Issue - meetings

This report seeks agreement to the creation of a newly named Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund from existing Main Programme Grant and Advice Services Budgets; maintaining the overall level of funding as detailed in Section 6. As existing grant terms come to an end, the report proposes allocating the Main Programme Grant budget to grant-funded Borough Plan aligned projects, enhancing infrastructure support for the voluntary sector and some advice, guidance and advocacy. The report also seeks agreement to extending existing arrangements for advice services and some of the grant projects to enable a review of the advice, guidance and advocacy in 2012-2013.

(i)        that the creation of a newly named Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund from the existing Main Programme Grant and the Advice Services budgets be agreed;

(ii)       that the creation of three funding streams within the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund in the financial year 2012 – 2013 be agreed, which are as follows:

·                a funding stream using existing Main Programme Grant Budget forprojects which run for two year and nine months aligned to Borough Plan priorities excluding crime and regeneration as set out in paragraph 4.3 of this report;

·                a funding stream using existing Main Programme Grant Budget to commission infrastructure support for Brent’s voluntary and community sector for three years from 1st April 2012 until 31st March 2013 as set out in paragraph 4.10 of this report;

·                a funding stream containing existing advice, guidance and advocacy arrangements funded from the Advice Services budget and Main Programme Grant Budget from 1st April 2012 and 31st March 2013 as set out in paragraph 4.13 of this report;

(iii)      that agreement the addition of a further three year funding stream to commence in the financial year 2013-2014 for projects aligned to the range of borough plan priorities as set out in paragraph 4.4 of this report using the existing Main Programme Grant Budget as existing grant terms come to an end be agreed;

Grant projects aligned to Borough Plan priorities

(iv)      that the extension of (within existing budgets) all existing grant agreements under the children and young people’s theme and  decommission, with appropriate notice, these projects at the point the new themed funding becomes available be agreed;

(v)       that the decommission, with appropriate notice, the last set of projects being funded by the council under one year agreements at the point new funding streams become available with the exception of those covered by the advice, guidance and advocacy proposal be agreed;

(vi)      that agreement the decommissioning of the the crime and regeneration themed funding stream at the end of its three year grant period in March 2013 and replace it as outlined in paragraph 2.3 above, be agreed;

(vii)    that it be agreed to maintain the grant funding principles set out in paragraph 4.7 of this report;

Advice, Guidance and Advocacy

(viii)   that extending (within existing budgets) the existing one year grant agreements for projects provided by Brent Mencap, Brent Association of Disabled People and Age UK until March 31^st 2013 whilst a review of advice guidance and advocacy stream is undertaken be agreed;

(ix)      that extending (within existing budgets) the existing arrangements for Brent Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Brent Community Law Centre and Brent Private Tenants Rights Group until March 31^st 2013 whilst a review of the advice, guidance and advocacy stream is undertaken be agreed.

Operational Arrangements

(x)       that the draft themed grant funding criteria as set out in Appendix 3 of this report be agreed;

(xi)      that the amended grant funding terms and conditions set out in Appendix 4 of this report be agreed;

(xii)    that authority be  ...  view the full decision text for item 12

The report from the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement sought agreement to the creation of a newly named Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund from existing Main Programme Grant and Advice Services Budgets and maintaining the overall level of funding as detailed in Section 6 of the report. As existing grant terms come to an end, the report proposed allocating the Main Programme Grant budget to grant-funded Borough Plan aligned projects, enhancing infrastructure support for the voluntary sector and some advice, guidance and advocacy. The report also sought agreement to extending existing arrangements for advice services and some of the grant projects to enable a review of the advice, guidance and advocacy in 2012-2013.

The Chair advised that the issue of voluntary grants had been under serious consideration for some time and in addition to the Main Programme Grant, there were also a number of contractual arrangements with other voluntary organisations.  The proposals were a culmination of the need to rationalise the voluntary sector across the three funding streams and it was also intended to establish a Voluntary Resource Centre in the fullness of time.

RESOLVED:-

(i)        that the creation of a newly named Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund from the existing Main Programme Grant and the Advice Services budgets be agreed;

(ii)       that the creation of three funding streams within the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund in the financial year 2012 – 2013 be agreed, which are as follows:

·                a funding stream using existing Main Programme Grant Budget forprojects which run for two year and nine months aligned to Borough Plan priorities excluding crime and regeneration as set out in paragraph 4.3 of this report;

·                a funding stream using existing Main Programme Grant Budget to commission infrastructure support for Brent’s voluntary and community sector for three years from 1st April 2012 until 31st March 2013 as set out in paragraph 4.10 of this report;

·                a funding stream containing existing advice, guidance and advocacy arrangements funded from the Advice Services budget and Main Programme Grant Budget from 1st April 2012 and 31st March 2013 as set out in paragraph 4.13 of this report;

(iii)      that agreement the addition of a further three year funding stream to commence in the financial year 2013-2014 for projects aligned to the range of borough plan priorities as set out in paragraph 4.4 of this report using the existing Main Programme Grant Budget as existing grant terms come to an end be agreed;

Grant projects aligned to Borough Plan priorities

(iv)      that the extension of (within existing budgets) all existing grant agreements under the children and young people’s theme and  decommission, with appropriate notice, these projects at the point the new themed funding becomes available be agreed;

(v)       that the decommission, with appropriate notice, the last set of projects being funded by the council under one year agreements at the point new funding streams become available with the exception of those covered by the advice, guidance and advocacy proposal be agreed;

(vi)      that agreement the decommissioning of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12