Afazul Hoque, (Head of Corporate Strategy & Policy) presented the report setting out proposals for implementing the mitigating actions identified  for the Local Community Fund agreed at Cabinet on 31^st July 2019 including the extension of mainstream grants (MSG) funding for community language strand and for lunch club  from 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020. Appendix A listed the funding proposals. It was noted the 4 organisations that had been successful in securing LCF funding had not been listed.  He also provided an update on the MSG transitional Arrangements and Equality Mitigation actions as set out in Appendix B.

Councillor Tarik Khan (Scrutiny Lead, Resources) advised of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s questions on this report regarding: the duplication of funding in terms of organisations recommended for LCF funding and the availability of support to organisations unsuccessful in the LCF process. It was noted that the written responses to these questions had been circulated and would be published on line.

In response to questions about the feedback and support provided to unsuccessful applicants, it was noted that Officers had provided feedback to such organisations and were waiting for few organisations to confirm their availability to meet. The Council was also actively working with the THCVS, (who they have commissioned to provide capacity support) to help organisations with business planning and applying for appropriate grant funding. Applications for funding from the Emergency Funding scheme were assessed on a case by basis against the revised criteria agreed by the Grants Determination Sub Committee. Unforeseen circumstances could include issues arising from the LCF.

The mitigations measures included support for maintaining participation and access for BME Communities.

In response to further questions from the Sub – Committee, Officers agreed to bring a further report to the next meeting of the Grants Determination Sub Committee on:

• Somali Groups - in terms of the mitigations measures and the support available for these groups.
• Somali Senior Citizens Club - details of any urgent issues, particularly around the provision of infrastructure in time for the opening of Granby Hall Centre.
• Renaming of the Emergency Fund to make the purpose of the funding clearer.
• Provide an update on the play sports, older people, early years reports, as requested by Cabinet.

In response to questions about ‘hard to reach groups’, Officers reported that they would explore with the TH CVS, the option of providing a more tailored service.  Officers would also check the following theme to clarify the focus of this.

·         ‘provision for early years age children or pregnant and new mothers’

RESOLVED:

1.    Agree to extend funding to the organisations listed at Appendix A at the current level of funding under the council’s mainstream grants programme (MSG) for a period of six months from 1^st October 2019 to 31^st March 2020, subject to the same funding conditions as those in place for MSG funding and also subject to continued satisfactory performance.

2.    To note the progress relating to thetransitional arrangements and equality mitigation actions for services whose current MSG funding comes to an end on 30 September 2019 as set out in appendix B of the report