Constable Memorial Hall Proposed Kitchen Improvements (February 2020)

Summary

A paper submitted to East Bergholt Parish Council, was reviewed at the parish
council meeting on 14
th
November 2019. Since that date there have been
developments and hence this document has now been produced on behalf of the
Constable Hall Committee to inform the Parish Council about those developments.

Project Description

This concerns a project to replace the existing kitchen of the Constable Hall with a
modern kitchen which will meet current standards and will also enable access from
both the main hall and the Benneworth Lounge, currently the kitchen is only
accessible from the main hall. The existing kitchen is 60 years old and in need of
replacement and the village needs a community hall with kitchen facilities which can
provide for functions such as the pensioners lunches. There is considerable
community support for the project.

Request for support from East Bergholt Parish Council

Babergh District Council (funding team) have been supportive and after several
meetings, it is believed that they will offer funds from their CIL funds and also from
the Community Capital Fund. Assuming that the funds do come through, then these
funds will fall short of meeting the whole project needs. Babergh DC is expecting the
Constable Memorial Hall Committee to provide £5000 from its own reserves.

Constable Hall Committee find that there is an expected shortfall of approx..£14,000.

The Constable Memorial Hall Committee respectfully asks East Bergholt Parish
Council if it is able to offer help with the costs of this worthwhile project. It is the hope
of the Constable Hall Committee that the improvement works can be started and
completed during August 2020.

Progress History

A paper was submitted to the East Bergholt Parish Council (EBPC) meeting held on
14
th
November 2019. The minutes of that meeting state the following;

12 “Application for CIL funding by Constable Hall Management Committee

Having declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Constable Hall Management
Committee, Councillor Price introduced this item but took no part in its consideration nor voted.

Councillor Price described the application set out in the paper attached to the agenda and said
that it had received a favourable response from Babergh District Council. However the District
Council require letters of support from District Councillor Hinton and the Parish Council together
with financial support. Councillor Miller stated that if the Management Committee require
funding from the Parish Council it should make an application for a grant which the Parish
Council would be happy to receive.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Woodcock and RESOLVED
(unanimously) that the Council supports in principle the application by Constable Hall
Management Committee for CIL funding for their kitchen project.

Subsequent to the meeting, Graham White (Clerk to EBPC) kindly sent a letter of
support to Babergh District Council confirming that the Parish Council supported the
Constable Hall Management Committee’s application for CIL funding from Babergh
DC. This letter is appended to this report. Also appended is the Business Case
document

The funding team at Babergh DC have recently reviewed the CIL grant application and
consider that a CIL grant would be more appropriate for building works than for a
kitchen replacement. The building works in question would enlarge the kitchen,
provide a connection direct from the kitchen to the Benneworth lounge and carry out
various other tasks connected with these works. Babergh have communicated their
views to the Constable Hall Committee through a number of meetings with members
of the Committee.

Babergh have not rejected support for a replacement kitchen. Instead they are viewing
the whole scheme as a 2-phase project totalling £50,000 with further financial support
from the Community Capital Grant. However, Capital Grants only extend to one third
of the project and therefore there is a shortfall of funds.

Summary of the current financial situation
Building works, (from 4 quotes), Kitchen costs (also from 4 quotes)

Expected costs of building Works
(R&S Bloomfield quotation) £16,973.96 plus £3,394.79 VAT £20,368.75

Fees for Building Control £750.00

Expected costs of new kitchen
(inc cabinets, appliances, fitting – no worktops)
£19,905.96 plus £3,801.23 VAT £23,707.16

Stainless steel worktops (inc VAT and fitting) £5,633.20

Total £50,459.11

Expected Funding

Constable Hall £5,000.00

Babergh DC Capital Grant (1/3 of total project) £16,667.00

Babergh DC CIL funding £14,333.00

Total £36,000.00

Shortfall £14,459.11