Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)            the following Revenue Grants for 2021/22 be awarded to:

a.    Surrey Heath Citizens Advice (CASH) – £80,000;

b.    Voluntary Support North Surrey - £30,000;

c.    Surrey Heath Age Concern - £10,000;

d.    Camberley Central Job Club - £7,000

e.    Catalyst Support - £1,500;

f.     The Hope Hub - £31,500;

g.    VSNS-Time to Talk - £10,000;

h.    Basingstoke Canal Authority - £10,000;

i.      Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership - £10,000;

j.      Surrey Heath Sports Council - £3,500;

(ii)          the other in-kind benefits provided to organisations be noted;

(iii)         all grants be subject to Service Level Agreements;

(i)            the Autism Trust grant decision to be delegated to the Executive Head of Transformation in consultation with the Support & Safeguarding Portfolio Holder to clarify the local benefit of this application;

(ii)          no Revenue Grant be awarded to Penificent Ltd, Camberley Care Trust, Camberley Cricket Club, or Creative Mind Community;

(iii)         Surrey Heath Arts Council’s decision not to apply for a Revenue Grant for 2021/22 be noted; and

(iv)         No Revenue Grant be awarded to Lightwater Connected but the organisation be invited to re-apply next year.

The Executive was informed that the Council funded a number of voluntary organisations which either worked in partnership with the Council or performed functions on the Council’s behalf.

Members were reminded that in 2019 a review of the Revenue Grant scheme had been undertaken to assess whether grants were being made at the correct levels, to the right organisations, and the value for money of the revenue grants realised. A revised scheme had been agreed in September 2019, to be introduced from 1April 2020. The review had introduced ring fencing to 3 organisations who worked with the Council: Citizens Advice Surrey Heath, Blackwater Valley Partnership and the Basingstoke Canal Authority. 

Service level agreements had been introduced in 2013 to enable the Council to set out targets and outcomes to be achieved throughout the year. The agreements were used to monitor the performance of organisations throughout the year. Grant payments were only made after a successful monitoring report was received.

The Executive considered the grants sought by the organisations which had applied for Revenue Grants for 2021/22, the relevant supporting information concerning those organisations, and the amounts it was proposed to award.

Members were advised that it was proposed to delegate the decision on the application from the Autism Trust UK, with a suggestion that a maximum of £5,000 be awarded following further information relating to the benefits to local Surrey Heath clients.  

The Executive was informed it was proposed to decline applications from Penificent Ltd, Camberley Care Trust, Creative Minds Community, and Camberley Cricket Club and noted the reasons for these decisions, as set out in the agenda report.It was also proposed that the application from Lightwater Connected be declined that year, but a further application would be welcomed when it became a formalised group.

In response to suggestions from Members, it was agreed to consider including information in future reports on the levels of unrestricted reserves held by the organisations and the number of months they could expect to operate without a grant.

RESOLVED that

(i)        the following Revenue Grants for 2021/22 be awarded to:

a.    Surrey Heath Citizens Advice (CASH) – £80,000;

b.   Voluntary Support North Surrey - £30,000;

c.    Surrey Heath Age Concern - £10,000;

d.   Camberley Central Job Club - £7,000

e.    Catalyst Support - £1,500;

f.     The Hope Hub - £31,500;

g.   VSNS-Time to Talk - £10,000;

h.   Basingstoke Canal Authority - £10,000;

i.     Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership - £10,000;

j.     Surrey Heath Sports Council - £3,500;

(ii)      the other in-kind benefits provided to organisations be noted;

(iii)     all grants be subject to Service Level Agreements;

(iv)     the Autism Trust grant decision to be delegated to the Executive Head of Transformation in consultation with the Support & Safeguarding Portfolio Holder to clarify the local benefit of this application;

(v)      no Revenue Grant be awarded to Penificent Ltd, Camberley Care Trust, Camberley Cricket Club, or Creative Minds Community;

(vi)     Surrey Heath Arts Council’s decision not to apply for a Revenue Grant for 2021/22 be noted; and

(vii)   No Revenue Grant be awarded to Lightwater Connected but the organisation be invited to re-apply next year.

Note 1: In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, the following non-pecuniary interests were declared:

(i)        Councillor Paul Deach declared he was a Surrey County Council representative on Basingstoke Canal Joint Committee; and

(ii)       Councillor David Lewis declared that he was a trustee of Surrey Heath Age Concern.

Note 2: It was noted for the record that

(i)        Councillor Rodney Bates declared that his sister worked for Catalyst;

(ii)       Councillor Rebecca Jennings-Evans declared that she had volunteered for the Lightwater Resilience Plan, part of Lightwater Connected;

(iii)      Councillor Alan McClafferty declared that his wife was Chairman of Surrey Heath Age Concern; and

(iv)     Councillor Sashi Mylvaganam declared that he had been involved with Camberley Care Trust in the past.