Agenda item

Report No:   CAB/SE/17/071

Portfolio Holder: Robert Everitt       Lead Officer: Davina Howes

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019, as previously approved in 2016/2017 as part of two-year funding agreements, be noted, namely:

(2)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019, as detailed in Report No: GWP/SE/17/002, be approved, namely:

(3)     subject to the budget setting process for 2019/2020, and subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2018/2019, the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, be approved, namely:

(4)     No Community Chest funding for 2018/2019 be awarded to:

(a)     Abundant Life Church (Epic Dad);               

(b)     Sharing Parenting, Clare;  

(c)     The Restoration Trust; and           

(d)     Rural Coffee Caravan.  

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/17/071, which presented the recommendations of the Grant Working Party emanating from its meeting on 6 November 2017.

Councillor Robert Everitt, Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that the Grant Working Party had considered a total of 18 applications for Community Chest funding in 2018/2019.  A wide variety of organisations had submitted applications, as detailed in Appendix 1 to Report No: GWP/SE/17/002.  The Community Chest budget for 2018/2019 was £281,483, which included £7,000 that had previously been allocated as part of two-year funding agreements, and applicants could apply for a maximum of two years.

Councillor Jim Thorndyke, Chairman of the Grant Working Party, was in attendance and summarised the process that had been undertaken to formulate the Working Party’s recommendations.

Each application had been summarised in Appendix 1 to Report No: GWP/SE/17/002  with the full applications attached as appendices to that report.  Each application was required to be evaluated in accordance with the eligibility and selection criteria set out in Appendix 2, and was considered in turn, as set out in the Cabinet report.

Following due consideration, recommendations for funding had been put forward to the Cabinet for the reasons provided in the report.

Councillor Thorndyke explained that the Working Party had decided to defer its consideration of two of the applications pending receipt of further information and clarification.  These applications had now been fully evaluated by email by the Working Party, and it’s recommendations for these particular organisations (Suffolk Family Carers and The Restoration Trust) had now been incorporated into the Cabinet report presented at this meeting.

Subject to the approval of the recommendations, a total of £4,800 would remain available in the Community Chest fund for 2018/2019, which if left unallocated in the 2018/2019 year, this balance would be carried forward to the 2019/2020 financial year.

Officers were acknowledged for their work in encouraging organisations to apply for funding and assisting the Working Party in their deliberations.  The Working Party was also commended for its exceptionally thorough consideration of the applications.

A discussion was held on the reasons for not supporting the allocation of funding to some organisations; however it was reiterated that whilst some smaller rural projects may not meet the criteria for Community Chest Funding, they may still be eligible for funding from the Rural Initiatives Grant Scheme.

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019, as previously approved in 2016/2017 as part of two-year funding agreements, be noted, namely:

(2)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019, as detailed in Report No: GWP/SE/17/002, be approved, namely:

(3)     subject to the budget setting process for 2019/2020, and subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2018/2019, the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, be approved, namely:

(4)     No Community Chest funding for 2018/2019 be awarded to:

(a)     Abundant Life Church (Epic Dad);               

(b)     Sharing Parenting, Clare;  

(c)     The Restoration Trust; and           

(d)     Rural Coffee Caravan.