Decision details

RESOLVED:

As recommended by the Task & Finish Group and Housing and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel, Cabinet approved the following:

1.     Community grants totalling £157,500 in revenue grants and £97,949 in capital grants, as detailed in Appendix 1, be included in the Medium-Term Financial Plan and proposed budget for 2026/27;

2.     The proposals, as detailed in paragraph 19;

3.     The Community Transport grants totalling £44,359, as set out in paragraph 25; and

4.     A procedural change to award Band A organisations a rolling 3-year award, if agreed by the Task & Finish Group, and for any further procedural changes brought about by LGR to be considered by the Task & Finish Group and agreed through the PFH for Community, Safety and Wellbeing.

KEY DECISION:

Yes

PORTFOLIO:

Community, Safety and Wellbeing

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in the report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

None

DISCUSSION:

The Portfolio Holder for Community, Safety and Wellbeing was pleased to present the report and recognise all of the community groups and charities that the Council supports. He noted the time and work undertaken by Officers and the Community Grants Task and Finish Group in reviewing each application. 

The Service Manager of Revenues Benefits and Customer Services provided further information on the report. He explained that this was the annual community grant programme, which this year had received a record number of applications, with 42 revenue grant applications and 24 capital grant applications. The Council already had a 3 year funding agreement with five organisations. They were currently underway in year one of its three-year agreement. The Task and Finish Group received 28 presentations for revenue grants, most of which were in person, and many of whom had applied for the first time. During the process, the Task and Finish Group provided applicants with additional information and advice, for example fundraising, which was well received.

Cabinet heard that the recommendations were for the approval of revenue grants of £85,000 to 23 applications and capital grants of £97,949 to 10 organisations. In total, 38 organisations would benefit from the community grants programme with the total grants awarded of just over £255,000. The community grants programme continued to support a wide range of organisations which supported residents across the New Forest, ranging from organisations focused on mental health, disabilities, carers, arts, culture, sports and environmental issues among others. The report recommended the continued support for two community transport schemes that were run in partnership with Hampshire County Council and Community First Wessex. These supported vulnerable residents, particularly in the Forest’s rural areas. Positive feedback had been received from organisations about the grants programme as most of the grants which were currently available were project based and not to support the ongoing running costs.