DECISION

1.    To agree the proposed transitional arrangements for Grants Decision Making as set out in paragraphs 3.11 to 3.14 of this report.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES (Z. COOKE)

(Head of Benefits Services (S. Hill)

Councillor Rachael Saunders, Deputy Mayor with specific responsibility for Grants and the Third Sector, introduced the report proposing Transitional Arrangements for the Council’s Grants decision making processes.

She highlighted the importance of agreeing new processes so that grants decision making could gradually be taken back under the control of the Council. The report set out plans for new decision making meetings chaired by the Mayor with the Commissioners, Cabinet Members and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee also in attendance.

Councillor Peter Golds, Leader of the Conservative Group, welcomed the steps proposed to bring decision making back to the Council but highlighted the importance of ensuring that, after the Commissioners had left, grants decision making remained in public so that it could be properly monitored and challenged. It was also vital to ensure there was no expectation of favours for awarded grants.

During discussion the Mayor and Lead Member agreed on the importance of transparency to reassure the public on how grants were being processed and awarded and that the auditing process was also extremely important.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Peter Golds for his efforts in holding the executive, and the previous administration, to account.

The Mayor agreed the recommendation as set out in the report.

RESOLVED

1.    To agree the proposed transitional arrangements for Grants Decision Making as set out in paragraphs 3.11 to 3.14 of this report.