Town Councillors vote in last meeting of Current council before elections to hand overpowers awarding grants to the officers of the town council from May and remove the decision-making powers from the newly elected members of Penrith Town council.
Officers of Penrith town council will hold the powers to award or refuse all grants applications with the new council from May simply receiving a list of all council money awarded as grants after the approval by council officers.
Grant applicants applying for up to £5,000 will submit a grant application form that town council officers will now be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and awarding all grants without the councillors having any decision-making powers on the grant and the spending of public money raised via the council tax precept of the town council.
A report will go to the town council memebrs on a quarterly basis summarising grants awarded by officers.
Concerns were raised of the plans and the removal of public accountability and democratic decision making by elected councillors of the new council from May but despite the concerns the current town council members voted to approve with one Councillor abstaining and one voting against in a named vote.
The town council also approved what will be the last councillor appoived grant at tonights final meeting of the current council.
A grant of £4525 to Penrith Lions for the planned May Day event in Penrith. The council voted unanimously in support of the grant award after officers corrected there mistake in the agenda papers asking the council to approve £5000 rather than the requested £4525 amount.
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