Issue - meetings

Grant Policy Report

 

 

Meeting: 07/01/2020 - Letchworth Committee (Item 44)

44 GRANT POLICY REPORT pdf icon PDF 122 KB

This report outlines the proposed review of the Community Grants policy and criteria. It outlines a timetable regarding further consultation, with Councillors sitting on each of the five Area Committees; Overview and Scrutiny, Cabinet and Full Council with the view that any changes and updates will be in place for the new policy to commence at the start of the forthcoming financial year 2020/21.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the proposed review of the Community Grants Policy and criteria be noted.

 

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:  That the Community Grants Policy, criteria and outline consultation process be approved by Letchworth Committee, subject to the following amendments:

 

·                That the word “quarterly” be removed from paragraph 4.3 of Section 4 - Application Submission Process; and

 

·                An addition be made to the report in respect of Paragraph 6 – Terms of the Award, requesting feedback to the specific Area Committee that had initially awarded the grant funding.

 

REASON FOR DECISION:  The awarding of grant funding awards to organisations, charities and voluntary groups, and the use of grant budgets devolved to Area Committees allows the Authority to further its aims and overarching Priorities of the Council and District.

 

NB. The Consultation on the Grants Policy remains open for any further comment until midday 21 January 2020.

Minutes:

Audio Recording – Start of Item – 54 Minutes

 

The Community Engagement Team Leader presented the report entitled Community Grants Policy Review and highlighted the following:

 

·                The report outlined the proposed changes to the grants policy;

·                The process had been simplified;

·                The policy was last updated in 2016, and since then, the Area Committee Budgets had been reduced by 20% year on year;

·                Organisations with charitable status, voluntary sector groups, community groups, Community Interest Companies, Community Interest Organisations, Schools, Academies, Business Improvement District Groups, Parish and Town Councils were now able to apply for grants;

 

The following Members made comment and asked questions:

 

Councillor Ian Mantle

 

RESOLVED: That the proposed review of the Community Grants Policy and criteria be noted.

 

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:  That the Community Grants Policy, criteria and outline consultation process be approved by Letchworth Committee, subject to the following amendments:

 

·                That the word “quarterly” be removed from paragraph 4.3 of Section 4 - Application Submission Process; and

 

·                An addition be made to the report in respect of Paragraph 6 – Terms of the Award, requesting feedback to the specific Area Committee that had initially awarded the grant funding.

 

REASON FOR DECISION:  The awarding of grant funding awards to organisations, charities and voluntary groups, and the use of grant budgets devolved to Area Committees allows the Authority to further its aims and overarching Priorities of the Council and District.

 

NB. The Consultation on the Grants Policy remains open for any further comment until midday 21 January 2020.