Decision details

Westhive Crowdfund Round 5

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Decision Maker: Chief Executive & Head of Paid Service - Giles Hughes

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

To consider submission to the fifth round of Westhive and determine pledge levels for the Council main Westhive fund.

Decision:

That the Chief Executive resolved to;

Approve that final determinations as explained in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

Reasons for the decision:

In March 2023, the Executive agreed to commission Spacehive Ltd to create a Westhive ‘movement’ on its civic crowdfunding platform. This movement enables local people to promote ideas for civic projects and to raise money from local supporters, including the Council. The Round 5 project creators pitch deadline was 17^th September 2025. There are currently 13 verified projects actively fundraising on the Westhive platform.

Please visit https://www.spacehive.com/movement/westhive/projects to view the live campaigns.

The remaining available budget for Rounds 5 and 6 in the Council’s main Westhive fund is £122,627.

Criteria states that the maximum amount that can be awarded from the Council’s main Westhive Fund is £12,000 or 75% of the total project cost, whichever is the lower amount. This fund can support capital or revenue projects.

When arriving at the recommendations the panel has sought to prioritise projects based on the following factors:

· Relevance to Council aims.

· Benefit of the project.

· Number of pledges.

· Relation to other projects.

· Value for money/potential impact.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Project creator	Revenue &/or Capital	Score (50 max)	Project total target	Pledges – Number / Value	Funds raised at 23-10-25	Officer recommend Westhive
Be Free Young Carers	REV	45	£54,516	4	£38,290	£10,000
Against the Grain CIC	CAP	35	£27,130	8	£215	£5,000
Soldiers of Oxfordshire	REV	25	£22,137	5	£500	£5,000
Charlbury Pre-School	CAP	30	£6,753	8	£1,930	£1,700
The Dorcas Dress Project	REV	50	£9,606	10	£1,372	£7,205
First & Last Mile CIC	CAP	35	£28,261	7	£580	DEFER pending outcome of OCC school transport appeal
Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank	CAP	35	£45,218	0	£0	£5,000
Tackley Village Memorial Hall	CAP	40	£19,125	1	£1,875	£8,000
Churchill & Sarsden Village Hall	CAP	45	£21,993	14	£270	£10,000
Empowering Children Through the Arts	CAP/REV	50	£51,261	10	£23,180	£12,000
It's about Bloody Time	REV	30	£16,495	1	£5	£4,124 conditional on officers being satisfied that the project will meet need
Courtside Hubs CIC	CAP	DEFER	£21,219	0	£0	DEFER pending further discussion with officers
Over Norton Parish Council	CAP	DEFER/ DECLINE	£17,226	1	£9,000	DECLINE
TOTAL			£340,940		£77,052	£68,029

Alternative options considered:

The Chief Executive could decide not to fund at the levels recommended above and instead refer the matter for further consultation with the Executive. This would necessitate a further review group meeting and delay determinations.

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None

Publication date: 11/11/2025

Date of decision: 06/11/2025

Accompanying Documents: