Agenda item

The Trustees considered the report presented by the Clerk to the Board of Trustees in relation to two applications made to the Gilstrap Charity for grant funding.  These were from: the Newark Book Festival; and the Newark Civic Trust (NCT).  Paragraph 2 of the report set out the current approved criteria for funding with details of the applications being provided in paragraph 3.  Redacted copies of the application forms were attached as appendices to the report. 

Newark Book Festival

In considering the application the Trustees expressed concern in relation to the amount of funding being sought.  The Trustees suggested that the overheads of the organisation should have been reduced and that the application, originally made in March 2020, had not been fully revised.  The Trustees commented that they looked to support organisations which were able to sustain themselves and would have wanted to have sight of more than one year’s financial accounts. 

It was suggested that the application be deferred pending submission of additional information.

Newark Civic Trust

In considering the application the Trustees were advised that the production of the town trails had been adapted in light of the pandemic with some of the information having been made available online as well as in the usual paper leaflet format. 

The Trustees were supportive of the town trails, suggesting that consideration should be given to the production of a booklet rather than individual leaflets.  A nominal charge could be made in the region of £0.50 to help towards the funding of the booklet.  The Trustees also suggested that the trails be promoted on the Visit Newark website and that Newark Civic Trust (NCT) be thanked for their efforts.

The Trustees discussed whether it would be appropriate for NCT to combine some of their less popular trails and whether the Woodwork Department at Newark College could be approached to make some leaflet display boards for placing in strategic locations in the area.  It was noted that this could result in a more frequent print run of the leaflets but that it was hoped that the information therein would not need to be changed for 2 to 3 years.  Discussions in relation to advertising were also held as this would help towards the cost of the printing. 

It was also noted that the NCT’s Civil War Trail and the National Civil War Centre did not complement each other and that consideration could be given to aligning the information provided by the two bodies.

In summary, the Trustees agreed that they would support the application for funding in the sum of £2,500 if the NCT considered the following suggestions:

i)     combine some of the less popular trails to reduce the number of leaflets printed, thereby reducing costs and that consideration be given to the production of a booklet, to include advertising space to create an income;

ii)    that an online presence for the town trails information be introduced; and

iii)   that a partnership be entered into with Newark College to build leaflet display boards for the town trail leaflets.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)     the determination of the Newark Book Club application for funding be deferred pending receipt of additional financial information; and

(b)     the Newark Civic Trust’s application for funding in the sum of £2,500 be approved subject to consideration of the following suggestions:

i)     combine some of the less popular trails to reduce the number of leaflets printed, thereby reducing costs and that consideration be given to the production of a booklet, to include advertising space to create an income;

ii)    that an online presence for the town trails information be introduced; and

iii)   that a partnership be entered into with Newark College to build leaflet display boards for the town trail leaflets.

Should the Newark Civic Trust not be in agreement to the above suggestions, the sum of £1,918.00 be approved.