The Chairman invited members to
raise questions in relation to the information provided under agenda items 4
and 5.
Arising from discussion, the
following points were raised:
- Members highlighted the Council’s financial position and the importance for this to remain a key
consideration in determining the future of both grant programmes in
2023/24 and onwards. The value for money achieved through the SHIRE
Community and Environment Grants schemes would need to be balanced against
the Council’s financial position and it would be important to ensure that
the Council continued to provide value for money for residents.
- In response to
concern that some Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE)
organisations had relied on the SHIRE Grants for core funding, officers
explained that, following feedback from the sector, it had been decided
that organisations should be allowed to apply for core funding, and that in the majority of
cases this had been used to cover expenses such as salaries, rent and
other administrative costs. Core funding had been offered during
COVID to help organisations to operate throughout the challenging period.
Members noted that, even when grants were awarded in successive years,
these were to fund different projects, not to provide ongoing core
funding.
- Officers
explained that where a VCSE organisation had applied for grant funding,
they had worked to understand the organisation’s needs before deciding
whether a SHIRE grant would be the most appropriate option for them to
pursue. Organisations would always be signposted to other sources of
funding in the first instance, and it was reported that around 55% of
organisations had already received funding from another source. Although
the application process was accessible, rigorous scrutiny of the
applications was in place to determine whether SHIRE Grant funding should
be awarded, particularly in the case of repeat applicants.
- Two members
expressed support for the grants and suggested that VCSE organisations
would be negatively impacted if the SHIRE Grants ceased. Officers
explained that it would be difficult to determine how successful VCSE
organisations would be at sourcing funding from other organisations if the
Council ceased the SHIRE Grant schemes. VCSE organisations had reported
that SHIRE Grant funding provided credibility and leverage when sourcing
match funding, and also that grants officers at
the Council had been extremely helpful in signposting to other funders as
well as assisting with applications. Members noted that smaller
organisations may find it more difficult than larger organisations to
source alternative funding. Other grant funders and stakeholders, who also
provide funding and investment into the VCSE sector, would be invited to
the meeting on 15 May 2023 to discuss the impact and value for money of
grants programmes and investment into the local VCSE sector.
- Some members
suggested that there had been a lack of quantitative evidence available in order to determine the impact that the grants had in
terms of reducing the number of people accessing Council services, as a
result of early interventions delivered by VCSE organisations. The members
highlighted the importance for understanding the impact on communities if
the grants were reduced or ceased. Officers explained that it would be
difficult to produce such quantitative data due to resources available in
the team. Members noted that the grants were seen to complement the work
of departments but given that they were usually relatively small amounts
of money, it was not considered appropriate to undertake analysis of which
commissioning gaps they filled. However, officers would review monitoring
information available, as well as information on the grant’s application
processes, and present this to members at the meeting on 15 May 2023.
- Officers
acknowledged that well known, credible organisations with a track record
of achievement might find it easier to access funding than new
organisations. The scheme was often oversubscribed, and organisations were
not necessarily awarded the full amount of funding that they had applied
for. It was also noted that grants
created a state of reliance, so officers encouraged organisations to
identify other sources of income, particularly opportunities for income
generation.
- Officers
explained that they had worked in collaboration with Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) and that in cases where
organisations had not been successful in being awarded with SHIRE grant
funding, they had been encouraged to contact VAL for support in sourcing
alternative funding. Members noted that VAL would be invited to the
meeting on 15 May 2023.
RESOLVED
That:
a)
Other grant funders
and stakeholders be invited to the meeting on 15 May 2023;
b)
Monitoring information,
as well as information on the grant’s application processes, be presented at
the meeting on 15 May 2023;
c)
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire be invited to the meeting on 15 May 2023.