Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report that reviewed the grant allocations for the period 1/10/12 to 31/3/13.  Members were advised of a number of minor changes in wording in respect of the recommendations.

The Engagement and Partnerships Officer (Grants) advised that community grants supported the aims of the Authority in respect of people, place and prosperity.  Members were advised that, in respect of the Council’s competitive grants programme, the total allocation for the 2012/13 financial year was £135,269, which had been distributed to 193 groups for a wide range of projects and services.

Members were advised that community grants were generally not awarded where an organisation intended to pass on a grant to another organisation.  A strict adherence to this policy meant that, in future, certain applicants (e.g. service organisations) would be ineligible to apply for the new Small Community Grants, thereby unintentionally discouraging an important voluntary effort.

The Engagement and Partnerships Officer (Grants) also pointed out that, in practice, the Authority was more likely to fund projects where the Council’s grant completed or almost completed an applicant’s fundraising target.  Officers considered this approach was necessary to avoid grant money being tied up unused just waiting for projects that took a long time to complete due to the significant amount of money still to be raised.

Members were further advised that Officers considered that organisations should now be advised to apply later in their fundraising process.

In respect of a query from Councillor R Beeching, Members were advised that the total community capital budget for 2012/13 had been £198,600.  Members were reminded that this figure included slippage from previous years’ budgets.

Councillor S Bull referred to paragraph 2.19 of the report now submitted.  He stated that some of the awards made to Councillors were for public meetings or events that could have been funded by Town or Parish Councils.

The Chief Executive and Director of Customer and Community Services summarised the kind of projects that the Community Grants Programme had been set up to support.  A number of Members commented that they valued the Community Grants fund.

The Chairman stated that Members very much valued the work carried out by the Council’s Officers responsible for community grants.  The Committee received the report and supported the amended recommendations now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the progress being made by Officers when allocating grants according to agreed policies be noted;

(B)       Community Scrutiny Committee agrees to the proposal that service organisations continue to be eligible to apply for a Christmas Party grant as long as they, if reasonably possibly, apply in partnership with the beneficiary organisation;

(C)       Community Scrutiny Committee confirms that grants continue to be awarded as a priority to capital projects that can be completed within the year; and

(D)       Community Scrutiny Committee confirms that the Hertfordshire Community Foundation should present information on “dormant funds” in East Herts.