Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)            the Community Fund Grant Scheme be retained, the application process be simplified, and new applications continue to be accepted twice a year;

(ii)           a further £50,000 be allocated from the Community Fund Grant Scheme to be used to provide as an emergency food poverty grant scheme to extend this until 31 March 2022;

(iii)         a review of the Council’s range of Community Grant schemes to ensure local needs and priorities continue to be met beyond the pandemic be carried out by November 2021;

(iv)         the Poverty Working Group Terms of Reference, as set out Annex B to the agenda report, be adopted; and

(v)          the outcome from the consultation event in December 2020, as set out Annex B to the agenda report, be noted.

Members were reminded that the Council had introduced a discretionary grant scheme over 20 years ago, to provide support to local not for profit organisations of up to a maximum of £25,000 for one off ‘capital’ type expenditure.  The grant scheme was open twice a year to receive applications, all of which were subject to a qualifying criteria, evaluation and approval by the Executive.

The funds for this scheme had originally been set a side, which had resulted in a reducing balance which at 31 December 2020 was £158,000.

It was recognised that the impact from the pandemic had had universal effect and the previous poverty landscape was subject to change. The Government Furlough scheme had shielded the true picture of this local effect on our economies, and the loss of employment and the full extent of this was becoming clearer.

A Poverty Working Group had been formed in November 2020 comprising community representatives, voluntary sector, Surrey Heath Clinical Commissioning Group, Councillors, and officers. A number of local initiatives in partnership with Citizens Advice Surrey Heath, Old Dean Community Group etc. had already been progress to provide assistance where most required.  A consultation event had been undertaken in December 2020 and the outcomes were noted.

It was noted that the Working Group’s Terms of Reference would initially be limited to Old Dean, St Michaels and Watchetts Ward. However as initiatives progressed the lessons learnt could be applied to other parts of the Borough. It was considered that as the Group was multi-agency to spread the work across all wards at the present time might result in a dilution of resources.  In addition it was proposed to arrange a Poverty Summit to which all Councillors would be invited to take part.

RESOLVED that

(i)        the Community Fund Grant Scheme be retained, the application process be simplified, and new applications continue to be accepted twice a year;

(ii)      a further £50,000 be allocated from the Community Fund Grant Scheme to be used to provide as an emergency food poverty grant scheme and to extend the scheme until 31 March 2022;

(iii)     a review of the Council’s range of Community Grant schemes to ensure local needs and priorities continue to be met beyond the pandemic be carried out by November 2021;

(iv)     the Poverty Working Group Terms of Reference, as set out at Annex B to the agenda report, be adopted; and

(v)      the outcome from the consultation event in December 2020, as set out Annex B to the agenda report, be noted.