Agenda item

A report by the Service Director for Communities, Libraries, Heritage and Arts is attached providing details of the new proposed funding framework for the voluntary and community sector.  The report was submitted to Cabinet on 24 May 2010 where endorsement of the proposed framework was requested for implementation in April 2011.

The Committee is asked to review the report and comment as appropriate.

Councillor John Thomson, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries will be in attendance to respond to questions from the Committee.

A report by the Service Director for Communities, Libraries, Heritage and Arts was presented to the Committee and provided details of the new proposed funding framework for the voluntary and community sector.

Clarification was provided that the framework was at an early stage with a fuller report expected later in the year.  During the first year of Unitary it was agreed that funding levels would remain static for voluntary organisation. The framework was now being looked at with regards to funding thereafter.

Currently £25m was spent with the voluntary community sector which excluded the likes of the Order of St John.

Cllr John Thomson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries and Sandie Lewis, Head of Strategy VCS Support Unit, attended the meeting to provide further background and to answer any questions arising from the report.

Clarification was provided that the focus of the report was on the proposed framework for the allocation of Council funding to the voluntary and community sector and not the budget although additional information had been requested that the funding allocation should be shown in the form of a pie chart.  This was duly circulated to the Committee with an understanding that, as the figures related to the financial year 2009/10, not all the information was readily available at the time of circulation.

Ensuing discussion took place relating to the allocation of funding with specific note made to Area Boards and the VCS Support Unit.  Further information was also requested on ‘Buy Wiltshire’.

The ‘Buy Wiltshire’ service was hosted and part-funded by the Council and included all service based contracts to provide transparency and to encourage local businesses to pre-register for available contracts.  The site was promoted by the Council to ensure the voluntary sector was best placed to apply for contracts than at present. 

Following a request by members of the Committee, the Service Director for Resources confirmed that details would be provided on the number of successful quotes made through ‘Buy Wiltshire’ as outlined in the Procurement Strategy.

Clarification was provided that grants up to a maximum of £5k could be applied for through the Area Boards but that this was a separate revenue stream to the grants available through the VCS Support Unit.

The proposed framework encouraged joint up working with the voluntary sector and would provide clarity with one department monitoring funding across the County.  The Area Boards were also being encouraged to publicise the grants available through the community area board schemes.

Work also continued with local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to encourage collaborative working across organisations to maximise available funding.  Ideas discussed regarding collaborative working included the potential for specialist service providers combining resources such as administrative support and office accommodation.

The VCS Support Unit was discussed further with clarification provided that the Unit was funded through the Communities, Heritage and Arts division of the Council.  Staff had been seconded from the voluntary sector with a small set of staff from within the Council.  Following a request by members of the Committee, the budget cost for the Unit would be clarified and circulated.

Work was being undertaken to overview information received on applications to ensure that requests did not include unjustifiable costs.  A database was also being developed which would be accessible by the area boards and FOCUS teams and should avoid potential duplication of grant requests.

The involvement of the NHS in the process enabled the Council to ensure funding provided was from the correct revenue source.  The value of service provision was also under consideration with some previously ‘sub-contracted’ bodies now contracted directly via the Council.

Following submission of the report to Cabinet on Monday, implementation of the recommendations would commence from April 2011.  Indicators to monitor the implementation would be submitted to Cabinet in due course with the Committee informed of progress.

Resolved:

1)                 To thank officers and the Cabinet member for attending to respond to questions.

2)                 To note that Cabinet approved the recommendations in the report.

3)                 To note that greater publicity should be given to area board grants.

4)                 That the Committee requested further updates on the implementation of the VCS framework.

5)                 That the budget cost of the VCS Support Unit would be circulated to members of the Committee.

6)                 That the number of successful quotes achieved from ‘Buy Wiltshire’ would be circulated to members of the Committee.