Issue - meetings

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor K Wright)

The Leader introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which advised of the recommendations of the meeting of the Funding of Voluntary Bodies & Other Organisations Cabinet Working Group on 20 March 2019 in respect of options for future funding arrangements for revenue grants to voluntary organisations from 2020 onwards.

An addendum to the report was circulated at the meeting.

A motion on behalf of Councillor Wright was circulated at the meeting.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the addendum to the report, the motion from Councillor Wright and the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED  A.      That the change from the current allocation mechanism for determining revenue grants to a 3 year commissioning model from April 2020 onwards in order to procure services which maximise the impact of the revenue grants budget, to provide more stability to the voluntary sector in the Borough, to assist in empowering residents and to direct funding towards the needs of the local community, be approved.

                        B.      That the areas for commissioning indicatively proposed prior to consultation with the voluntary sector be:-

·    advice/money/debt services

·    voluntary sector infrastructure services

· community transport services

· services to support the elderly, vulnerable and residents  with disabilities

·services to support independent living

                        C.     That the draft work stream specification(s) be submitted to the next meeting of the Funding of Voluntary Bodies & Other Organisations Working Group.

                      D.     That a smaller grants pot be established incorporating the remaining sum within the revenue grants budget and the Community Chest/Older People’s Champion budgets. A further report on proposed management of the scheme/criteria/mechanism be submitted to the next meeting of the Funding of Voluntary Bodies & Other Organisations Working Group.