Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Officer ext 5122

[email protected]

1. Summary

1.1. The following decisions are sought:

(i) To approve the allocation of £4,800 for the Changing Lives Partnership (New

Forest LSP), subject to clarification that monies are used to support specific new activity on this project and not a topping up of the existing staffing budget.

(iii) To approve the allocation of £5,000 for the Hampshire Strategic Partnership

2. Reasons:

2.1 These decisions support Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone. In addition these decisions support the themes of the Community Strategy for Hampshire.

2.2 This allocation (i) will be used to employ a part time temporary co-ordinator to assist in the transition of the New Forest Children and Families Sharing and Networking Group into the Children and Young Peoples Community Action Network

2.4 This allocation (ii) will be used as a contribution to support RETIS activities for 2004/05, where these are not already supported by the RETIS network.

3. Other Options considered and rejected: Not to approve these allocations

4. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other executive member consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date: 16 April 2004

Councillor D. A. Kirk

Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Manager Ext: 5122

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report makes recommendations in respect of a number of applications for funding from various LSPs across the County, which have either been approved by the Chief Executive; are subject to approval by the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration; or which require referral to the Leader for approval.

2. Background

2.1 A budget for supporting projects derived from the County Council's statutory duty to prepare a community strategy has been set up and this includes a budget of £200,000 for pump priming the Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and to develop further community strategies.

2.2 Each of the 11 LSP's are encouraged to bid for money from this budget to support the development of their LSPs and for the pump priming of projects.

2.3 The budget is also available for the development and implementation of the Hampshire Strategic Partnership.

2.4 The Chief Executive can approve amounts of less than £2000. The Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration can approve amounts between £2000 and £5000. Amounts exceeding £5000 must be approved by the Executive Member and referred, with a recommendation to the Leader for decision.

2.5 Appendix B sets out the funding criteria for which bids will be approved. They are intended as guidelines and not prescriptive rules.

2.6 These decisions support Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone. In addition these decisions support the themes of the Community Strategy for Hampshire.

2.7 The relevant local Member's views are taken into account through the LSP mechanism.

3. Current bids

3.1 The following bids has been approved by the Chief Executive:

3.1.1 The sum of £500 from the Eastleigh Strategic Partnership as a contribution towards the fourth annual conference held for young people in the Borough. The conference has been organised by a multi-agency group including the police, Hampshire Youth Service, Eastleigh BC, Skills Quest, Connexions and Eastleigh Community Services and this year young people have been involved in planning the conference.

3.1.2 Each year the conference focuses on different themes and this year it will themes are Community Safety, Transport and Service and Facilities. The conference is intended for young people aged 12 to 19 years, and local Secondary Schools and Colleges as well as representatives for youth forums, disability groups, a carers group and a group of Asian young women in the borough have been invited.

3.1.3 The object of the event is to ensure that young people have a voice in the way issues within the Community Strategy for Eastleigh are tackled. Contributions have been secured from the County Youth Service and Eastleigh BC.

3.1.4 The sum of £1,900 from the Changing Lives Partnership (New Forest) to part fund a joint Changing Lives Conference to launch the Community Strategy for the district in June 2004.

3.1.5 The bid will be used to contribute towards the cost of hiring Lyndhurst Park Hotel, including lunch for 130 people and the additional cost of employing a consultant to run the conference. Contributions have been secured from New Forest DC and New Forest Committee.

3.2 The following bids are for consideration by the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration:

3.2.1 The sum of £4,800 from the Changing Lives Partnership (New Forest) to employ a part time temporary co-ordinator to assist in the transition of the New Forest Children and Families Sharing and Networking Group into the Children and Young Peoples Community Action Network.

3.2.2 The appointment will be offered at Hay Grade G (£31,503- £34,653) pro rata for one day per week for a period of 6 months.

3.2.3 The role will be to:

· understand the requirements of the CAN in the context of Hampshire and the New Forest

· Help determine and delineate the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of the CAN

· Use this understanding to recommend the best structure and most appropriate terms of reference for the CAN

· Devise a project plan to move the current group from where it is to where it needs to be- a CAN that relates to the New Forest LSP and the Hampshire CYPSP

· To help create the basis for a joint strategy and thus co-ordinated services.

3.2.4 The Children and Young Peoples CAN will provide an effective mechanism, working with other CANs to make a significant contribution to both the County and District Community Strategies.

3.3 The sum of up to £5,000 from the Hampshire Strategic Partnership to support RETIS activities for 2004/05, where these are not already supported by the RETIS network. This allocation will be used to part fund meetings, travel and conferences in order to facilitate county councils input into the RETIS network and other social inclusion activities associated with the Community Strategy process.

3.4 At the Executive Member Policy and Resources decision day on the 8 April a report will propose that the unspent funds from 2003/04 (£33,470) should be carried over into the 2004/05 financial year. This will give a total of £241,470 for 2004/05.

3.5 Following the above approved bids against the 2004/05 budget, the total spend is £12,200 leaving £229,270 (see attached appendix A).

Recommendations

The following recommendations are sought:

1. To approve the allocation of £4,800 for the Changing Lives Partnership (New

Forest LSP), subject to clarification that monies are used to support specific new activity on this project and not a topping up of the existing staffing budget.

1. To approve the sum of up to £5,000 from the Hampshire Strategic Partnership to support RETIS activities for 2004/05, where they are not already supported by the RETIS network.

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.

File FM Exec Member Location: Community planning/committee

reports

Appendix B: Funding Criteria for the Community Strategy Grants budget

The following criteria should be taken into consideration when preparing a submission for funding. They are intended as guidelines and not prescriptive rules.

Under delegated powers, bids up to £2,000 can be agreed by the Chief Executive; bids between £2,000 and £5,000 can be agreed by the Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration and bids over £5,000 can be agreed by the Leader

1. The grant money available is for projects that wouldn't be developed without the support of the LSP or without the help of pump priming money

2. Any grant application must highlight the links with the themes contained in the relevant Community Strategy where one has been adopted

3. Any bid must be consistent with the themes and aims in the Hampshire Strategic Partnership's Community Strategy, and the priorities of the County Council

4. The funding request must be discussed and approved by the relevant LSP and any application approved by the Chair of that LSP

5. The budget will not be divided equally between district LSPs but awarded on individual consideration and the merits of the project

6. Bids will be accepted and judged on a quarterly basis. (March, June, October and December)

7. Applications will be referred for decision as per delegated powers above

8. Grants will normally be one off and not recurring

9. Grants will not be awarded in order to meet shortfalls in service delivery budgets

10. For any grant awarded over £5,000, the County Council must be provided with a breakdown and allocation of the spend

11. Grants will not be paid for partner organisations staff costs, however bids will be considered for support staff that; work directly for the LSP ; are joint funded with other LSP partners; and report to the chair of the LSP

12. Funding will be given to applications for pump priming specific projects rather than general running costs of organisations or projects with ongoing revenue requirements. Applications which have a resource implication must state how the ongoing costs are to be met.

13. Where possible joint funding in line with partnership approaches should be encouraged and to this end grants should normally be a percentage of the sum required to complete the project

14. Conditions may be attached to a grant if considered appropriate

For further information on grants please contact Frances Martin, Community Strategy Officer on 01962 845122, or Jo White, Policy Officer (Community Strategy) on 01962 845004