Issue - meetings

In January 2012 Executive agreed to create an Advice and Guidance Stream within the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund out of the existing advice budgets and some of the larger grants in the Main Programme Grant which have been paid over a number of years. Executive extended existing arrangements to facilitate a review of present service provision with a view to medium term funding arrangements for the services. This paper sets out the review and findings. Future funding for advice and guidance is proposed to make the best use of the resource critical to the resilience of local communities as they adjust to change.  The review has taken longer than anticipated due to a number of local issues identified when reviewing existing services, shifting local need and the changing national context affecting advice, particularly legal advice.

(i)         that the key findings from the review of service provision in the newly formed advice and guidance stream during 2012/2013 set out in section 3 of the report and summarised at paragraph 3.12 of the report be noted;

(ii)        that it be noted that existing arrangements for most projects in the advice and guidance funding stream were rolled over on 1 April 2013, due to the review of existing arrangements taking longer than expected and pending a decision from Executive on future provision in light of the review. (See 2.6 for the exception);

(iii)       that authority be delegated to Assistant Director – Policy to renegotiate of a Service Level Agreement with Brent Community Law Centre for the provision of specialist legal advice until 31 March 2015 as set out in paragraph 3.33;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to Assistant Director – Policy to renegotiate a Service Level Agreement with Brent Citizen’s Advice Bureau for the provision of generalist legal advice until 31 March 2015 as set out in paragraph 3.33;

(v)        that the council’s existing grant agreements with Age UK and Brent Mencap be extended until 31 March 2014 as set out in paragraph 3.35 2.6;

(vi)       that it be noted that Brent Association of Disabled People has encountered some governance and financial difficulties which are affecting the everyday running of the organisation and the council has worked with BADP to investigate these. Regrettably, the council is not in a position to continue to fund the organisation to provide advice and guidance for disabled people in the borough at this time;

(vii)      Agree to commission a new consolidated advice and guidance service level agreement providing advice and guidance to both elderly and disabled people from 1^st April 2014 until 31^st March 2015, with option to extend for a further year, subject to the 2014 Executive decision on future advice provision (as set out in paragraph 3.36);

(viii)     Agree to seek interim provision of advice and guidance for disabled people in the borough to replace that which cannot be provided by the Brent Association for Disabled People, until the new arrangement proposed in 2.7 is in place.

(ix)       Agree to extend existing arrangements for private sector tenant engagement provided by Brent Private Tenants Rights Group until 31^st March 2014, giving notice that the council does not intend to fund this particular project after that time.

(x)        Note the intention to manage the monitoring of this grant as part of the themed grants stream during this period and no longer include it as part of the Advice and Guidance stream.

(xi)       Agree to reallocate the £33,228.98 presently allocated on the tenant engagement project to Housing Need Team in Regeneration and Growth to commission work to address private sector housing issues from 1^st April 2014 (as set out in paragraphs 3.30, 3.31 and 3.38).

(xii)      Note the specific proposals (set out in paragraph 3.10) already agreed by members for ward working projects which respond to welfare  ...  view the full decision text for item 14

In January 2012 Executive agreed to create an Advice and Guidance Stream within the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund out of the existing advice budgets and some of the larger grants in the Main Programme Grant which have been paid over a number of years. The Executive extended existing arrangements to facilitate a review of present service provision with a view to medium term funding arrangements for the services. Cathy Tyson (Assistant Director, Policy) introduced the paper which set out the review and findings which had identified an increase in demand, changes in economics and the profile of customers. Key issues for advice were now debt, welfare and employment. The proposals outlined in the report were based on discussions with current providers with whom there was a high level of satisfaction. Cathy Tyson drew attention difficulties being experienced by Brent Association for Disabled People and the need to seek alternate provision to support this client group.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the key findings from the review of service provision in the newly formed advice and guidance stream during 2012/2013 set out in section 3 of the report and summarised at paragraph 3.12 of the report from the Assistant Director, Policy be noted;

(ii)        that it be noted that existing arrangements for most projects in the advice and guidance funding stream were rolled over on 1 April 2013, due to the review of existing arrangements taking longer than expected and pending a decision from Executive on future provision in light of the review;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to Assistant Director – Policy to renegotiate of a Service Level Agreement with Brent Community Law Centre for the provision of specialist legal advice until 31 March 2015 as set out in paragraph 3.33 of the report

(iv)       that authority be delegated to Assistant Director – Policy to renegotiate a Service Level Agreement with Brent Citizen’s Advice Bureau for the provision of generalist legal advice until 31 March 2015 as set out in paragraph 3.33 of the report;

(v)        that the council’s existing grant agreements with Age UK and Brent Mencap be extended until 31 March 2014 as set out in paragraph 3.35 2.6 of the report;

(vi)       that it be noted that Brent Association of Disabled People has encountered some governance and financial difficulties which are affecting the everyday running of the organisation and the council has worked with BADP to investigate these. Regrettably, the council is not in a position to continue to fund the organisation to provide advice and guidance for disabled people in the borough at this time;

(vii)      that agreement be given to commission a new consolidated advice and guidance service level agreement providing advice and guidance to both elderly and disabled people from 1 April 2014 until 31 March 2015, with option to extend for a further year, subject to the 2014 Executive decision on future advice provision (as set out in paragraph 3.36 of the report);

(viii)     that agreement be given to seek interim provision of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14