Issue - meetings
LBTH Innovation Fund and ESF Community Employment Programme Updates
Meeting: 27/09/2018 - Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee (Item 6)
6 LBTH Innovation Fund and ESF Community Employment Programme Updates PDF 120 KB
Decision:
The Sub-Committee considered the report. The report provided an update on grants awarded through two funding streams – the LBTH Innovation Fund (match funding for organisations crowdfunding through Spacehive) and the European Social Fund (ESF) Community Employment Programme. This funding stream was co-financed through the European Union and administered by London Councils.
The Sub-Committee noted details of the number of grants that had been awarded and the amounts awarded for these initiatives. It was planned that round two of ESF programme would be launched in Autumn 2018. Officers were looking to the revise the eligibility criteria in respect of the size of the groups that could receive funding.
The Mayor enquired and the Chair of the GSSC reported that the Sub-Committee asked questions about: the funding criteria and how the crowdfunding aspect was promoted. They also asked for details of the equalities data. The GSSC also asked questions about the training provided to organisations to allow them to access the ESF grant. Finally, the GSSC requested more detail on the organisations being funded to be provided in future. They asked that the project monitoring and evaluation reports for the ESF Community be brought to a future meeting. The GSSC endorsed the recommendations.
In response, Officers agreed to ensure that details of the equalities data captured by Spacehive was provided. It was noted that equalities data could be used as a this requirement could be included in the specification for the new contract that was now out for tender. Officers also reported that they would follow up the requests made by the GSSC in respect of the training provided to organisations. It was also noted that greater details of the organisations would be provided in future reports.
The Mayor then invited GDSC Members to comment on the report and they asked further questions about the training to be provided by the groups, and stressed the need for the programmes to be monitored on a regular basis. They also commented on the difficulties in reaching hard to reach groups.
In response, Officers reported on the nature of the training programmes, to mainly focus on ‘soft skills’ and administration skills training. The groups might also arrange for a specialist company to deliver such things as accredited training. It was also confirmed that, in assessing the applications, Officers looked at a number of factors including the contents of the training courses and also the organisations track record. It was also noted that the payment of grant was results based and that Council and the London Councils regularly monitored the performance of the projects
DECISION
1) That the organisations and projects funded through the LBTH Innovation Fund and the ESF Community Grants Programme be noted as detailed in 3.3 and 3.7 of the report.
Minutes:
The Sub-Committee considered the report. The report provided an update on grants awarded through two funding streams – the LBTH Innovation Fund (match funding for organisations crowdfunding through Spacehive) and the European Social Fund (ESF) Community Employment Programme. This funding stream was co-financed through the European Union and administered by London Councils.
The Sub-Committee noted details of the number of grants that had been awarded and the amounts awarded for these initiatives. It was planned that round two of ESF programme would be launched in Autumn 2018. Officers were looking to the revise the eligibility criteria in respect of the size of the groups that could receive funding.
The Mayor enquired and the Chair of the GSSC reported that the Sub-Committee asked questions about: the funding criteria and how the crowdfunding aspect was promoted. They also asked for details of the equalities data. The GSSC also asked questions about the training provided to organisations to allow them to access the ESF grant. Finally, the GSSC requested more detail on the organisations being funded to be provided in future. They asked that the project monitoring and evaluation reports for the ESF Community be brought to a future meeting. The GSSC endorsed the recommendations.
In response, Officers agreed to ensure that details of the equalities data captured by Spacehive was provided. It was noted that equalities data could be used and this requirement could be included in the specification for the new contract that was now out for tender. Officers also reported that they would follow up the requests made by the GSSC in respect of the training provided to organisations. It was also noted that greater details of the organisations would be provided in future reports.
The Mayor then invited GDSC Members to comment on the report and they asked further questions about the training to be provided by the groups, and stressed the need for the programmes to be monitored on a regular basis. They also commented on the difficulties in reaching hard to reach groups.
In response, Officers reported on the nature of the training programmes, to mainly focus on ‘soft skills’ and administration skills training. The groups might also arrange for a specialist company to deliver such things as accredited training. It was also confirmed that, in assessing the applications, Officers looked at a number of factors including the contents of the training courses and also the organisations track record. It was also noted that the payment of grant was results based and that Council and the London Councils regularly monitored the performance of the projects
RESOLVED
1) That the organisations and projects funded through the LBTH Innovation Fund and the ESF Community Grants Programme be noted as detailed in 3.3 and 3.7 of the report.
Meeting: 20/09/2018 - Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee (Item 5)
5 LBTH Innovation Fund and ESF Community Employment Programme Updates PDF 120 KB
Minutes:
Mr Steve Hill, Head of Benefits Services stated the purpose of the report was to update Members on grants that had been awarded through two funding streams – the LBTH Innovation Fund (match funding for organisations crowdfunding through Spacehive) and the European Social Fund (ESF) Community Employment Programme which is co-financed through the European Union and administered by London Councils.
Mr Hill stated that the LBTH Innovation fund, had to date funded 9 projects totalling £49,421. With regards to the ESF fund three rounds had been launched and grants totalling £302,088 had been awarded to 17 organisations.
Members of the Sub-Committee asked questions in relation to the report and noted the following:
Innovation Fund
· The Sub-Committee asked officers to explain the funding criteria of the innovation fund; the Sub-Committee asked how some of the organisations funded were meeting the criteria and for details of how crowdfunding is promoted.
· Members asked officers to ensure that the council’s funds were being used to support need appropriately, the committee requested details of the equalities data relating to the projects which is captured by Spacehive.
ESF Community Grants Programme
· The Sub-Committee were assured to hear that the funding for this project is already secured and should not be affected by the country’s departure from the European Union.
· The Sub-Committee requested detail on how some of the organisations being funded were meeting the grant criteria. The Sub-committee asked about the training offered to organisations to enable them to access the grant.
· The Sub-Committee requested more detail on the organisations being funded and asked that the project monitoring and evaluation reports for the ESF Community Grants Programme be brought to a future meeting, at the end of the municipal year.
Members of the Sub-Committee AGREED to NOTE and ENDORSE the recommendations to the Grant’s Determination Sub-Committee to:
1. Note the organisations and projects funded through the LBTH Innovation Fund and the ESFG Community Grants Programme as detailed in 3.3. and 3.7 of the report.