes of WTC decisions are not avail until a few days after the Minute have been accepted by full Council at subs WTC meeting .
WTC Planning Committee publish a list of all Planning applications to be considered, in the Agenda for the meeting, to allow any resident to attend & comment on any listed
Application, evidenced several times over the years and prob again at the 23rd Jan meeting.
Why cannot Finance Comm. emulate this and publish amount
requested alongside name of organisation in the Agenda for the meeting? WTC could then confirm the amount approved in their Minutes. Transparency of sorts!
I have no objection to Finance making the final decision if the promised debate, to decide overall criteria, is open to public comment before guidelines are decided.
Any Group should be able to apply for a Grant, how much & how often may be the question.
Well if you want the MOST RECENT APRIL 2015 Chairmans reports,... or lots of other outdated selective redacted waffle.... you know which box to tick
The Town deserves better.....