Agenda item

·       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 regarding whether there had been a proportional split between different types of projects supported and if projects in different areas of the county were awarded funding equally, it was explained that this was not the case. Initially there had two grants which included allocations by department and sector. The schemes had moved to a position whereby applications were considered on case by case basis. Most funding was awarded to supporting Children and Families and the largest proportion of funding had gone to the Charnwood. The Lead Member for Community and Staff Relations was responsible for approving the grants criteria each year. It was suggested that the grants criteria and awarding process could be streamlined to ensure that funds would be distributed more proportionately.

   vi.         Members suggested that Parish and Town Council’s should allocate their own funds to support community groups through their precept rather than applying for grant funding. Officers advised that the parish council precept is part of council tax collected from local residents. Members were assured that the Communities Team supported Parish Councils with budgeting and precenting and encouraged them to involve their communities in the process.

RESOLVED:

That:

     ii.         The feedback received 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, as well as how the grants programmes support the achievement of departmental strategic objectives, be noted;

    iii.         Evidence of how the grant schemes support and complement core services be provided on 12 April 2023;

   iv.         Consideration be made as to whether the grant schemes should have priority themes or proportional splits.