Issue - meetings

The Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer presented the Members’ Ward Budget Scheme for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

Members were informed that the proposal for the pilot scheme was that each Councillor would receive £2,000 for the 2025 - 2026 financial year, and the following two financial years. As a result of the new Local Government reorganisation proposal, it was likely that this would be a one-time scheme. 

Members could recommend allocating funds to projects and / or services within their ward and across wider communities across the Borough. Members could also join with other Members to “pool” their Ward Funds for specific Council wide projects and initiatives to make the overall sums greater. 

It was highlighted that the required forms to be completed were contained within the report and that a clear statement would be required as to how the funds would be spent. In order to ensure a robust process was followed it would be necessary for Members to declare any Pecuniary Interests and any Other Disclosable Interests as part of the application stage. If necessary, Legal advice could be sought to provide any clarification in this matter.

Any payments would be made electronically to recipients of the funding in order to provide a necessary audit trail. No cash transactions would be made for funding payments.

Members were advised that the funds needed to be spent within the financial year to which they were allocated. If it was unlikely that the funding would be spent during this period, Officers would need to be notified in December of the relevant financial year.

The scheme would be subject to the Quarterly Performance monitoring reports which were regularly considered by Members.

Members commented that this was a positive scheme for the residents of Redditch and communities. Through the robust process proposed within the report there would be no opportunity for fraud or abuse.

It was noted that the pre-election period (purdah) for the Worcestershire County Council elections was due to start imminently. Therefore, no applications would be processed prior to these elections on May 1^st 2025.

RECOMMENDED that

the Ward Budget Scheme be agreed.