ASSESSMENT REPORT
Name of Group: Cromer Skatepark
Status: Voluntary Group with constitution
Established Date: 01/04/2012
Contact: Mrs Penny Gee
Panel:
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY
FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
Assessed By: Jenny Bevan
£ Requested: £15,000.00
Number of beneficiaries:
500
Primary issues:
Sport and Recreation
Contact No: 01263 514805
Organisation Size:
F/T Staff: 0
P/T Staff: 0
Volunteers: 25
Total Project Cost: £150,000.00
District: North Norfolk
Sub district: Cromer
Primary beneficiaries:
Children and Young People
Primary age groups:
Young People (13 – 18)
Organisation purpose:
A local group campaigning for a permanent, public skatepark in Cromer since 2007.
Application summary:
To install a skate park facility.
Financial information:
Annual operating budget - £0 - as a new organisation there is no annual accounting information to report
Free reserves - £0
Income generation - £0
Referee comment:
Tony Shipp MBE, Chair of Cromer Voluntary Entertainment Organisation. "There has been an obvious need
for permanent skate boarding facilities in Cromer for the past 15 years. The number of young people taking
up skateboarding, inline skating, scooters and cycling has increased considerably. The proposed project will
enable young skateboarders to develop their skills in a safe, purpose built environment."
Monitoring objectives:
- to create a safe purpose built facility for skateboarding and other sports
- to encourage healthy outdoor activities
- to improve local provision for young people
Recommendation:
This application is presented for the panel's consideration. There seems to be a great deal of local support
for this project, but it is in the earliest stages, with planning permission and a lease on the site yet to be
secured. It is suggested that this application should be deferred to a future panel, when some progress may
have been made in both these areas.
Local residents have been campaigning for a permanent, public skatepark in the town since 2007, with some
suggesting that the idea was first raised some 30 years ago. Following a failed attempt in 2008, when a
prospective site and £50,0000 of pledged funding fell through, this group of local residents has formed to
progress this project. The committee comprises an active group of 22 young people plus local parents and
other residents, who have been involved in a range of community fundraising activities. A site for the new
skatepark has now been allocated at the Meadow in Cromer. The site is owned by North Norfolk District
Council, and it is expected that a lease will be put in place that passes control of the land to the skatepark
group in the long term. A planning permission application was submitted on 4 May, and a decision is
expected within 8 weeks.
A temporary skate park has visited Cromer 3 times in the last 3 years, and there is an 'unofficial' skate park in
North Lodge Park which has proved popular with children of all ages. This has been created in an unused
corner of the play area, with a concrete surface and various wooden ramps etc constructed from materials
donated by local businesses. This site however is not practical for a long term solution, as there are plans to
develop the area. The continued interest in provision of a skatepark, plus local word-of-mouth polls, suggests
there is strong local interest in the project. It is noted however that the 2008 proposal failed in part due to
complaints from residents about noise - this has been fully taken into account, with the new site positioned at
a distance from residential property, and constructed from appropriate noise absorbing materials.
As yet the design of the park has not been decided - a range of costed examples has been provided showing
options ranging from £32,000 up to £200,000. The final design chosen by the group will be decided by the
ASSESSMENT REPORT
funds raised - they report that they are hoping to raise £150,000, but would settle for a less costly design if
necessary, and aim to develop it over time. It is noted that this group expects to remain in control of this
project throughout the life of the facility, and it is expected that the District Council will sign the site over to
their management. They expect to continue to fundraise to maintain and repair the site, and undertake eg.
insurance, litter picking etc costs. Until the details of any lease are known, this remains unconfirmed.
Fundraising to date remains limited to local donors and community events - Cromer Carnival Committee has
covered the cost of the planning application, and various other small pledges have been received in principle.
It is hoped that the Town Council will contribute also. This group was only formalised in April, therefore
financial information is limited, and a bank account is still in the process of being opened. It is clear from
talking to the applicant that sums raised to date amount to hundreds, not thousands, towards the target. Until
planning permission is secured and suitable lease is drawn up for the Meadow site, the progression of this
project - and the timescale attached - are uncertain.
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Name of Group: Fit Together North Norfolk
Status: Community Interest Company
Established Date: 01/05/2012
Contact: Mr Laurence Hull
Panel:
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY
FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
Assessed By: Jenny Bevan
£ Requested: £26,072.00
Number of beneficiaries:
3000
Primary issues:
Health and Wellbeing
Contact No: 01603 732331
Organisation Size:
F/T Staff: 0
P/T Staff: 0
Volunteers: 40
Total Project Cost: £31,072.00
District: North Norfolk
Sub district: N/A
Primary beneficiaries:
Older People
Primary age groups:
Seniors (65+)
Organisation purpose:
The Fit Together North Norfolk Community Interest Company aims to develop, manage and deliver the North
Norfolk Walking for Health scheme and associated activity programme.
Application summary:
To set up and support the new CIC in its first year of operation.
Financial information:
Annual operating budget - £0 - as the new CIC has yet to complete registration, there are no finances to
report.
Free reserves - £0
Income generation - £0
Referee comment:
Karl Read, Leisure & Cultural Services Manager - North Norfolk District Council. "The projects plays a vital
role in promoting exercise to people aged 50 years or above. Whilst the physical health benefits are quite
obvious, the mental wellbeing benefits are quite significant. Many older people that might be left alone and
suffer from isolation, now have an activity in which they can meet other like-minded people and gain a
significant health benefit from. I am convinced that this project not only improves the quality of life of those
participants but also extends the length of the lives of those people also."
Monitoring objectives:
- to sustain and develop the Fit Together in North Norfolk scheme
- to access a range of other funding and income streams to support the programme
- to encourage more people, particularly over 55s, to join the programme
Recommendation:
This application is recommended for a full grant, in recognition that this project aims to sustain and develop a
proven programme.
This application has been led by Active Norfolk, the county sports partnership, to secure start up costs for the
new Fit Together CIC that they are planning to launch shortly to develop and deliver the North Norfolk
Walking for Health scheme and associated activates. The new CIC is currently going through the registration
process, and should be fully registered by the end of the month. A board is being put together including
representatives from Active Norfolk, Norfolk NHS and North Norfolk District Council. It is likely that the CIC's
registered address will initially be at Active Norfolk's HQ in Easton College, with a view to transferring to a
suitable office in Cromer - possibly within the NNDC offices.
The Fit Together programme in North Norfolk was established in October 2007 with funding from Lloyd's
Pharmacies, North Norfolk PCT and the district council. This scheme was expanded to cover the whole
county, taking on existing walking for health programmes and starting new ones with the additional funding
obtained from the Department of Health and Sport England. The programme was led by Active Norfolk, with
4 walks co-ordinators. With this funding now much reduced, Active Norfolk is exploring a new approach to
sustain and develop this work by enabling it to operate independently. As Active Norfolk is part of statutory
provision, this will open up more funding streams to support this activity, and also enable the local community
to take ownership of the project.
Fit Together covers a range of community programmes designed to promote physical and mental health and
wellbeing. The North Norfolk Walking for Health scheme is open to all, but has a particular focus on over 55s.
ASSESSMENT REPORT
North Norfolk is recognised as having an ageing population, with 83% of residents in the district already
reported to be over 60. The programme runs about 40 walks per month of various lengths and levels of
difficulty to suit all abilities and fitness levels. In addition, activities such as tea dances, line dancing, exercise
classes and badminton sessions are offered, plus seasonal options such as tennis. The programme currently
has over 2,000 members, and new members join at a rate of between 20-50 per month. Participants provide
consistently positive feedback, and the scheme has proved particularly popular with women (71% of
members) as a safe and friendly opportunity for exercise.
The funds requested will secure the programme for 12 months while it establishes itself as a sustainable
community enterprise. While opportunities such as regional and national funding will continue to be explored,
activities to provide an income will be developed including some paid for activities (walks are free of charge),
a membership scheme, local sponsorship and a range of events. Walking for Health data is captured
nationally, so there continues to be a strong case to put to public health bodies for their continued support.
While key programmes will continue to be run by trained staff, volunteers will be encouraged where possible
and given walk leader training as well as basics such as first aid. Further developments, which have been
tested elsewhere, would aim to build links with local surgeries and encourage referral schemes.
The total cost of the set up and pilot year is £31,072, and £26,072 is requested towards this cost. This
comprises Co-ordinator salary (£19,572), plus training and travel expenses for walk leaders, publicity plus a
contribution to office costs (phone, IT) and management. Initially the staff who are operating the scheme will
have their time 'bought in' from Active Norfolk, though this may change if the board wishes to employ the staff
directly.
Active Norfolk has been instrumental in setting up some excellent community schemes throughout the county,
with particular success in North Norfolk. In many ways creating a new independent organisation to sustain
and grow these programmes is a natural development which will open up the possibilities for development
outside of the constraints of the local authority. It is of course noted that investment at this point represents a
risk as success is by no means guaranteed, but Active Norfolk is well placed to provide the necessary
oversight and support.
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Name of Group: Sheringham Skate Club
Status: Voluntary Group with constitution
Established Date: 01/06/2000
Contact: Mr Rob Sayles
Panel:
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY
FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
Assessed By: Jenny Bevan
£ Requested: £30,000.00
Contact No: 07950 650538
Organisation Size:
F/T Staff: 0
P/T Staff: 0
Volunteers: 20
Number of beneficiaries:
9500
Primary issues:
Environment / Recycling / Renewable energies
Total Project Cost: £153,000.00
District: North Norfolk
Sub district: Sheringham
Primary beneficiaries:
Children and Young People
Primary age groups:
Young People (13 – 18)
Organisation purpose:
Provides sport and leisure activities to young people in Sheringham, to promote health and wellbeing and
reduce anti-social behaviour throughout the town.
Application summary:
To contribute to the costs of building the skate park.
Financial information:
Annual operating budget - £4,848
Free reserves - £0
Income generation - Total income in the year to December 2011 was £4,920
Referee comment:
Janet Farrow, Upcher Community Partnership. "The project plans to actively encourage greater use of the
facility by people from deprived communities, women and girls and younger children aged 7-11. The wards
immediately surrounding the park are amongst the most deprived in the country and it is particularly important
to provide a sports facility close to such areas when travelling is not an option due to lack of income. The park
will be free to use and open all of the time. In North Norfolk the age structure is older than the national
average, this has meant that investment has often been targeted at older age groups and young people have
been less of a priority. The community will also see a positive effect on Sheringham [through a reduction in
anti-social behaviour]."
Monitoring objectives:
- provide a significantly improved local environment with communities better able to access & enjoy
sustainable, safe, fit-for-purpose and affordable local recreation & play facilities.
- a healthier and more active community with 9,500 young people (aged 7-25 yrs) participating in rigorous
physical exercise and skate/bike sports (5% aged 7-11 & 5% women/girls) per year.
- a stronger community, with 50 young people becoming active volunteers or management/support group
members working in partnership to tackle common issues & concerns.
Recommendation:
This application is recommended for a grant of £30,000, which amounts to 20% of total project costs. There
is a considerable amount of momentum around this project, and the panel has the opportunity to make a
significant contribution which would get this project to create a new community facility underway.
Sheringham Skate Club has been in operation since 2000 and provides a skate and bike park. The current
wooden structure was built in 1999 and after 13 years of use is suffering from wear and tear and its
design/construction is no longer suitable to meet the current and future demand. In 2009-10 the club asked
members of the community what activities and facilities they would like nearby - almost two-thirds of
respondents said they would like an active leisure park for skating, inline skating and BMX biking. In addition,
a large percentage of the wider community expressed an interest in a safe environment for young people to
meet and relax.
The club has been working on plans for a new high quality concrete skate and bike park. "The Strip" will
contain a variety of features for skateboards, rollerblades/ inline skates as well as BMX, mountain and trials
bikes for all abilities. The plan will also include a shelter and storage units and safety/ security lighting.
Average annual usage at Sheringham Skate Park has been calculated at 7,000, which demonstrates the
need for a robust structure. Usage of the new facility is projected at 9,500. The club has been very successful
in fundraising having already secured £65k for phase 1 of the project from two charitable trusts, Sheringham
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Town Council, and the Groundworks Community Spaces programme. Phase 2 will cost £85,000 and a
funding application is with Sport England for £50k. Various NCF funds have also contributed £10,000 to the
project. Phase 1 is expected to start around July 2012 with phase 2 following on if funds can be secured. The
applicant is confident of a positive decision from Sport England if it can secure the full £35,000 of match
funding for phase 2. Sport England is expected to make its decision in the last week of June.
The project meets the desired outcomes of the Big Society Fund in that the project is the result of a group of
people, the committee includes young people between the ages of 11 and 25 years, working together to
improve community facilities. Through raising significant sums, potentially up to £150,000, the project has
potential to give young people a real sense of ownership of the facility. The need for increased youth facilities
in market towns is well documented and this project will deliver a robust, safe and free facility for a significant
number of young people providing opportunities for physical outdoor activity.
Panel members can view the planned facility at http://www.sheringhamskate.co.uk
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Name of Group: Visit North Norfolk Coast and Countryside Ltd
Status: Not for profit company
Contact: Mr Robert Simmons
Panel:
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY
FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
Assessed By: Jenny Bevan
Established Date: 01/03/2012
Contact No: 01263 860441
Organisation Size:
F/T Staff: 0
P/T Staff: 0
Volunteers:
Number of beneficiaries:
2500
Primary issues:
Employment and Labour
£ Requested: £15,000.00
Total Project Cost: £80,100.00
District: North Norfolk
Sub district: Melton Constable
Primary beneficiaries:
Local residents
Primary age groups:
Adults (26 – 65)
Organisation purpose:
The company aims to bring together the whole of the North Norfolk coastal and countryside destination and
promote it to the market place as a cohesive product. As a private sector led organisation with not for profit
objects it will aim to increase the involvement and participation of tourism businesses in the growth of the
north coast and countryside destination.
Application summary:
To support set up and first year operational costs.
Financial information:
Annual operating budget - £0
Free reserves - £0
Income generation - £12,000 is reported to have been secured towards start up costs.
Referee comment:
Michael Timewell, Director of Blue Sky Leisure. "The newly formed company aims to take over from the
District Council much of the important job of bringing all aspects of the tourism product to the market place,
promoting the whole of the destination - its soft attractions eg walking, cycling, coast and countryside, as well
as the tourism businesses in the area."
Monitoring objectives:
- to promote North Norfolk as a tourist destination
- to reduce dependence on the public sector
Recommendation:
This application is on balance recommended for a grant. It is clear that North Norfolk District Council has
been involved in the process of setting up this company and defining its purpose - the panel's willingness to
invest in this company is therefore likely to be informed by prior knowledge of and involvement with the
project to date, and strategy going forward.
The applicant is a newly formed not-for-profit company (formed March 2012) aiming to promote North Norfolk
as a destination to promote tourism in the coastal and inland areas between Heacham and Horsey. Initial
consultation and scoping has been carried out prior to the formation of the company, and this work was jointly
funded by North Norfolk District Council, Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk and the district/
borough tourism and business forums. The final report was discussed by a small working party of West and
North Norfolk representatives, followed by wider consultation with business leaders, resulting in a general
consensus that a new destination management organisation was the preferred solution.
Tourism is an important industry for North Norfolk, reported to generate £397 million income and support 22%
of all employment in the district. Work to capitalise on and develop tourism opportunities has traditionally
been the role of local authorities, but in the light of budget constraints this company is keen to fill this gap and
in the long term reduce dependence on the public sector for tourism support. It is notable that the regional
tourist board, East of England Tourism, has been disbanded, and a private sector organisation led by tourism
businesses has been created to fulfil this role. Norfolk Tourism likely to outsource tourism service delivery
later this year. This reflects a general trend led by central government's aim to move much of the cost
associated with tourism to the private sector.
The main activity of this company will be to develop a cohesive brand and a bespoke website promoting the
area, including a holiday destination/ 'what's on' guide to encourage regional and national visitors, plus a PR
ASSESSMENT REPORT
campaign including social media and e-marketing. Links and incentives will be put in place with other similar
sites covering Norfolk and/ or East Anglia. Any local tourism business that believes it will benefit will be able
to join - it is expected that small and micro enterprises will particularly benefit from the joined-up marketing
support. There will be no inspections for member organisations, but best practice will be encouraged and
occasional training sessions will be offered. Annual networking meetings are also planned. Membership fees
will be based on business rateable value.
The venture will cost just over £80,000 in its first year, which comprises staffing for part time management,
admin and membership support, marketing/ PR, insurance and other office/ admin costs. Also included are
one-off major costs covering the development of the brand and website, which will not remain at this level
going forward, although marketing, search engine optimisation and an annual event for members will be ongoing. £12,000 has been raised to date. Further contributions will be sought from private stakeholders and
memberships, and both West and North Norfolk authorities will be approached directly to invest.
Financial stability is expected within 3 years - a business plan has been produced based on the outcome of
the initial scoping work with figures based on consultant's estimates and forecasts. With tourism critical to the
North Norfolk economy, and the current rise in the popularity of the ‘staycation’, this venture has the potential
to benefit both individual member businesses and the area as a whole.
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Name of Group: Wells Maltings Trust
Status: Registered Charity
Contact: Miss Becky Jefcoate
Panel:
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY
FUND MAY 2012 LARGE
Assessed By: Clive Rayner
Established Date: 01/06/2010
Contact No: 01328 839000
Organisation Size:
F/T Staff: 2
P/T Staff: 2
Volunteers: 50
Number of beneficiaries:
4500
Primary issues:
Community Support and Development
£ Requested: £38,000.00
Total Project Cost: £275,000.00
District: North Norfolk
Sub district: Wells
Primary beneficiaries:
People in Rural Areas
Primary age groups:
Adults (26 – 65)
Organisation purpose:
The Wells Maltings Trust aims to create a sustainable community looking at the social, economic and
environmental needs of the area. The project aims to transform a historic former Maltings and Sackhouse
building in the heart of the town into a viable and self sustaining hub at the centre of the community providing
a permanent home for a range of new and improved facilities including workspaces for smalls businesses and
start up enterprises, a new heritage celebrating the maritime history of the local area, and improved
auditorium space, meeting rooms, a community café, and a dedicated youth space.
Application summary:
To restore and repair the Sackhouse building.
Financial information:
Annual operating budget - £25,384
Free reserves - £40,000
Income generation - Total income in the year to June 2011 was £56,161 including £30,000 from NNDC and
£10,000 from the Sheringham Shoal Community Fund.
Referee comment:
Becky Taylor, Police Community Support Officer - "the Wells Maltings Trust has been successful to date in
reaching out and involving a wide range of individuals and community partners in their work. The Trust is
about much more than a set of buildings and building improvements. It is about the need to bring a
community together to improve the cultural and social offer in the town and to break down barriers between
groups. There has been considerable social cohesion gains since the Trust was set up - a wider range of
people are represented on committees and working groups, the business community has a regular
meaningful dialogue with local community decision makers and the intergenerational gap is beginning to
narrow. Public meetings have been well attended (e.g. over 80 people attended a public meeting on a Friday
evening) and the committee has also recognised that social events and celebrations are an important method
of bringing people together in a common cause. The project will have huge benefits providing well equipped,
versatile facilities for the business community, especially start-ups and new enterprises, and a dedicated
youth space".
Monitoring objectives:
- help to attract visitors all year round, providing positive economic benefits and assisting the regeneration of
the town whilst providing facilities for the community and ultimately employment opportunities for local people.
- Increase enterprise through the provision of affordable small scale business unit/hotdesk facilities for local
start up, small and micro enterprises
- Improve community cohesion by bringing together the business and youth strands of the community and
provide opportunities for mentoring, work experience and volunteering.
Recommendation:
This application is recommended for a full grant of £38,000 although clearly any contribution would get the
project nearer to its fundraising goal. The Wells Maltings Trust is a registered charity. As outlined above, the
grant will contribute to the costs of repairing the Sackhouse building and converting the first and second floors
to provide business units and facilities for local small businesses and micro enterprises, with a combination of
discrete offices, 'hot desking' areas and meeting room space. This would provide a flexible resource for local
businesses to hire office space at reasonable rates, or hot desk for shorter amounts of time. Small businesses
using the space would benefit from affordable, quality facilities in a high profile town centre location, which in
turn would raise their profile. Businesses would also benefit from the opportunity to network and share
resources. The ground floor will also be developed to provide a dedicated youth space with a separate
ASSESSMENT REPORT
entrance, activity/games room, IT/learning area. It would be a well-equipped and flexible space with
opportunities for mentoring, work experience, volunteering and jobs via sharing the building with the local
businesses upstairs.
Community consultation has shown strong evidence of support for the project. A consultation comprising 40%
of the town’s residents showed that 92% were in favour of the development. The project has developed in
close consultation with both residents and visitors to the town, with volunteer Board Members and Working
Group members who represent the views of the current and potential users of the space. Regular open days
have been held to ascertain public support and feed their views back into the project. In addition to this a
survey with North Norfolk businesses indicated very high levels of support for flexible, affordable business
facilities in a central high profile location. The community consultation also highlighted that 92% of the
respondents were in favour of 'more activities for young people in a central location’. A series of working
groups have been operating covering topics such as fundraising, youth, art and heritage.
The application points to a lack of affordable small scale business units/ facilities for local, start up and small
businesses in the town and surrounding area, with many said to report the frustration and challenges of
working in isolation. There is also poor provision for young people particularly teenagers in the town and the
surrounding local area. Young people don't have easy access to support and recreational facilities and the
retention of younger people in the town is vital to grow the local workforce and ensure sustainability.
Development of the Sackhouse is the first phase of the overall Maltings project. This phase is estimated to
cost £275,000 and to date £107,000 of this has been raised. A £38,000 contribution is requested as this
would close the gap between funds already raised and a grant application to the Rural Development
Programme for England (RDPE) fund operated by DEFRA for £130,000. The RDPE application is through to
the final business case stage of the process and indications are that the application is viewed positively and
has a strong change of success due to the strong evidence of community consultation and involvement.
Securing all of the required match funding would also strengthen the case for funding. A decision is expected
from RDPE at the end of July 2012. If all funds are secured by July the intention would be to go out to
competitive tender immediately and to have tenders in within six weeks. The timeline envisages a start on
site, subject to contractor availability, in October and completion around the end of the year. Works are
required to all of the main structural elements of the building, particularly the roof, floors and action to
overcome dampness, as well as mechanical, electrical and plumbing works and internal finishes. Planning
permission for the works was granted in April 2012 with no conditions.
The project has 22 people on its waiting list for space in the business units/hot desking space and this
appears to be a very positive position.
NORTH NORFOLK BIG SOCIETY FUND MAY 2012 LARGE