Issue - items at meetings - The Future for Discretionary Grants

Report of Strategic Director, Communities.

57.1 Lead Commissioner Communities and Equality Mary Evans (ME) introduced the report on the vision, criteria and process for the 3- Year Strategic Grants 2014 – 2016, for which there was a long lead-in time, and Annual Grants 2012- 2013.  The report had been written with the support of representatives of the Community and Voluntary Sector who had emphasised the importance of the grants programmes in consultations on intelligent commissioning. She noted that the budget was not yet finalised.

57.2 ME highlighted the value of the grants programme to residents, recipient organisations and the local authority and summarised the draft vision and criteria based on the Corporate Plan and Sustainable Community Strategy, together with the application procedures and decision-making process. She pointed out the details of current grants, showing the wide range of recipient organisations.

57.3 The Chair Councillor Gill Mitchell invited questions and comments for taking forward to January Cabinet.

a) WM: Regarding active citizen participation; how are Neighbourhood Councils envisaged to link with the grant funding process?

ME: The grant funding is not specifically to support the development of Neighbourhood Council s -  that would be separate - but any organisation that fit the criteria can apply and can be supported

DM: This is a good question for the future. A key point is that, while we are encouraging interesting ideas on new forms of neighbourhood governance, we do need to avoid communities competing over finite resources. There would be a separate pot of money and we hope generally to be able to give the go-ahead for Neighbourhood Councils where agreed by Members.

57.4 Jonathan Best Grants Manager detailed more of the background to the grants programmes and the types of organisations eligible to apply for different funding streams. He answered questions on the role of officers and Members including Members Advisory Group (MAG) and the Cabinet  Member plus the £3,000 level of grant provided to MAG for comment  as set out in paragraph 7 (report Appendix 2 page 23 refers). 

b) CS: Its good to see a long list of organisations we support especially when we can encourage innovation.

DM: The Team also does great work to help organisations secure funding from alternative sources.

57.5 Members recalled the call-in of the Grants decision on the Crewe Club in the previous 3-year round of funding and noted that the organisation concerned found an alternative support package.

c) MF: I prefer written references to be included where possible (eg paragraphs 4.5, 4.6).

JB: Much of the source material is included on the website and in the All-Councillor annual report.

d) SP: How will the economic climate impact on the funding overall – will the list of organisations get shorter?

ME: We can’t fully fund all CVS organisations we would like to, and other sources of funding may be removed, but funding of core costs can help organisations to function and apply elsewhere. It is possible that fewer organisations will receive grants in future years.

JB: We have also done a lot of new work this year (report Appendix 1) to help grant recipients in relation to future intelligent commissioning opportunities, shared outcomes for the city in line with the priorities  of the Corporate Plan and Sustainable Community Strategy,

GMc: Across the sector more organisations are facing crisis. We are relieved that the grants programme is being maintained at this level. It is like the engine that drives the sector. Without it, organisations that are mostly small in Brighton & Hove, would not be able to attract other sources of funding. At present organisations do not necessarily have all the skills and capacity needed to come together to bid for commissioning which are much larger pieces of work. Intelligent commissioning linking with grant funding is further advanced here than at local authorities.

57.6 Members noted that the Grants Team was well-received and widely respected and thanked the officers for their work

57.7 RESOLVED: That feedback be provided to Cabinet and the proposed vision, criteria and process for a full programme of grants 2013-16 including both Three Year Strategic & Annual be endorsed.