Agenda item

This report seeks agreement to grant fund 14 projects led by voluntary organisations for three years, subject to performance, following assessment of the round 2 of bids for grant funding against the criteria set by the Executive in January 2012.

(i)         that the summary of recommendations in Appendix 1 to this report, individual assessment reports set out in Appendix 2 and the Grant Criteria and Standard Conditions of Grant Aid set out in Appendix 3a be noted;

(ii)        that the voluntary sector led projects and grant funding allocations as set out and proposed in paragraph 4.9 of this report which will run between 1^st April 2013 and 31^st March 2016 be approved;

(iii)       that approval be given to rounds of smaller one year grants of up to £10k in 2013, 2014 and 2015 within the existing budget, as set out in paragraph 4.13 of the report from the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement, and to delegate authority to the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement in consultation with the leader, to make the decisions on the award of such one year grants, given the very small budget;

(iv)       that approval be given to the amendments to the grant terms and conditions appended at appendix 3b and outlined in paragraph 4.15 of th Director’s report for application to all projects funded through the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund;

(v)        that it be noted that all grant funding allocations are subject to the Council’s Grant Conditions and that where a bid is agreed, the organisation will sign an agreement with the Council, stating the purpose of the grant and expected outcomes before funding is released;

(vi)       that it be noted that in cases where an organisation either declines their grant during the funding period or the grant is withdrawn for performance reasons, the Executive agreed at its meeting of January 2012 that the decision to reallocate such grant monies within the fund is delegated to the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement.

Councillor Butt (Leader, Lead Member, Corporate Strategy and Policy Co-ordination) introduced the report which sought agreement to grant fund 14 projects led by voluntary organisations for three years, subject to performance, following assessment of the round 2 of bids for grant funding against the criteria set by the Executive in January 2012. He advised that 66 bids had been received seeking funding in excess of the funds available and assured that the allocation criteria had been applied consistently.

Councillor Hirani (Lead Member, Adults and Health) requested that feedback be offered to unsuccessful bidders and was advised that Brent CVS would offer assistance in reviewing bids, signposting to alternative funding sources and capacity building.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the summary of recommendations in Appendix 1 to the report from the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement, individual assessment reports set out in Appendix 2 and the Grant Criteria and Standard Conditions of Grant Aid set out in Appendix 3a be noted;

(ii)        that the voluntary sector led projects and grant funding allocations as set out and proposed in paragraph 4.9 of the report which would run between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2016 be approved;

(iii)       that approval be given to rounds of smaller one year grants of up to £10k in 2013, 2014 and 2015 within the existing budget, as set out in paragraph 4.13 of the Director’s report, and to delegate authority to the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make the decisions on the award of such one year grants, given the very small budget;

(iv)       that approval be given to the amendments to the grant terms and conditions appended at appendix 3b and outlined in paragraph 4.15 of the Director’s report for application to all projects funded through the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund;

(v)        that it be noted that all grant funding allocations are subject to the Council’s Grant Conditions and that where a bid is agreed, the organisation will sign an agreement with the Council, stating the purpose of the grant and expected outcomes before funding is released;

(vi)       that it be noted that in cases where an organisation either declines their grant during the funding period or the grant is withdrawn for performance reasons, the Executive agreed at its meeting of January 2012 that the decision to reallocate such grant monies within the fund is delegated to the Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement.