To consider and agree pre-decision scrutiny questions/comments to be presented to Cabinet.

(Time allocated – 30 minutes).

The Committee received and noted those questions to be presented at Cabinet by the Chair in relation to unrestricted business on the agenda with reference to the Local Community Fund (LCF).  Tania Shaikh Operations Director of the Attlee Centre and Peter Okali Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Services (THCVS) were also in attendance and highlighted several points in relation to the LCF report.

Councillor Bex White left the meeting during the consideration of the LCF Report.

The Committee then asked a series of questions about LCF report and they may be summarised as follows:

The Committee

• Noted that the LCF report presented proposals for funding fifty projects to be run by voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations through the Local Community Fund (LCF) for the period 1^st October 2019 to 31^st March 2023 amounting to £9.31m over the 42-month period;
• Noted that despite many councils reducing their funding for the voluntary and community sector, Tower Hamlets has protected the current level of spending investing £2.6m a year to fund LCF projects;
• Was concern at the situation in the Borough with particular reference to (i) the lack of adequate funding for the provision of staffed play provisions; (ii) those Services recommended for funding 0-18 are all focused on arts and sports (iii) Services for under 5s and their parents are missing, including the youngest with severe disabilities;
• Noted that the Third Sector have requested that this be looked in to with reference to (i) Free unstructured play; (ii) More spaces and affordable activities; and (iii) Information of where families can attend together to improve family life;
• Noted the importance of play on mental health, building resilience, improving concentration, healthy relationships and behaviour;
• Noted that play needs to be considered as separate from sports; arts; drama and culture;
• Noted that despite the high level of funding available, the programme was significantly oversubscribed with bids for 240 projects submitted by over 130 organisations totalling more than £10m a year.  Which was almost four times the available budget and it was noted that has meant that some strong bids were unfortunately unsuccessful;
• Noted that the outcome of a review of the process undertaken by THCVS is awaited and LBTH will need to consider how it can assist in the leverage of funds from outside sources;
• Noted that THCVS has been tasked to support those groups through the process and establish a funder’s forum and look at how LBTH can use its influence to leverage monies out of other funders;
• Noted that the intention was for funding to be aligned with the Councils priorities;
• Noted that LBTH as a Living Wage Funder is committed to tackle low pay by encouraging those organisations it funds to pay the real Living Wage to their employees;
• Noted with concern that the lack of successful bids which specifically target older people in the south of the borough and that this may have a disproportionate negative impact.  However, it was noted that this would be monitored through the Council by regular analysis and development work with successful projects;
• Noted that in the longer term there is the potential that by not supporting some of the older peoples? services which are community led, particularly those led by people from BAME communities, services may have to close, and this day care could be lost;
• Noted that some smaller organisations had not been funded and it was felt that the spread of funding was very uneven e.g. Only one Somali group had been successful in getting funding through the LCF although officers are working to see how the Somali community can be represented in the funded groups;
• Noted that the process is about getting better outcomes for residents;
• Noted that the Council had encouraged bids by consortiums and recognised the value in consortium working and was not focused on a sector or group;

• Noted that there is concern that the funding is not in balance and regarding the many small community language groups, although the Councils small grants programme; the emergency fund and other potential sources for small grants will help such voluntary and community groups;
• Noted that the focus of the monitoring of the programme will be on outcomes and there will be the data to allow for continuous monitoring of the process by both the Cabinet and this Committee;
• Felt that more support was needed for organisations to provide them with leverage to get funds;
• Was not convinced that the commissioning out is this the most appropriate way to manage this process;
• Expressed the view that process needs to be looked at again and to consider (i) is the funding enough for there to be proper mitigation; (ii) how will the outcomes be measured; and (iii) how the funders forum will build groups capacity.

As a result of a full and wide-ranging discussion the Chair Moved and it was:

RESOLVED:

To:

1.         Authorise the Chair Councillor James King and the Scrutiny Lead for Resources & Finance Councillor Tarik Khan after consultation with Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members to draft a letter for submission to the Mayor in Cabinet on 31st July regarding the Committees concerns about, and recommendations for, the proposed award of Tower Hamlets’ Local Community Fund – (Appendix B refers); and

2.         Requested that the pre-decision questions relating to the Cabinet papers (as set out in Appendix A) be presented to the Cabinet.