The Strategic Director, Environment and Sport will submit Document “N” which sets out the Community Building Grants allocation process. Community Building Grants are for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to support them in meeting their associated building related costs.

Recommended-

(1)       That the proposed allocation process for Community Building Grants be noted.  

(2)       That the Area Coordinator is requested to organise meetings of the Area Committee’s Grant Advisory Group to consider Community Building Grant applications for funding from groups within the Bradford East Area. 

(3)       That the Area Coordinator bring a further report to a meeting within the 2016-17 municipal year with recommendations from the Grant Advisory Group on how to allocate the Community Building Grants funds available. 

                                                                        (Amria Khatun – 01274 437467)

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

The Strategic Director, Environment and Sport  submitted Document “N” which set out the Community Building Grants allocation process. Community Building Grants were for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to support them in meeting their associated building related costs.

It was reported that the new Grants allocation process will commence from 1 April 2017.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·        It had been 8 months before consultation was started with organisations about the new scheme; it was concerning that organisations were now being asked to submit applications which did not give them sufficient time

·        Organisations were informed that it would take 3 months to undertake the review of the Community Building Grants but took 9 months, needed to be fairer to organisations and give them sufficient time to submit their applications.

·        Did not know how many organisations would be applying, when the decision was made and by whom?

·        Paragraph 3.9 should read that Community buildings receiving a contribution to their building related costs through a grant should be accessible to everyone within the local community and/or young people; criteria should be that providers should be serving all of the community not just young people otherwise certain organisations would not be able to apply.

·        If a building was Council retained it would be paid for but others would not which meant inequalities.

·        There was a potential risk to young people as services being offered would be reduced because of these changes.

·        Why was Bradford West Area Committee chosen to allocate funding to district wide organisations; organisations could be from anywhere not just City Centre; Why was an assumption made that Bradford West would be better than any other area Committee in allocating the funding; it would not be appropriate for Bradford West to be making decisions about services being provided in Bradford East as a decision would be made by an area committee that did not know the area.

·        What was meant by responsible charging policy?

·        32 organisations were run by volunteers who may not have had a charging policy; people were being led to believe that they could go to Community Voluntary Services for support; what support was being provided to  organisations in submitting their bids; Community Voluntary Services were not geared up to take this extra work on; what support was the Council providing?

·        How would 3 support officers be sufficient in providing support to the large number of organisations that would be needing support?

·        Implementation of the new Grants Scheme would adversely affect equality and diversity within the area.

In response to Members questions it was reported that:

·        There was a lot of background work that needed to be undertaken before consultation could be undertaken; organisations were aware of changes taking place; people had been informed about the other ways of attracting funding such as becoming a registered charity which would entitle organisations to 80% rate relief, or to register as a small business and rates would be set off by government initiatives; 9 organisations had been affected by rental subsidy changes; any organisation on a reduced rate would remain on that rate.

·        Officers would look into improving the timescales for applications.

·        The decision relating to Community Building Grants was part of the budget reductions for 2015/16 agreed at Council.

·        Community Voluntary Services had 3 support officers dedicated to helping people through the application process; development briefing sessions were also held with Ward Officers who would be clearer on the process.

·        Some organisations were well established and would not need the support and would be familiar with the process.

Resolved-

(1)       That the Committee notes the potential risk to the delivery of work with vulnerable young people given the removal of discretionary support available to community and voluntary sector organisations.

(2)       That the first bullet point of paragraph 3.9 of Document “N” be amended to read “to be accessible to everyone within the local community and/or young people”.

(3)       That the Committee requests that a cross District group made up of representatives from all the Area Committee’s is responsible for the allocation of the District wide funding.

(4)       That the Area Co-ordinator is requested to organise meetings of the Area Committee’s Grant Advisory Group to consider Community Building Grant applications for funding from groups within the Bradford East Area.

(5)       That the Area Co-ordinator submits a further report to this Committee within the 2016-17 Municipal Year with recommendations from the Grants Advisory Group on how to allocate the Community Building Grants funds available.

Action:          Strategic Director, Environment and Sport