Contact: Ron Coe, Ext: 7150

E-mail: [email protected]

Presenter: Alan Edwards, Ext: 7158

1. Summary

The following decisions are sought.

1.1 That the proposals for the support of voluntary organisations in 2003/04 as set out in the report be approved.

2 Reason

2.1 To make contributions towards the costs of services provided by voluntary organisations which are compatible with the objectives, priorities and policies of the Social Services Department.

3 Other options considered and rejected

3.1 None

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision-maker or a Member or Officer consulted

4.1 None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 None

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: Date of decision:

Councillor Felicity Hindson

Contact: Ron Coe, Ext: 7150

E-mail: [email protected]

Presenter: Alan Edwards, Ext: 7158

1. Summary

1.1 This report seeks the approval of two grants of £5,000 or more to voluntary organisations for 2003/04.

2. Background

2.1 Grants to voluntary organisations for 2003/04 amounting to £667,800 have previously been approved against a budget of £0.82M.

2.2 This report seeks the approval of two further grants of £5,000 or more, amounting to £16,560

2.3 Payment of all grants is subject to financial need based on the examination of the organisations' audited accounts.

3 Home-start Eastleigh - £5,000

3.1 Home-start provides friendship, support and practical help in the home for families under stress and where there is at least one child under five years of age. Within the family setting, Home-start aims to boost confidence and self esteem, to prevent family crisis and breakdown and to improve the quality of life for vulnerable children.

3.2 Social Services, the Primary Care Trust and GPs refer families to Home-start and the support provided reduces the need for intervention by the statutory services.

3.3 The Home-start service has been present in Eastleigh for some nine years and also supports families throughout the area covered by the Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT. During 2002/03, 175 families were supported involving 402 children of whom 278 were under five year of age. The service is wholly compatible with the Green Paper "Every Child Matters"

3.4 The organisation attracts funding from a number of sources including Eastleigh and Test Valley South PCT, the National Lottery Community Fund, Awards for All, Children in Need, Local Network Fund, Local authorities, Trusts and business.

3.5 This grant is the Social Services Department's contribution towards the cost of visiting and supporting local families in the safety and privacy of their own homes on a weekly basis.

4 Basingstoke Advocacy Service - £11,560

4.1 The Basingstoke Advocacy Service provides independent advocacy for people, disadvantaged by age or frailty or mental or physical illness or disability and living in the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane, who experience or might experience negative consequences as a result of not having their needs heard and addressed.

4.2 The service is designed to reduce stress, promote self determination and improve the quality of life for the service users through the support of a long term volunteer advocate or paid worker.

4.3 During the period July 2002 to June 2003 the service received 309 new referrals.

4.4 The advocacy service is funded by the North Hampshire Primary Care Trust (NHPCT), the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and the National Lottery. Although Social Services users benefit from the work of the project the Department does not currently contribute towards the funding.

4.5 The organisation recently approached Hampshire Social Services and NHPCT with a request for additional funding in order to meet projected outgoings for this financial year. The request and supporting report were considered at the North Hampshire Local Implementation Team (LIT) where it was determined that the project was providing a wider range of services than the advocacy service that it was contracted to provide. The project's work with service users in Parklands Hospital had been extended to include benefits and other advice work in response to the demands from the wards. This work is regarded by the local mental health services as an important service.

4.6 The LIT plans to examine the activities and costing in more detail in order to separate the advocacy and advice work into separate contracts and to ensure that the project is adequately funded in the future. In the meantime it is proposed to award a non-recurring Social Services grant in order that the present level of the advice work may be maintained during 2003/04

.

5 Grants of under £5,000

5.1 Grants to voluntary organisations of £5,000 and more require the approval of the Executive Member but approval of those of less than £5,000 is delegated to service managers.

5.2 Appendix 1 lists grants amounting to a total of £12,598, which have been approved by service managers under delegated powers since 1 April 2003.

RECOMMENDATION

1. That the proposals for the support of voluntary organisations in 2003/04 as set out in the report be approved.

2 That the grants approved by service managers , totalling £12,598 and listed in Appendix 1 be noted.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

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

Applications for grants in 2003/04, submitted by the individual voluntary organisations included in this report.

Appendix 1

Executive Member - Social Care

30 October 2003

Grants to Voluntary Organisations of less than £5,000 approved by officers during the period 1 July to 30 September 2003

Central Hampshire

South East Hampshire

South West Hampshire