Issue - meetings

To receive a verbal update from Juliet Blackburn, Partnerships' Business Manager.

Juliet Blackburn, Partnerships’ Business Manager, attended to provide a presentation on the funding for the community and voluntary sector in Cheshire East.

In providing an overview, it was explained that a cross-directorate working group had been set up to agree an approach to funding for the sector as part of the budget setting process. It was reported that each service had reviewed the need for services currently funded and commissioned from the sector and in doing so; they had continued to communicate with the sector and individual organisations throughout the budget setting process. As a result of this review, some current funding arrangements would be transferred from Partnerships to the relevant departments in Adult and Children’s services.

Juliet Blackburn continued to explain the current funding situation. It was reported that there were approximately 160 organisations funded which resulted in a total spend of £6m. Attention was drawn to the following cuts in the respective directorates:

• Partnerships team – reduced funding by 5% per year for the next two years, with community grants being kept the same

• Adult Services – reduced funding by approximately 5% for next year

• Children’s Services – reduced funding by approximately 5%, extended contracts for 6 months whilst carrying out systematic review of commissioning practice.

• Health and Wellbeing and Places – had reduced funding levels according to service need, reflecting the diversity of funding given.

As a final point, the next steps of the process were outlined:

1. Budget consultation event on 27 January 2011 for partners, including the community and voluntary sector.

2. To complete the table showing the detailed funding position for 2011/12

3. To implement a robust and consistent contracting and performance management systems.

4. To increase joint commissioning of services from the sector eg with the health sector.

The Chairman thanked Juliet Blackburn for her presentation and suggested that it would be useful that if in the aforementioned table, the detailed funding position could be broken down to illustrate which teams got what money. This would then strengthen the Committee’s ability to question each directorate on their community and third sector commissioning practices.

RESOLVED

a)      That the presentation be received.

b)      That an updated table providing a detailed breakdown of the funding that each Directorate commission to the community and third sector be brought to the meeting on 3 March 2011.