The sub-committee approved two applications for funding from Heywood Township Funds: £1,000 towards the GM Town of Culture Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate project, and £65,000 to install a Playzone at Back O' Th' Moss Community Centre kick pitch. The sub-committee also noted the Heywood Township Funds revenue and capital budgets, expenditure, commitments and balances, and the decisions made under delegated authority since the last meeting.

Heywood Township Funds 2024/25

The sub-committee considered a report on the Heywood Township Funds 2024/25.

The report asked the sub-committee to note the expenditure, commitments and balances of the Heywood Township Revenue and Capital funds, and to make decisions on applications for funding.

The report noted that £96,916 was available in the Heywood Township Capital Funds and £6,467 was available in the Heywood Township Revenue (Projects) Funds.

Back O' Th' Moss Playzone

An application by Councillor Brown for £65,000 from the Heywood Township Capital Fund to part-fund a new Playzone at the Back O' Th' Moss Community Centre kick pitch was approved.

The application explained that the project was a partnership with the Football Foundation, who would provide 75% of the costs of the project.

The playzone, designed to be suitable for a variety of sports with a focus on football, will be leased to Rochdale Football Club Community Trust and managed by them under an agreement with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, who own the land.

The site will be for full community use including specifically targeted groups within the community and for open play. The targeted user groups are in line with the Football Foundation and Sport England’s priorities.

A report presented to the preceding meeting of the sub-committee identified that

Potential issues that may arise [include] the planning process

GM Town of Culture Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate

An application by Rochdale Development Agency for £1,000 from the Heywood Township Revenue (Projects) Fund to part-fund the GM Town of Culture Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate project was approved.

The project will see a Poet Laureate and a Youth Poet Laureate commissioned to produce five new works each, one for each of the five townships in Rochdale, and one to celebrate the Greater Manchester Year of Culture.

The project will also include:

• Workshops in schools in each of the townships
• Workshops for members of the public
• A tour of an exhibition of the poets' work to the borough's libraries
• The creation of a book
• The creation of a semi-permanent display of the poets' work in each of the townships

This may take the form of a mural or a series of transparencies in the windows of vacant shop premises to animate the local landscape and celebrate each of our Townships.

A report presented to the meeting explained that match-funding for the project was being sought from Arts Council England:

The key risks associated with the delivery of the project is match funding. The Culture and Placemaking Team will be developing a bid to Arts Council England on behalf of the Library Service for £22,500.

The report goes on to say that should the application for match-funding be unsuccessful,

the Culture and Placemaking Team would be able to utilise Township funding to commission the Poet Laureate and have time to find alternative sources of income to deliver the wider programme.

Delegated Decisions

The sub-committee noted the decisions made under delegated authority since the last meeting:

• Sefton Street litter bin - £441.50 was awarded from the Hopwood Hall Ward Fund to supply and install a litter bin on Sefton Street.
• Argyle Street CCTV camera relocation - £248.89 was awarded from the West Heywood Ward Fund to relocate the CCTV camera on Argyle Street.
• Remembrance Sunday 2024 - £350 was awarded from the Hopwood Hall, North Heywood & West Heywood Ward Funds to support the Remembrance Sunday parade and service in Heywood on Sunday 10 November 2024.
• Heywood Memorial Gardens flag poles restoration - £800 was awarded from the Heywood Township Projects Fund to restore the flag poles in Heywood Memorial Gardens.
• Footpath from Woodland Community Primary School to Argyle Street - £3,300 was awarded from the West Heywood Ward Fund to construct a path across Bullough Moor playing fields to provide a safe route for school children.
• Regent Street pedestrian dropped kerbs - £2,500 was awarded from the West Heywood Ward Fund to install six pedestrian dropped kerbs along Regent Street to improve accessibility.
• GMP Community spirit project - £500 was awarded from the Heywood Township Projects Fund to support Greater Manchester Police to engage with vulnerable members of Heywood community.
• Welcome to Heywood signpoles repaint - £200 was awarded from the Heywood Township Projects Fund to repaint the poles on the 'Welcome to Heywood' sign.
• Birnam Grove and Atholl Drive handrails repaint - £1,940 was awarded from the West Heywood Ward Fund to repaint the handrails on Birnam Grove and Atholl Drive.

The sub-committee also delegated authority to the Head of Townships & Libraries, in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair and opposition spokesperson of the Sub-Committee, to make decisions on any deferred projects.

The full reports pack for the meeting can be found on the Rochdale Council website: Public reports pack 09th-Dec-2024 18.00 Heywood Township Delegated Sub-Committee

The minutes of the meeting can be found on the Rochdale Council website: Printed minutes 09th-Dec-2024 18.00 Heywood Township Delegated Sub-Committee