Supplemental information Appendix A circulated separated prior to the meeting.

Resolved:

1.         That the report (GP/03/089) on the implementation and use of the Youth Capital Fund in 2008/09 be noted;

2.                  That subject to (a) and (b) set outbelow the recommendations for projects to be funded in 2008/09 as set out in Appendix A of the report [GP/03/089 – (Supplemental Information)] be agreed - 

That –

(a)In relation to the Rapid Response Team (page 7 of Appendix A)

(i)  the recommended award of £100,000 be reduced to £50,000 and be allocated towards the refurbishment of two of the vehicles in the fleet;

(ii) the remaining £50,000 be put towards the delivery of suitable capital projects with the first priority being those based in those LAP areas where there has been no suitable Youth Capital Fund applications (LAPs 2,3,5 and 7). That the Corporate Director Children’s Services be authorised to allocate this funding after consultation with the Chair and Vice – Chair of the Grants Panel, officers of the Youth and Community Services and the Youth Capital Fund Grants Panel;

(b)the Wapping Youth Centre, (page 3 of Appendix A) be allocated the full award requested - £100,000 and that £20,000 of this be put towards the refurbishment of the upper floors (first and second floors) of the building subject to the requirement they submit a detailed plan of cost of works and carry out consultation with the customers and occupants of the first and second floors.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (K. COLLINS)

Service Head, Youth and Community Learning,Children’s Services (M. Durkin).

Interim Head of Youth and Community Services, Youth and Community Learning, Children’s Services (D. Hossain)

Children & Young People's Involvement Manager, Youth & Community Services,Children’s Services (B. Young)

Mr D Hossain, Head of Youth and Community Services, presented the report which detailed progress with the implementation of the Youth Capital Fund in Tower Hamlets. It also presented the recommendations for funding from the Youth Capital Fund Panel as formulated at their meeting on 12^th October 2008 and detailed in Appendix A of the supplemental information which was circulated to the Grants Panel separately earlier this week. 

Also present was Ms B Young (Children & Young People's Involvement Manager) and Mr J Tafadar (Member of the Youth Capital Fund Panel for Tower Hamlets) who was in attendance to advise of the work of his Panel in formulating the recommendations, how they went about this and the reasoning behind their recommendations.  

During the discussion that followed, Ms Young and Mr Tafadar reported the following points:

• The aim of the Youth Capital Fund was to provide a discrete Capital Budget to be spent on what young people want and need;
• In 2007/08, Tower Hamlets had been allocated  £183,000 for the Youth Capital  Fund; and in addition had been allocated £452,000 new funding from the Youth Capital Fund Plus project. The latter was a one off addition in 2008/09 and was only to fund youth facilities in neighbourhoods with high levels of crime, deprivation and anti social behaviour;
• There was a public call for expressions of interest  from organisations and Young people. An opportunity was offered for all voluntary and community organisations to submit proposals for funding; 

• The Youth Capital Fund Panel comprised 11 members each of whom had received accredited training and  had served on the local Opportunity Fund panels;
• The funds were promoted during the Borough’s consultation on myplace.
• A full list of the Youth Capital Fund Panel’s proposals for funding were listed in Appendix A.
• The Panel had also proposed that the remaining budget of £159, 788 be spent on the delivery of projects in those LAP areas where no projects have proven sustainable.

Councillor A Ullah (Chair) thanked Mr Tafadar for giving up his valuable time and also extended his thanks, on behalf of the Panel, to the many young people who had contributed to the assessment process and hoped that they would stay involved and more young people would continue to get involved in the Youth Opportunity Fund initiative.

A detailed discussion then followed, during which the Grants Panel raised a number of comments/questions which focused on the following points:

·                    In terms of the issue of match funding, reference was made to the potential sources of such funding, whether it would be sought and, if so, who would benefit?

·                    the scoring criteria -  whether all of the applicants were made aware of it;

·                    the unsuccessfulness of the bids from the LAP 5/7 areas. The reasons for this and whether any further bids would be sought from projects from these areas?

·                    The scope of the remaining budget, (which totalled £159,788) the reasons for it and proposed usages;

·                    In relation to the accredited training in grants making (bullet point 4 above), the scope of the training provided  and the need for additional training; 

·                    Whether the young people believed they had ownership of the project?

In response Ms Young and Mr Tafadar reported the following points:

·                    Initially central government had recommended that the whole budget for the Youth Capital Fund Plus be used to fund one major capital project in the Borough, but this was resisted at a  local level due to the desire to ensure projects from all over the Borough benefited from the funding;

·                    The Youth Capital Fund Panel received a total of 23 applications together with a number of expressions of interest from groups from all over the LAP areas.  Some however were unsuccessful as their needs were assessed as not pressing  at the time of request due to the fact they had only recently benefited from a significant injection of capital funding;

·                    Whilst the Panel members had helped formulate the criteria for scoring the bids as they have experience of what was needed, the administrative side was quite officer lead.  According to Mr Tafadar, the young people really valued their involvement in the process and did genuinely believe they were being listened to and their views were valued and taken into account. A significant number of them attended the presentations delivered by the 10 groups short listed and were happy with the final proposals. 

·                    Every successful project would be subject to random visits and would be monitored by officers regularly to ensure compliance both prior to and after receipt of funding; 

·                    Applications were sought from groups based in every LAP area and the consultation exercise was Borough wide;

·                    In relation to the issue of match funding, the Grants Panel were assured that all of the potential sources would be fully examined;

·                    The Youth Capital Plus Fund was  a one off award but depending on the success of it, further funding may be made available next year under the scheme for local capital projects. Central government had yet to take a decision on this, but officers were looking at this issue. The Youth services event to be held in London would also give consideration to this issue and would provide valuable lobbying opportunities for Members. The outlook was fairly positive but it was still too early to tell at this stage;

Following this discussion, the Grants Panel raised a number of comments/concerns which centred on the following points:

·                    Concern over the fact that the proposed budget for LAP areas 2,3,5  and 7 totalled just £159,788. Considered that these areas contained some of the most deprived areas in Tower Hamlets and the youth facilities were in need of updating. Requested that these issues be given further consideration;

·                    Concern over the size of the proposed award for the Tower Hamlets Rapid Response Team (page 7 of the supplemental information) which totalled  £100,000 and was for the refurbishment of mobile units in its fleet.  Queried the rational behind this proposal, whether it merited such a large award;

·                    Noted that the vehicles in the Rapid Response Teams fleet were approximately 3/4 years.  The units were in need of updating.

Consequently, in view of the doubts raised over the proposed award for the Rapid Response Team and the concerns regarding the lack of finding set aside for LAP areas 2,3,5,7, Councillor M Francis  (Lead Member, Housing and Development) proposed an amendment to the recommendation set out in Appendix A of the report, for the consideration of members of the Grants Panel, as follows:-

That –

In relation to the Tower Hamlets Rapid Response Team (page 7 of Appendix A)

(i)  the recommended award of £100,000 be reduced to £50,000 and be allocated towards the refurbishment of two of the vehicles in the fleet;

(ii) the remaining £50,000 be put towards the delivery of suitable capital projects with the first priority being those based in those LAP areas (LAPs 2,3,5 and 7) where there has been no suitable Youth Capital Fund applications received. That the Corporate Director Children’s Services be authorised to allocate this funding after consultation with the Chair and Vice – Chair of the Grants Panel, officers of the Youth and Community Services and the Youth Capital Fund Grant’s Panel;

Concern was also expressed at the poor state of the Whapping Youth Centre.  (page 3 of Appendix A).  According to Councillors A Ullah and A Choudhury this was an old Youth Club and the upper floors  were in need of refurbishment. Accordingly, Councillor A Ullah (Chair)  proposed an amendment to the recommendation set out in Appendix A of the report, for the consideration of members of the Grant’s Panel, as follows:-

            That -

(b)       the Wapping Youth Centre, (page 3 of Appendix A) be allocated the full award requested - £100,000 and that £20,000 of this be put towards the refurbishment of the overall building (upper floors) subject to the requirement they submit a detailed plan of cost of works and carry out consultation with the customers and occupants of the first and second floors.   

Councillor A Ullah (Chair) then Moved the recommendations as contained in the report and detailed in Appendix A  attached to the report taking account of the amendments proposed by Councillor Francis and himself  and it was:-

Resolved

1.         That the report (GP/03/089) on the implementation and use of the Youth Capital Fund (YCF) in 2008/09 be noted;

2.                  That subject to (a.i. aii) and (b) set out below the recommendations for projects to be funded in 2008/09 as set out in Appendix A of the report (GP/03/089 – (Supplemental Information)) be agreed - 

That -

In relation to the Tower Hamlets Rapid Response Team (page 7 of Appendix A)

(a.i)  the recommended award of £100,000 be reduced to £50,000 and be allocated towards the refurbishment of two of the vehicles in the fleet;

(a ii) the remaining £50,000 be put towards the delivery of suitable capital projects with the first priority being those based in those LAP areas where there has been no suitable Youth Capital Fund applications received. (LAPs 2,3,5 and 7). That the Corporate Director Children’s Services be authorised to allocate this funding after consultation with the Chair and Vice – Chair of the Grant’s Panel, Officers of the Youth and Community Services and the Youth Capital Fund Grant’s Panel;

(b)the Wapping Youth Centre, (page 3 of Appendix A) be allocated the full award requested - £100,000 and that £20,000 of this be put towards the refurbishment of the overall building (upper floors) subject to the requirement they submit a detailed plan of cost of works and carry out consultation with the customers and occupants of the first and second floors.