Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration and agree the procedure for the review of strategic grant funding for financial years 2021-24.

The Group received the *Strategic Grants Programme Evaluation and Review report from the Economic Development Team Leader.

He explained that the grants review process was due to commence in March 2020 but had been delayed by the current pandemic. He informed the Group that the programme for 2021 – 2024 now included both Strategic Grants and Economic Grants which were previously dealt with separately.

He further explained that the Council urgently needed to look at priorities for funding of grants as the Council would be looking at budgets in September and partners needed sufficient time to prepare bids.

The Group AGREED to set up a Working Group to review the processes and level of funding to individual strategic and economic grant recipients for 2021-2024. The members of the Working Group were agreed as:

·         Cllr J E Berry

·         Cllr B Holdman

·         Cllr Mrs M E Squires.

Cllr D J Knowles, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, was co-opted onto the Working Group.

(Proposed by the Chairman).

Note: *Strategic Grants Programme Evaluation and Review report previously circulated and attached to the minutes.

Arising from a report from the Grants and Funding Officer, the Community Policy Development Group had made the following recommendations:

1.            The Museum of Mid Devon Life and Tiverton Tourism Information Service be moved from the grants budget to a separate tourism budget;

2.            Option 2, a commissioning approach to future grant allocations, should be adopted; and

3.            Grants to be paid on an annual basis for the duration of the 2015-2020 Corporate Plan.

Arising from a * report from the Grants and Funding Officer, the Community Policy Development Group had made the following recommendations:

1.            The Museum of Mid Devon Life and Tiverton Tourism Information Service be moved from the grants budget to a separate tourism budget;

2.            Option 2, a commissioning approach to future grant allocations, should be adopted; and

3.            Grants to be paid on an annual basis for the duration of the 2015-2020 Corporate Plan.

The Cabinet Member for Community Well-Being outlined the contents of the report stating that for many years the same organisations had received grant funding. In previous years cuts had been made in the allocation to groups in receipt of grants but it was felt that this was not the best approach and undertaking the process annually meant that the groups concerned struggled to plan strategically.  It was proposed that a commissioning approach take place, this would involve starting afresh, with any organisation being able to put a case to the authority as to why they should be in receipt of funding.

It was further proposed that funding for the Museum of Mid Devon Life and the Tiverton Tourism Service would be moved from the grants budget to a separate tourism budget.

RESOLVED that the recommendations be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr C R Slade and seconded by Cllr R J Chesterton)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to the minutes.

To receive a report from the Grants and Funding Officer seeking Member approval for the approach to Strategic Grant funding for 2017/18 to 2019/20.

The Group had before it a report * from the Grants and Funding Officer which sought Member approval for changes to the approach to Strategic Grant funding for 2017/18 to 2019/20.

The Head of Communities and Governance informed Members that a number of options had been put to a working group on 12^th September 2016.  The Group had discussed transferring the grant allocation for the Museum of Mid Devon Life and the Tourist Information Centre from the grants budget to the Economic Development budget as the service they provided fitted was a better fit with the economy and tourism work that was being undertaken.

The second matter discussed by the working group involved looking at the reduced pot of funding that remained and deciding how best to use it.  In previous years cuts had been made in the allocation to groups in receipt of grants but it was felt that this was not the best approach and undertaking the process annually meant that the groups concerned struggled to plan strategically.  An option was proposed which meant adopting a commissioning approach to the process.  This would involve starting afresh, with each organisation being able to put a case to the authority as to why they should be recipients of funding.  This was endorsed by the working group who had considered that this would focus on groups that contributed to the well-being of communities.

The officer highlighted a couple of changes to the proposed timetable within the report, confirming that if approved the report would go to Cabinet on 27^th October and following their approval the consultation process could commence.

In answer to Mr Margetts question the officer confirmed that the total spend would be the same regardless of the option selected but that it was anticipated that a cut to the budget would be required.  The timetable was a ‘best guess’ as to how quickly the change could be delivered and officers would aim to bring it forward as soon as was possible.

It was RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that:

1.    The Museum of Mid Devon Life and Tiverton Tourism Information Service be moved from the grants budget to a separate tourism budget;

2.    Option 2, a commissioning approach to future grant allocations, should be adopted; and

3.   
Grants to be paid on an annual basis for the duration of the 2015-2020 Corporate Plan.

(Proposed by Cllr Mrs H Bainbridge and seconded by Cllr Mrs E J Slade)

Note: - Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.