Contact: Louise Pickford - Ext: 7355

1. The undermentioned organisations receive annual grants/subscriptions from the Policy and Resources budget which are subject to yearly review. For the umbrella type organisations, the amounts recommended for 2003/04 allow for an increase of 3% - 3½% for inflation, in accordance with national recommended scales/local circumstances. Where the grants are not related to any specific level of service, no increase has been made for inflation.

Further information concerning the above organisations is attached as an Appendix to this report.

RECOMMENDATION:

That grants/subscriptions for 2003/04 be awarded to the voluntary organisations shown in paragraph 1 of this report in the sums indicated.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works.

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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APPENDIX

EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR POLICY AND RESOURCES

BODIES IN RECEIPT OF ANNUAL GRANTS 2003/04

(1) & (2)
Community Action, Hampshire (awarded 1974) and District Councils of Community Service

Councils of Community Service promote, assist and co-ordinate the activities of voluntary groups in their areas. (Community Action, Hampshire acts as a forum for District CCSs and provides specialist support and services, particularly in the area of rural development). A new agreement is being discussed with Community Action, Hampshire to define outcomes and clarify links with Social Services funding and services. County Council grants are towards costs of core activities of CCSs based on 1/3 of the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Services' recommended minimum budget for CCSs with an additional amount for those with volunteer bureaux. The recommended increase in 2003/04 is 3.06%.

(3) National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (awarded 1974)

The County Council assists Citizens Advice Bureaux in Hampshire through an annual grant to the CAB Southern Area rather than supporting individual offices. The Bureaux has requested a grant of £93,382, an increase of 3.5%, which will be directed at training for Bureau staff, particularly welfare rights counsellors.

(4) Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils

This annual grant was included with the Hampshire Council of Community Service until 1994. The sum reflects all aspects of the Association's work, including training and accommodation and a non-recurring grant of £5,480 in 2003/04 for IT 2000 installation.

(5) Victim Support (awarded 1991)

This organisation co-ordinates the efforts of District Victim Support Schemes. The annual contribution is part funding of a development officer responsible for ensuring consistency in provision of aid to victims, monitoring use of management and training resources, promotion of the recruitment of volunteers, etc, and to project the management committee's policy and standards.

(6) Winchester Cathedral Trust (awarded 1986)

In 1986, the Policy and Resources Committee agreed to make an annual contribution towards the continuing restoration of the fabric of the Cathedral.

(7) Relate, Winchester (awarded 2000)

This annual grant (previously awarded by Social Services) was agreed to be reinstated to Relate, Winchester towards their annual rental costs.

(8) Friends of Winchester Cathedral

The County Council is a longstanding member of the Friends of Winchester Cathedral.

(9) Castle Club, Winchester

This is a small subsidy towards the costs of the County Council's staff club. The staff bar in Ashburton Court has since closed, but their accumulated funds help towards the upkeep of the Chilcomb Sports Pavilion which continues to be used by the Club and its affiliated sections. In view of the organisation's current balances and the reduction in its activities it is recommended that this grant is no longer awarded.

(10) Winchester Help Centre

This sum is in support of a number of organisations which may incur additional running costs as a direct result of their use of part of the Help Centre.

(11) St Mary's Music Foundation (awarded 1992)

St Mary's Music Foundation was founded in 1991, supported by Hampshire County Council and this annual contribution supports the cost of an organ scholarship.

(12) City of Winchester Trust (awarded 1998)

The Trust (formerly known as the Winchester Preservation Trust) encourages landscape planning, planting and retention of trees, in the ancient City and seeks to ensure that new developments complement the old.

(13) Hampshire and IoW Outward Bound Association (awarded 1999)

This sum was awarded to send underprivileged young people on outward bound courses.

(14) The National Trust (awarded 1998)

The National Trust provides valuable support to the County Council in furthering Aim 2 of the Corporate Strategy "Stewardship of the Environment". Officer meetings take place regularly with representatives of the Trust on a variety of issues.

(15) Margaret Kyrle Local History Prize (awarded 1999)

This annual grant was awarded towards the costs of the Annual Writers' Conference organised by King Alfred's College, Winchester.

(16) Country Land and Business Association (awarded 1979)

The County Council has been a corporate member of the Country Land and Business Association, formerly the Country Landowners Association, since 1979. The publications and services provided by the Association are an important resource in relation to the management of the County Council's land holdings, particularly the County Farms Estate.

(17) Hampshire Compact (awarded 2001)

This sum was awarded for the original development of the Hampshire Compact document which included printing and launching of the document and organising an annual conference. Funding now covers the annual meeting and continuing programme of work to develop the relationship between the County Council and the voluntary sector.

(18) Use of Great Hall (awarded 2000)

The County Council sets aside a budget of £3,000 each year to voluntary organisations towards the cost of using the Great Hall for their functions.

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