| Decision No: CAB0150-2005MAR21 This record relates to item A4 on the agenda for the Decision-Making | |||||
RECORD OF EXECUTIVE DECISION 21ST MARCH, 2005 | ||||||
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DECISION-MAKER: | CABINET | |||||
PORTFOLIO AREA: | Leaders Portfolio | |||||
SUBJECT: | 2005/2006 Grants to Voluntary Organisations | |||||
REPORT OF: | Stephanie Smith Tel: 023 8033 2032 E-Mail: steph.smith@southampton.gov.uk | |||||
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THE DECISION | ||||||
Having read the report, including its recommendations and proposals, and following consideration of all other relevant matters, the decision-maker made the following decision: - | ||||||
1. | To approve the principle that a 2.5% inflationary grant award be made to voluntary organisations in 2005/06 and that this will be applied consistently across all Portfolios, with the exception of reserves where standstill grants are recommended; | |||||
2. | To approve the principle that no new developments are funded in 2005/06 and that this will be applied consistently across all Portfolios; | |||||
3. | To approve the detailed grant recommendations set out in the following attached Schedules: | |||||
| Schedule 1 Grant recommendations for Communities and Regeneration (C&R) Schedule 2 Grant recommendations for Housing & Homes (H&H) Schedule 3 Grant recommendations for Leisure, Culture and Tourism (LC&T) Schedule 4 Grant recommendations for Lifelong Learning and Training (LL&T) Schedule 5 Grant recommendations for Environment and Transport (E&T) | |||||
4. | To continue the New Initiatives Fund established at £50,000 in 2004/05 within the Communities and Regeneration Portfolio’s Grants to Voluntary Organisations Budget, in order to support community and voluntary sector projects that contribute to the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Strategy, but to reduce this budget to £30,000 in 2005/06 and to transfer the remaining £20,000 to the Community Centres Reserve, reflecting the availability of other funding for ASB work and the high level of need of community centres; | |||||
5. | To continue the Youth Services Grant Reserve established in 2004/05 within the Lifelong Learning and Training Portfolio, as a small grants budget to be managed through delegated powers in consultation with the Southampton Youth Parliament for use in Youth projects identified and prioritised by local young people. Applications from external organisations are no longer invited through the annual grant setting process; | |||||
6. | To establish a new grant of £69,905 within the Lifelong Learning and Training Portfolio for Adult and Community Learning (EH410) for the Wheatsheaf Trust in respect of its work supporting the local Adult Learning Plan. Although Wheatsheaf Trust has received funding for many years the inclusion of this funding within the annual grants process is new. Following clarification of the status of Wheatsheaf Trust, they were invited to submit a formal application for grant funding in 2005/6 through the grant process; | |||||
7. | To continue to delegate authority to the Head of Communities and Regeneration to allocate the New Initiatives Fund to specific projects following consultation with the Chair of the Anti-Social Behaviour Cabinet Task Group; | |||||
8. | To delegate authority to the Head of Service Strategy, Partnership and Development to agree allocation of the Health and Social Care Portfolio’s Social Development Fund. This is a grants scheme to be allocated throughout the year as part of a rolling grants process, for small one off grants to voluntary sector organisations for specific projects contributing to the development of the Health and Well-Being Strategy; | |||||
9. | To delegate authority to the Head of Communities and Regeneration to enter into Three Year Funding Agreements with Southampton Voluntary Services, Southampton Advice and Representation Centre, Eastpoint Centre and Southampton Citizens Advice Bureau; | |||||
10. | To approve the following delegations (in addition to 8 and 9 above) to allocate reserve budgets throughout the year as detailed below: | |||||
| § C&R Community Chest Scheme to the Head of Communities and Regeneration | |||||
| § C&R Anti-Poverty Reserve to the Head of Communities and Regeneration | |||||
| § C&R Community Centres Support Reserve to the Head of Communities and Regeneration | |||||
| § L, C&T Committed Reserve for Northern Above Bar Arts Project to the Head of Leisure, Culture & Tourism | |||||
| § LL&T Special Needs Playschemes to the LL&T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § LL&T Youth Service Reserve to the LL & T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § E&T Community Environment Projects to the E&T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § E&T Trees for Life to the E&T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § E&T Tree Preservation Order Grants to the E&T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § E&T Unallocated budget to the E&T Portfolio Programme Manager | |||||
| § H&SC Social Development Fund to the Health and Social Care Portfolio Manager | |||||
11. | To approve the following virement between Portfolios as detailed in the attached Schedules: | |||||
| § A one off virement of the unallocated Sports Grants funds of £1.6k to the Community Chest Scheme within the C&R Portfolio, to be prioritised for sports use only. | |||||
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REASONS FOR THE DECISION | ||||||
The council recognises the immense contribution of the voluntary sector to the City and its citizens. This is supported by the council in many ways including a significant financial contribution through grant aid, approved on an annual basis in March. | ||||||
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DETAILS OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS | ||||||
The Council, at its budget setting meeting on 16 February 2005, agreed a budget, which included a 2.5% inflationary increase. In order to ensure the Council informed grant applicants of its decisions in March 2005 and that agreed recommendations within the 2005/06 grants budgets were consistent across all Portfolios, the following options were considered and rejected: | ||||||
| · Each Portfolio to decide whether or not to award an inflationary increase | |||||
| · Portfolios to make recommendations which may not be clearly linked to the council’s top priorities | |||||
| · Portfolios to make grants decisions in the new financial year. | |||||
These were rejected for the following reasons: | ||||||
| · Portfolios making independent decisions on inflationary increases could result in inconsistencies | |||||
| · Portfolios which do not link their recommendations to the council’s top priorities may agree grant aid to lesser priority projects/services | |||||
| · Grant aided organisations need to be informed in March 2005 to enable them to take necessary action in their financial and resource planning for the next year. This timescale also helps the council to ensure grant payments are made in time for organisations to pay their employees in April 2005. | |||||
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OTHER RELEVANT MATTERS CONCERNING THE DECISION | ||||||
It was noted that the title of the report submitted for Decision Making was incorrect. The report title should read: 2005/2006 Grants to Voluntary Organisations. | ||||||
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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST | ||||||
The decision-maker(s) did not declare a personal or prejudicial interest in the Matters set out in the report. | ||||||
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CONFIRMED AS A TRUE RECORD: | ||||||
We certify that the decision this document records was made in accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) ( | ||||||
Date: | | Decision Maker: | | |||
21st March 2005 | | Cllr A Vinson | | |||
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| | Proper Officer: | | |||
| | Dale Sumner | | |||
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SCRUTINY | | | | |||
Note: This decision will come in to force at the expiry of 5 working days from the date of publication subject to any review under the Council’s Scrutiny ‘Call-In’ provisions. | ||||||
Call-In Period | ||||||
23rd March to 1st April 2005 | ||||||
Date of Call-in (if applicable) (this suspends implementation) | ||||||
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Call-in Procedure completed (if applicable) | ||||||
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Results of Call-in (if applicable) | ||||||
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