Agenda item

To consider the enclosed report of the Corporate Director (People).

Agreed

The Executive Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Director (People) seeking the Members’ instructions on applications for grant assistance from the Council’s Core Fund budget provision in 2009/10.

The report contained the Corporate Director’s recommendations on the award of grant aid to the organisations whose activities contributed towards the Council’s strategic objectives and themes within the Sustainable Community Strategy.

The Corporate Director also reminded the Executive Cabinet that the Council’s Core Funding grants represented only one of a number of grant sources for community and voluntary organisations.  The Corporate Director considered that a review of the core funding streams might provide an opportunity to improve the co-ordination of the grants systems between partners.

Decisions made:

(1)    That approval be given to the making of the following Core Fund grants, subject to the Corporate Director (People) agreeing and signing off a Core Funding Agreement with each organisation:

         ?       Chorley and South Ribble Shopmobility – Grant of £10,500;

         ?       Preston and West Lancashire Racial Equality Council – Grant of £1,500;

         ?       Chorley Women’s Centre – Grant of £4,460;

         ?       Chorley and South Ribble Council for Voluntary Service – Grant of £4,165;

         ?       Chorley Lifestyle Centre 50+ - Grant of £2,250, plus £4,270 towards accommodation costs and other additional support during the organisation’s transitional period;

         ?       The Arts Partnership – Grant of £7,000, subject to the Partnership providing an analysis of activity across Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire districts and funding from each district;

         ?       Help the Homeless (Chorley) – Grant of £650;

         ?       Chorley, South Ribble and District Citizens’ Advice Bureau – Grant of £67, 240 to be paid in two 6 monthly payments in advance, plus £18,200 to cover administration costs, subject to the Bureau providing the same level of service during 2009/10 are provided in 2008/09 as a minimum, maintaining the Community Legal Services Quality Mark and agreeing a process for the referral of people for debt advice by the Council;

         ?       Chorley and District Sports Forum – Grant of £5,435, subject to a robust methodology being put in place and a limit being placed on the grants made to talented individuals;

         ?       Chorley Pensioners’ Association – Grant of £350;

         ?       Lancashire Sport – Grant of £5,125;

         ?       Home-Start Chorley and South Ribble – Grant of £5,125;

         ?       Central Lancashire Dial-A-Ride – An in-principle grant of £2,080, subject to clarification of other sources of external funding provided to the organisation;

         ?       Preston and Lancashire Survivors – Grant of £410;

         ?       Groundwork Lancashire West and Wigan – Grant of £22,000.

(2)    That no core fund grant be made to Victim Support, pending clarification of the organisation’s impact in the Borough.

(3)    That the Saheliyaan Asian Women’s Forum be offered both support to develop its business case and advice on the submission of applications for funding.

(4)    That no core fund grant be made to Age Concern Lancashire at this stage, but that Officers be requested to assist with the Lancashire County Council, the Community Legal Service and other partners to discuss how gaps in advice provision within the Borough can be funded.

(5)    That a report be presented to a future Executive Cabinet meeting on the outcome of a review of the various sources of core funding aid to local organisations to examine the potential improvement of the co-ordination of future financial support.