Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)            the following Revenue Grants for 2022/23 be awarded to:

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

b.    Surrey Heath Age Concern - £10,000.

c.    Camberley Central Job Club - £6,000

d.    Catalyst Support - £1,500.

e.    The Hope Hub - £31,500.

f.     VSNS-Time to Talk - £10,000.

g.    Basingstoke Canal Authority - £10,000.

h.    Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership - £10,000.

i.      Surrey Heath Sports Council - £3,000.

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

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

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

(iv)         No Revenue Grants to be awarded to: Windlesham Field of Remembrance, The Women’s Institute Bagshot, RASASC (Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre) Guildford, the Mustard Seed Trust, Farnborough, Home-Start Surrey Heath, Lightwater Connected and Surrey Heath Arts Council;

(v)          the funds available within the Containment Outbreak Management Fund  be utilised to meet the Revenue Grant Costs as detailed above 1) A to J for the period of 2022-23 at a maximum total cost of £192,500;

(vi)         the available funds from the Containment Outbreak Management Fund be utilised to meet the Revenue Grant costs of the 3 ringfenced organisations which consist of: Citizen’s Advice Surrey Heath, £80,000, Basingstoke Canal Authority, and Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, both at £10,000 giving an additional allocated amount of £100,000 to meet revenue costs for the  year, 2023-2024, and throughout the remainder of this year for the work to continue to identify the funding necessary to retain support for all other organisations; and

(vii)        a further report be considered in October 2022 examining the impact of the lack of funding on each of the organisations and the potential impact on the Council, or whether services could be delivered in another way.

The Executive considered a report detailing recommendations for revenue grant payments to voluntary organisations for the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, and the three organisations identified for ring-fenced funding for the period from April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Members were reminded that that the 3 ring-fenced organisations were Citizens Advice Surrey Heath, Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership and the Basingstoke Canal Authority.

It was reported that, since the preparation of the report, conversations had taken place with Voluntary Support North Surrey to resolve an outstanding question and it was now proposed to award the organisation a grant of £30,000.

The Executive was advised that the budget preparations for 2022/23 had indicated that the Council would be unable to sustain the same level of funding as in previous years and would not be able to support any new organisations.  Furthermore, the Council would be unable confirm the continuation of funding for non-ringfenced organisations beyond 1April 2023. It was proposed to use the Containment Outbreak Management Fund, which would enable the Council to continue to support the existing organisations for the 2022/23 financial year and those that were ring-fenced for the 2023-24 financial year.

Members recognised a need to further understand the impact of the Council removing the funding to the organisations. It was therefore agreed that a report would be considered by October 2022, examining the impact of not funding each of the organisations and the potential impact on the Council, plus whether services could be delivered in another way.

RESOLVED that

(i)     the following Revenue Grants for 2022/23 be awarded to:

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

b.        Surrey Heath Age Concern - £10,000.

c.        Camberley Central Job Club - £6,000

d.        Catalyst Support - £1,500.

e.        The Hope Hub - £31,500.

f.         VSNS-Time to Talk - £10,000.

g.        Basingstoke Canal Authority - £10,000.

h.        Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership - £10,000.

i.          Surrey Heath Sports Council - £3,000.

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

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

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

(iv)  No Revenue Grants to be awarded to: Windlesham Field of Remembrance, The Women’s Institute Bagshot, RASASC (Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre) Guildford, the Mustard Seed Trust, Farnborough, Home-Start Surrey Heath, Lightwater Connected and Surrey Heath Arts Council;

(v)   the funds available within the Containment Outbreak Management Fund  be utilised to meet the Revenue Grant Costs as detailed above 1) A to J for the period of 2022-23 at a maximum total cost of £192,500;

(vi)  the available funds from the Containment Outbreak Management Fund be utilised to meet the Revenue Grant costs of the 3 ringfenced organisations which consist of: Citizen’s Advice Surrey Heath, £80,000, Basingstoke Canal Authority, and Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, both at £10,000 giving an additional allocated amount of £100,000 to meet revenue costs for the  year, 2023-2024, and throughout the remainder of this year for the work to continue to identify the funding necessary to retain support for all other organisations; and

(vii)    a further report be considered by October 2022 examining the impact of the lack of funding on each of the organisations and the potential impact on the Council, or whether services could be delivered in another way.

Note 1: In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor Rebecca Jennings-Evans declared a non-pecuniary interest as she was a Council representative on Surrey Heath Sports Council.

Note 2: It was noted for the record that

(i)     Councillor Rodney Bates declared that his sister worked for Catalyst Support and he indicated that he would not comment on that decision;

(ii)    Councillor Shaun Garrett declared that he volunteered for Surrey Heath Age Concern; and

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