Youth

GROUP MEETING TUESDAY, 13TH JULY 7.30PM HARTWELL COMMUNITY CENTRE

Introduction:

What is S106 funding?

A new development may place additional pressure on existing social, physical and economic infrastructure in the surrounding area and can create a requirement for additional infrastructure and/or improved community facilities and services.  Without such infrastructure provision there could be a detrimental impact upon local amenities and the quality of the environment.  Planning obligations are used, where supported by the District Council’s and the County Council’s established policies, to ensure that new development make a positive contribution to the local area.  This takes place by balancing the additional pressure created from development and overcoming difficulties which would otherwise result in planning permission being refused, with improvements to the surrounding area in order to meet the needs of the parish.

The terms ‘planning agreement’, planning obligation’, unilateral obligation’ and ‘planning gain’ are often used interchangeably.  However, technically, a planning agreement, also known as a Section 106 (S106) Agreement (a reference to the relevant section of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990), is the overarching legal agreement which results from the planning obligations process.  Planning gain is merely a generic term to describe the community benefits achieved through this process.

In Hartwell’s case £25,000.00 has been received through planning gain from the new development Cross’s Grange.  A planning agreement has been drawn up to ensure this funding is spent on improving and creating facilities for 0-18 year olds in Hartwell.

This money will be held by South Northants District Council in Hartwell Parish Council’s name and must be spent by 21^st April 2014.

Hartwell Parish Council in partnership with Hartwell Community Centre Management Committee has formed a Steering Group made up of volunteer adults and young people who will work closely with youth workers and youth schemes from around the district.

First Step: A questionnaire was circulated among the youth community over the summer holidays asking them what they were interested in and what they needed/wanted in the village.  There was a free prize draw with prizes donated by the Parish Council the winners were picked at random at the Community Centre Fun Day in August.  Fifteen year old Roxy Harrison won a Toshiba HD SD camcorder with built in stills camera and thirteen year old Molly Hardingham won a Kodak Digital Camera with Kodak Digital Photo Frame.  The results of the questionnaire showed that the youth community would like a skate park (which could double as a graffiti wall), an improved youth shelter, a youth café/club and the children's play area to be refurbished and improved.  Other suggestions included a art/drawing competition, planting/gardening club, voluntary/charity work, swimming pool, after school clubs, ping pong table, trampolines, archery, astro turf, night club, video game club and film nights.

Next Steps: Having reviewed the completed questionnaires the steering group decided to focus on the top three results: Skate Park/Graffiti wall, youth shelter and children's play area with future plans to include a youth café/club.

In the new year the Steering Group will be actively researching and sourcing the products for the Top Three in addition agreements will need to be drafted with regard to equipment being placed on Community Centre land, responsibilty for maintainance, healthy and safety etc.