Issue - meetings

To consider recommendations from the Grants Assessment Panel in awarding grants to voluntary sector organisations for projects in 2010/11.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

1)         grants be awarded to voluntary sector organisations as detailed in paragraph 5.4 of this report, subject to Council approval of the budget;

2)         £3,000 be donated to Redditch Arts Council, for 2010/11; and

3)         the policy on funding the voluntary and community sector organisations be reviewed.

(Members wished to clarify that the figure of £10,000 in paragraph 5.7 had been incorporated as a purely indicative figure and did not represent a financial limit imposed by the Council.)

(Prior to consideration of this item, and in accordance with the requirements of Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000, Councillors Anderson and B Clayton declared personal and prejudicial interests in view of their involvement in local voluntary sector organisations, and withdrew from the meeting. Councillor Gandy declared a personal interest in view of her spouse’s nominal financial interest in a local voluntary sector organisation.)

The Committee considered the recommendations of the Grants Assessment Panel in awarding grants to voluntary sector organisations for 2010/11.

Members who had been on the Grants Assessment Panel commented that the new Policy had proved difficult to operate and a recommendation had, therefore, been made to the Committee requesting that this be referred for further review. Officers highlighted that the most significant issue was with the Shopping element of the Policy, resulting in it not being implemented in time for the current funding round. The Giving element had also proved difficult for Members to implement. It was anticipated that an improved process would be in place for the 2011/12 funding round.

Officers commented that the Shopping element of the Policy would cover those larger organisations from whom the Council could expect, in future, to procure services, whereas the Giving element would represent a much smaller portion of the overall budget and, consequently, very much smaller individual grant donations.

Members wished to clarify that the figure of £10,000 in paragraph 5.7 had been incorporated as a purely indicative figure and did not represent a financial limit imposed by the Council.

RESOLVED that

1)         grants be awarded to voluntary sector organisations as detailed in paragraph 5.4 of this report, subject to Council approval of the budget;

2)         £3,000 be donated to Redditch Arts Council, for 2010/11; and

3)         the policy on funding the voluntary and community sector organisations be reviewed.

(Prior to consideration of this item, and in accordance with the requirements of Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2000, Councillors Anderson and B Clayton declared personal and prejudicial interests in view of their involvement in local voluntary sector organisations, and withdrew from the meeting. Councillor Gandy declared a personal interest in view of her spouse’s nominal financial interest in a local voluntary sector organisation.)