Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:

That Mr. C. Smith CC be appointed Chairman for the duration of the Scrutiny Review Panel.

Mr. P. King CC expressed a non-registerable interest as a recent member of the Charnwood Institute of Financing.

(Attached is the scoping template agreed by the Scrutiny Commission).

RESOLVED:

That the Scoping Template for the Scrutiny Review Panel be agreed.

RESOLVED:

That the procedures for conducting Scrutiny Review Panel meetings be noted.

RESOLVED:

That the Draft Work Programme for the Scrutiny Review Panel be agreed.

The Scrutiny Review Panel received a presentation which provided an overview of the SHIRE Community Grant and SHIRE Environment Grant programmes.

The Chairman thanked officers for the presentation and noted the diversity that the grant schemes offer.

      i.         The proposal to cease delivery of the SHIRE Community and Environment Grant programmes with immediate effect had been part of the Council’s MTFS 2023/24 – 2026/27 and members suggested that the financial position would need to remain a key consideration in determining the future of both grant programmes in 2023/24 and onwards. Members highlighted the importance for the Council to prioritise social care, education, and other statutory services which it must deliver, against a backdrop of difficult financial circumstances.

     ii.         In response to member concern regarding the Council’s financial position, officers explained that the budget for both grant schemes had been set by members, originally at around £1million in 2017, although the rate had fluctuated year on year. During 2020/21 and 2021/22 the grant budget was higher due to government grants to support with COVID-19 and had reduced to £600k in 2022/23. The Council’s departments would usually award contacts for community and charity organisations and the grants compliment what is delivered through these. A member suggested that there would be a need to consider the Councils budget against the social responsibility in supporting vulnerable people and community groups.

    iii.         It was suggested that there could be an opportunity for the grants budgets to be reduced rather than ceasing delivery of the schemes. Suggestions for cost cutting measures and how the budget for the grants could be reduced would be considered by officers and potential options for this would be provided at the meeting on 12 April 2023.

   iv.         Members raised concern over the costs associated with administrating the grant schemes, in particular staffing costs. It was explained that exact costs were not available at the time, but members noted that a number of officer posts were involved in the administration of the grants. Officers agreed to supply members with a breakdown of costs associated with administrating the grant schemes, at the meeting on 12 April 2023.

     v.         In response to a question regarding the number of organisations that had submitted repeat requests for funding and the frequency of these requests, it was explained that the majority of applications had been from new applicants. However, some organisations who had benefited from the grant schemes had submitted a repeat request, which would usually be for different purposes than that previously. Members noted that the issue of repeat funding had been a discussed with funders and that it had been a controversial challenge to overcome. The grants schemes had been popular with community groups and there was no rule that repeat requests for funding could be made. However, when a repeat request for funding had been received, officers had queried the reasoning for this and would promote other avenues of funding. Members expressed their concern regarding repeat requests for funding and officers agreed to provide members with the number of organisations that had submitted repeat requests for funding and the frequency of these requests, at the meeting on 12 April 2023.

   vi.         The grant schemes had primarily focussed on supporting vulnerable people and communities but had on occasion awarded funds to parish and town councils, and larger organisations, to support projects which aimed to support these groups, such as programmes delivering food provision. However, members raised concern at this and questioned whether these authorities and organisations should allocate funding from their own budgets or from alternative sources. Officers agreed to provide the number of applications  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

·       the impact and value for money of the grants programmes and investment into the local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector,

·       how the grants programmes support the achievement of departmental strategic objectives.

The Scrutiny Review Panel received feedback from departmental officers regarding the impact and value for money of the grants programmes and investment into the local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and how the grants programmes support the achievement of departmental strategic objectives.

The Chairman welcomed officers from Adults and Communities, Public Health, and the Chief Executives Departments for this item.

Adults & Communities

      i.         Members noted that the grant scheme had impacted services in Adults and Communities by contributing to community based approaches and complimenting mental health provision. The Department had supported Grants Officers in their decision on whether to provide funding to groups and would be interested in supporting and developing schemes to ensure the delivery of support for communities going forward. The grants schemes had assisted the Department in meeting its objectives. The schemes had supported and contributed towards preventing and reducing people requiring social care support and delaying this before the Department would need to provide costly support packages.

     ii.         The grants had focussed on supporting community groups with the aim of preventing and delaying individuals requiring support from social services. The early intervention and support offer delivered by departments had not been duplicated by the grant’s schemes, but had complemented this work. Members noted that, when presenting to the Councils front door services, individuals would be treated and assessed as individuals when considering whether the Council can support them. It was suggested that as the Council tightened its provisions, in order to meet budgetary demands, it would be important to consider the impact that this will have on individuals and communities, and whether the grant schemes could help to reduce this impact.

    iii.         A Member raised concern regarding the suggestion that the Council would not be in a position to fulfil its objectives without the delivery of the grant schemes and suggested that the grants scheme did not offer value for money for the taxpayer. In terms of the grant scheme providing funding for early intervention work in the community, it was suggested that this work should be funded through the Department’s early intervention offer rather than people applying for support through the grants scheme. Officers advised that the community had often developed projects and services that local people were passionate about and that these projects and services helped to fulfil a variety of the Council’s objectives.

Public Health

   iv.         Members noted that the grant scheme had supported the Public Health department by providing funding to help people to maximise resources to support themselves during challenges with health services, to assist with COVID-19, to help reduce the effects associated with the cost of living, in providing mental health support, and through providing dynamic support to individuals and communities at the earliest possible opportunity. The Department assisted Grant officers with funding decisions, and it was suggested that there would be an opportunity to work closely and collaboratively in how grants are utilised, if the scheme were to continue.

Chief Executives

      i.         A member raised concern that the grants had been used to help the Council to meet its priorities and asked how these priorities had been determined. Members were assured that the biggest priority was the Council’s MTFS challenges but it was equally important to meet priorities around providing core services. The Council’s Strategic Plan 2022-26 sets out the Council’s long-term vision and priorities and departments write their own plans to ensure that services support this plan. Officers agreed to provide members with evidence of how the grant schemes support and complement core services at the meeting on 12 April 2023.

     v.         In response to question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The next meeting of the Scrutiny Review Panel is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 12 April at 13:00.

RESOLVED:

That the next meeting of the Scrutiny Review Panel would take place on Wednesday 12 April at 13:00.