Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement on recommendations for the allocation of the grants to voluntary organisations budget (subject to Budget setting).   

Voluntary and community organisations were invited to submit applications between 31 August and 26 October 2012 for grants that meet the Council’s outcomes and criteria.  The decision is being brought forward to January (from March in previous years) to give voluntary organisations more notice of the decision in advance of the next financial year. 

(i)  To approve the grant recommendations set out in the attached Appendix 1 with the following changes:

·  EU Welcome Project: recommended amount of £27,000 in 2013/14, £25,110 in 2014/15 and £23,352 in 2015/16.

·  Saints Foundation: recommended amount of £17,281 towards the project funding on the understanding the council will facilitate discussions with Southampton Football Club to explore match funding for the balance.

·  Southampton School Sports: recommended amount of £5,400 as a one off grant in 2013/14 to enable them to look for other sources of funding.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Communities and Improvement Manager, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement, to allocate Community Chest grants during the year until the new Small Grants Programme takes effect.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Senior Manager, Communities, Change and Partnerships, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement, to agree a process for a One-Off Grant Scheme, should sufficient funding become available.

(iv)  To delegate authority to the Senior Manager, Communities Change and Partnerships, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement, to:

·  determine transitional relief, where appropriate, where grants have been reduced or discontinued

·  do anything necessary to give effect to allocation of grants for 2013/14 to 2015/16.

(v)  To meet the costs of agreed transitional relief, where appropriate, where grants have been reduced or discontinued, from contingencies, following consultation with the Head of Finance and IT and the Cabinet Member for Resources.

1. Southampton City Council has a long history of supporting the contribution of the voluntary and community sector in the City with grants, contracts, spot purchases (such as room hire or training) and other support in kind.
2. The grant awards process was reviewed in consultation with voluntary and community groups in the City between July 2011 and August 2012.  On 21 August 2012, Cabinet agreed the new outcomes-based Commissioned Grants Programme.  This is the first round of applications to be considered under the new programme.

1. The grant applications requested more than double the proposed grants budget.  Therefore, the option of awarding all applicants the full amount they requested was considered and rejected as this would have meant that the Council would have had to find an additional sum of money in the region of £1.8 million in 2013/14 (£5.35 million over 3 years).
2. Awarding no grants was considered and rejected as the City’s residents would lose access to a wide range of important services and it could put many voluntary organisations in the City at risk of closure.

(i)  on consideration of the briefing paper relating to the forthcoming Cabinet Decision “Grants to Voluntary Organisations 2013/14 to 2015/16” the Committee recommended that:

a.  Cabinet assure themselves that adequate funding has been allocated to those organisations that:

·   protect and support the most vulnerable and provide advice for those in need at a time of acute pressures;

·  compliment the Council’s substantial investment in promoting Southampton’s cultural offering and the related economic development opportunities; and

·  have the capacity to lever in additional investment into the city.

b.  the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement circulates to the Committee details of the cost of the grant assessment process; and

c.  the Cabinet Member for Efficiency and Improvement reconsiders proposed funding awards for those organisations that are able to fund initiatives from their own resources.