Agenda item

Annual Report on the Grant Funding provided to the Voluntary Community Sector

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, which outlines the Council ‘s financial contribution towards the voluntary and community sector during the year 2018-19.

 

Minutes:

18.1    The Cabinet Member for Communities introduced the report and highlighted key aspects. She outlined that since its introduction in 2012, the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) model had transformed grant funding to the voluntary sector and was now embedded in the approach taken. She highlighted that this transformation could be seen across the 4 areas of grant funding – Grant Funding to Advice Agencies, Councillor Community Fund, Your Gloucester and Gloucester Lottery. Finally, she stressed to Members the importance of the initiative beyond grant funding, such as, helping organisations to build networks, and encouraging volunteering in the community.

 

18.2    Councillor Stephens thanked the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Head of Communities for the report. He stated that he was impressed with the breadth of funding, and the excellent causes being supported. He also noted that since its introduction in 2012, the ABCD approach, and particularly the Councillor Community Fund had allowed Members to play a greater role in grant funding. He felt that these factors justified the funding increases in 2018.

 

18.3    The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods responded that the breadth and diversity resulting from the ABCD approach was indeed welcome.

 

18.4    Councillor Ryall questioned what support was being given to encourage organisations to apply elsewhere for funding. In her view, there were not many other sources of funding available to the voluntary and community sector.

 

18.5    The Head of Communities advised that they could be agile in terms of    applications connecting the voluntary and community sector with other organisations, and thus build informal networks. She drew Members’ attention to the fact that that this was already being done and offered Together In Matson as an example of this.

 

18.6    Councillor Hilton asked what the budget was for ‘Your Gloucester’ and the ‘Gloucester Lottery’. The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods responded that the budget for Your Gloucester was £10,000, and for the Gloucester Lottery, it depended on the figure raised. She provided that last year around £17,000 had been raised.

 

18.7    Referring to Appendix 1 (list of groups funded), Councillor Pullen queried why Amey had been granted funding for a litter bin in the Grange area, given that it was not a voluntary organisation.  He suggested that there were better uses for the available funds.

 

 

18.8    In response to this, both the Head of Communities Head of Communities and Neighborhoods explained that this particular grant came from the Councillor Community Fund. By its nature, this fund was implemented to allow Councillors to support projects which they feel would benefit their ward. As such, although guidance is provided, officers cannot be prescriptive about which projects Councillors choose to support.

 

18.9   The Chair concluded the discussion by stating that he endorsed the report and welcomed the opportunities it created in the voluntary and community sector. He felt that the Report was a credit to both The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Head of Communities.

 

18.10  RESOLVED that: - The Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTE the Report.

Supporting documents: