Agenda item
Project Information Report - Community Chest & Community Events
To note the contents of the report and the inclusion of the Community Chest and Community Events programmes in the 2014/15 Audit Plan.
Minutes:
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, and Dave Clark, Acting Service Head Resources, Development and Renewal presented a report which set out information requested by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 7th January 2014.
The report focussed on bidding rounds 1 to 4 of the Community Chest and Community Events funding streams and reviewed the approved projects and initiatives in relation to the levels of the awards; the type of events’ the agreed outputs and the geographical spread of the awards. The report also clarified the processes and procedures relating to the management and administration of the 2 funding streams and the pre-election guidance pertaining to funded events. Members were advised that the minutes of the relevant Corporate Third Sector Grants Programme Board had been circulated electronically by email in January. Members requested that hard copies of the minutes also be circulated.
The Chair apologised for the lack of refreshments at the meeting and the lack of papers and asked officers to ensure that papers were sent to all Members of the Committee and that the appropriate arrangements were made for future meetings.
Action by:
Louise Fleming (Senior Committee Officer, Democratic Services)
Dave Clark, Acting Service Head Resources, Development and Renewal, advised that projected dates for forthcoming community events would be added to the appendix to the report when they became known and would send a list of all those events to Members.
Members asked for clarification regarding the outputs of the event organised by Mulberry School as this was not clear in the report. Councillor Choudhury and Everett Haughton, Third Sector Programme Manager, advised that the event had taken place in the summer of 2012 and the grant had been paid retrospectively. An application form had been submitted by the Headteacher of the School, but was not dated. The Chair requested further information, in particular whether the outputs had been monitored and what the conditions for funding had been. A letter which had been submitted by the School in relation to the aims of the event would be circulated to Members of the Committee. The Chair asked for further information on exactly what the money had been used for as it was not clear from the report. Members requested a breakdown of the expenditure for this grant.
Action by:
Dave Clark (Acting Service Head, Resources, Development and Renewal)
Everett Haughton (Third Sector Programme Manager, Development and Renewal)
Members asked for clarification on the number of outputs which had been verified and the number of grants to be paid which were still outstanding. Mr Haughton advised that 50% of the grant was paid in advance and the remaining 50% was paid on receipt of evidence, for example invoices for equipment or services. 100% of the grants have been closed. The Council would only pay for what had been spent, if the final total was less than the grant originally applied for.
Members asked for clarification on whether the Council for Voluntary Services had expressed a view on the winding down of the Community Chest fund and it was proposed that a letter be written to the CVS to ask for their view.
Action by:
Mark Cairns, Strategy Policy and Performance Officer
Members expressed the view that the governance of the Community Chest fund seemed more robust and could better meet the sustainability and capacity building aims. It was felt that moving the money from the Chest fund to the Events fund was a step in the wrong direction.
In response, Councillor Alibor Choudhury advised that the CVS could continue working on building capacity among community organisations and it received £250,000 of Council funding to carry out this function.
Members also expressed concern over the disparity between the funding across different areas of the Borough, particularly in LAPs 5 and 6; and between the east and west of the Borough. In response, Councillor Choudhury advised that approximately 64% of community organisations were based in the west of the Borough and that many are based there but work across the Borough. Members asked the Cabinet Member whether he was concerned that the areas of multiple deprivation, with the worst poverty, were receiving the least funding. It was suggested that an event be held in the east of the Borough to try and encourage applications. In response Councillor Choudhury advised that grants were made based on applications received and that it would be inappropriate to solicit applications from any one area of the Borough. He reminded Members that it was the role of the CVS to provide support for the more inexperienced community organisations.
The Chair expressed concern that there was a disparity between the funding in the west and the east of the Borough and a perception in the Borough that the grants should not fund events which could be used for political gain. He asked Councillor Choudhury for his assurance that every effort would be made to protect community organisations, the Mayor and Councillors from any accusations of impropriety. In response, Councillor Choudhury drew Members’ attention to the clear guidelines and pre-election guidance and advised that officers would ensure that correct procedures were followed. He did not feel that there was a disparity, however he undertook to pass the Committee’s comments to the CVS.
The Chair concluded the discussion and requested that:
· The Mayor consider the disparity in grant funding across the Borough when considering future grant applications. Grant funding should benefit the whole community.
· The Mayor should also consider transferring money back into the Community Chest Fund.
The Chair then Moved and it was
Resolved
1. That the contents of the report be noted, subject to the above comments.
2. That it be noted that the Service Head Resources had included the Community Chest and Community Events programmes in the 2014/15 Audit Plan.
Action by:
Dave Clark, Acting Service Head, Resources, Development and Renewal
Everett Haughton, Third Sector Programmes Manager, Development and Renewal
Supporting documents:
- Project Information Report - Community Chest EventsV8, item 6.1 PDF 131 KB
- Appendix 1 Community Chest - Project Information 16.01.14, item 6.1 PDF 191 KB
- Appendix 2 Community Events - Project Information Report, item 6.1 PDF 155 KB
- OSC_040214_Agenda Item 6.1_Appendix 3, item 6.1 PDF 867 KB
- OSC_040214_Agenda Item 6.1_Appendix 4, item 6.1 PDF 854 KB
- Appendix 5 - Application Form, item 6.1 PDF 251 KB