This report proposed improved co-ordination and consistency of policy and practice with community funding and grants and seeks to establish an approach to financial provision for future years.

In accepting the recommendations, Cabinet will approve and recommend to Council changes to the Community Grants from 2019/20 as follows: the annual Making a Difference Grants programme to be funded from the revenue budget as detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report; the Small Grants scheme is to be closed; the Frequently Funded Organisation grant is to be replaced by ‘Hambleton Helps’ and £50,000 allocated for each of the next three years from the Grants Reserve; the Grants Reserve is increased by £8,117 from the One-Off Fund for 2021/22 as detailed in paragraph 4.5 of the report and core Funded grants will be called the Partnership Fund and continue to be funded from the revenue budget.  Revised Service Level Agreements for three years will be agreed with recipients and approved by Management Team.

The subject of the decision:

This report proposed improved co-ordination and consistency of policy and practice with community funding and grants and sought to establish an approach to financial provision for future years.

Alternative options considered:

None.

The reason for the decision:

Cabinet was satisfied that changes to the policy and practice with community funding and grants would deliver a co-ordinated and consistent approach with a standardised application and decision making process that would be clearly defined and appropriate to the level of funding being applied for.

THE DECISION:

That Cabinet approves and recommends to Council changes to the Community Grants from 2019/20 as follows:-

(1)     the annual Making a Difference Grants programme is to be funded from the revenue budget as detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report;

(2)     the Small Grants scheme is to be closed;

(3)     the Frequently Funded Organisation grant is to be replaced by ‘Hambleton Helps’ and £50,000 allocated for each of the next three years from the Grants Reserve;

(4)     the Grants Reserve is increased by £8,117 from the One-Off Fund for 2021/22 as detailed in paragraph 4.5 of the report; and

(5)     Core Funded grants will be called the Partnership Fund and continue to be funded from the revenue budget.  Revised Service Level Agreements for three years will be agreed with recipients and approved by Management Team.