Agenda item

To update Members on arrangements for the introduction of grant awards linked to Service Level Agreements for selected agencies during the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020.

The Group had before it a report * from the Chief Executive & Director of Growth updating Members on arrangements for the introduction of grant awards linked to Service Level Agreements for selected agencies during the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020.

The Economic Development & Regeneration Manager outlined the contents of the report, reminding Members that at its meeting on 27 September 2016 the Community Policy Development Group had recommended that the Museum of Mid Devon Life and Tiverton Tourism Information Service be moved from the grants budget to a separate tourism budget, that a commissioning approach to future grant allocations should be adopted and that grants be paid on an annual basis for the remainder of the 2015-2020 Corporate Plan.

These recommendations had been approved by Cabinet on 27 October 2016. 

The officer explained that the commissioning approach taken by the Council meant the ending of annual grant awards for the provision of eleven services and introducing a new Service Level Agreement Grant Programme for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020 for the provision of the following services:

1. Welfare Advice and Information;

2. Support for Community Organisations;

3. Community Transport Services;

He explained that the service areas selected each had a social and economic benefit to the district, for example, by ensuring residents received the welfare payments to which they were entitled, that people with mobility difficulties could travel to towns and villages and charitable organisations were able to become more self-reliant and bring additional funding into the area, supporting local jobs and services. The move to a Service Level Agreement Grant Programme would enable the Council to monitor performance more effectively and achieve best value for taxpayers.

Members were reminded that the awarding of grants to external agencies was a discretionary function of the Council, it having no statutory responsibility to provide a grant programme to external organisations and that there was likely to be a continued expectation that additional reductions to the grants budget  would be required to assist the Council’s overall budget setting process.

The officer outlined the possibility of creating a small budget as a transitional ‘parachute’ arrangement for agencies that would lose their annual grant award on 1 April 2017.

The Grants Working Group had viewed presentations and had recommended the following awards:

Members were reminded that a number of previous grant payments had been removed from the grants process. They were the Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, the Tourist Information Service, the Grand Western Canal and the Exe Rail Partnership. It was proposed that the Council entered into a 3 year SLA with Tiverton Museum and the Tourist Information Service at the current level of funding. It was also proposed that grants for Grand Western Canal and Exe Rail Partnership be retained at their current level for the next two financial years.

Consideration was given to:

·         The large reduction in the payment to Citizens Advice;

·         The value of the advice and support provided by Citizens Advice;

·         The hope that organisations would work together to provide services, but this had not happened;

·         The presentations given and how Members perceived them;

·         The fact that the Town Council would be the landlord for Citizens Advice and would set their rent;

·         A potential underspend of around £18k that could be used as a ‘parachute’ fund to help organisations that had not received a grant or to increase an award given;

·         The value of the Tiverton Market Drop in Centre and the fact that they had been unable to meet the criteria for a Service Level Agreement;

·         The benefit of ring-fencing any surplus that could be used to help out any organisation that was struggling during the three year period.

It was RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that:

a)    The recommended three-year funding levels set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report be approved with an additional £3k per annum for Citizens Advice;

(Proposed by Cllr Mrs H Bainbridge and seconded by Cllr F W Letch)

b)    An allocation of £2k in year 1 and £1k in year 2 be made to the Tiverton Market Drop in Centre which had been unsuccessful in its application to the new Service Level Agreement Grant Programme, as a transitional arrangement.

(Proposed by Cllr Mrs A R Berry and seconded by Cllr Mrs E J Slade)

c)    The recommended level of grants to other external organisations set out in paragraph 3.0 be approved.

(Proposed by the Chairman)

d)    Any remaining funding be held in reserve in case any of those agencies awarded payments encountered problems and required additional support.  These payments would be agreed by a Cabinet Member decision.

(Proposed by the Cllr Mrs G Doe and seconded by Cllr Mrs E J Slade)

Note:  Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.