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Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on Round 5 – 2023-24 of the Council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund (SEF).Ìý The report provided details of the applications submitted and recommendations regarding all eligible applications put forward to receive grant funding. The report also sought agreement to allocate any underspend from this round to a future SEF round (Round 5.2); and agreement to allocate funding to allow a future round (Round 6) for 2024-25.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.      agreed to the award of eligible SEF Round 5 grants amounting to £78,975 as detailed in Table 1 of Appendix 1 to the submitted report;

2.      agreed to award £3,600 to West Highland Yachting Week on the basis declared in the body of the report as detailed in Table 2 of Appendix 1 to the submitted report;Ìý

3.      agreed that any SEF grant offer only be formally issued upon confirmation from the individual event organisation that the event is formally confirmed, is definitely going ahead and still meets the SEF Round 5 criteria.Ìý These grants are detailed in Appendix 1, Tables 1 & 2, to the submitted report;

4.      agreed to continue delegation of powers to the Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth to allow any subsequent amendment to existing grant requests to be made brought about as a consequence of changes to the event/event budget. Any amendment to a current grant request/offer would only be considered if the amendment related to either the same level or a reduction in the request from and constitute up to 75% of legitimate and eligible expenditure;

5.      agreed to continue to assist with the economic recovery of the fragile events and festivals sector within 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute and agree that any underspend from SEF Round 5 is made available to a second call for applications (SEF 5.2) with a deadline of April 2023; and

6.      agreed to recommend to the Council that as part of the budget in February 2023, that they agree £90,000 base funding for Strategic Events and Festivals in order that the application process can commence during 2024/25 and that this fund be augmented by any underspend remaining from the current financial year.Ìý

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 23 December 2023, submitted