Issue - meetings

The Committee considered a report of the Performance and Partnerships Manager updating Members on the funding to the Community and Voluntary Sector.  

The report outlined the background which was that a cross directorate working group had been set up in July 2010 to undertake the following tasks:

      Gather a list of all current funding support for community and voluntary sector organisations, both grants and commissioning;

      Agree how to consult with the sector as part of the business planning process for 2011/12 using existing mechanisms as much as possible;

      Agree the Council’s approach to funding for the sector for 2011/14.

The group had prepared a comprehensive spreadsheet identifying all third sector organisations and their current funding arrangements; this was circulated to the Committee.  This showed that the Council provided funding to approximately 160 community, voluntary and not for profit groups to a total level of around £6.3 million.  Following this work a number of improvements were introduced:

      A number of funding arrangements were transferred from one service to another;

      Where joint funding arrangements existed, Directorates involved had agreed a joint approach to funding;

      Joint work with the Primary Care Trust had been undertaken to identify joint funding arrangements for a number of community and voluntary groups;

      Communication was coordinated and good practice shared.

The next steps included:

      The funding list – this would be improved by the provision of a clear summary of the service/project provided through the funding; identifying where the funding came from, the geographical area covered by the service/project, and a lead officer for each individual funding stream;

      Contract and performance management – consistent practices would be established across all directorates;

      Improved understanding of the sector in Cheshire East and improved communication – “market testing” was being undertaken by services to better understand what services/projects could be provided by local organisations and how current service provision could be improved.  This would enable the sector to develop its role as a partner in developing solutions rather than simply responding to commissioning requests from the Council. 

During the debate on the report the following issues/questions were raised:

      The role and funding available from the Community Grants fund, which it was believed was £90,000;

      Why the Citizens Advice Bureau appeared on different pages on the funding list?  In response the Committee was advised that some of the funding would relate to commissioned services and some would relate to infrastructure, however, all CAB services were now funded by the Adults, Community, Health and Wellbeing Directorate;

      Why Nantwich appeared to receive funding for various activities and events including the Jazz Festival and Nantwich in Bloom?  In response, the Committee was advised that some funding was due to legacy reasons;

      It was noted that on page 4 of the funding list, funding for Home Start and Making Space should read 0% as funding levels had not been reduced;

      It was suggested that where organisations had had their funding removed, an explanation should be offered;

      In relation to a query regarding funding for Women’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111