Issue - meetings

Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Meeting: 15/07/2020 - Cabinet (Item 19)

19 Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic pdf icon PDF 178 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods presenting the findings of an intelligence gathering exercise about the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the VCS in Gloucester, and seeking to set out proposals of how Gloucester City Council can support Gloucester’s VCS in moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)  the findings of the research in Gloucester’s VCS Stocktake report as well as report produced by the Barnwood Trust be noted

 

(2)  a one-off Gloucester VCS Recovery Funding of £10,000 to small community/grassroots organisations with one-off grants to deal with the financial impact of COVID-19 and support their recovery be approved

 

(3)  authority be delegated to the Head of Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, to award grants in accordance with the agreed criteria

 

(4)  the introduction of a ‘Business Mentor’ Scheme, which will broker informal mentoring/advice from businesses to smaller VCS organisations within the City be welcomed.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods that presented the findings of an intelligence gathering exercise about the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the VCS in Gloucester, and sought to set out proposals of how Gloucester City Council can support Gloucester’s VCS in moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods summarised the background to and recommendations of the report as a platform from which to progress.  She particularly emphasised the importance of the sector and benefits of communication and partnership both within itself and with other bodies such as the Council, police and health agencies.  The Cabinet Member for Environment reiterated how much the VCS had been relied on and achieved.  He hoped that the Recovery Funding of £10,000 would make a difference.  The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources thanked the Community Wellbeing Officer and Policy and Development Officer for their hard work in exceptional times.  The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy stressed the significance of facilitating effective links (3.3 key recommendation 3) and informed Members he had observed the benefits of such close working in his own ward.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)  the findings of the research in Gloucester’s VCS Stocktake report as well as report produced by the Barnwood Trust be noted

 

(2)  a one-off Gloucester VCS Recovery Funding of £10,000 to small community/grassroots organisations with one-off grants to deal with the financial impact of COVID-19 and support their recovery be approved

 

(3)  authority be delegated to the Head of Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, to award grants in accordance with the agreed criteria

 

(4)  the introduction of a ‘Business Mentor’ Scheme, which will broker informal mentoring/advice from businesses to smaller VCS organisations within the City be welcomed.