Contact: Alan Edwards, (01962) 847158, [email protected];

Annette Rebentisch, (01962) 847150, [email protected]

1 Summary

The following decisions are sought.

1.1 That the proposals for the support of voluntary organisations in 2004/05, which are outlined in Appendices 2 and 3 of 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.

2.2 This decision supports Aim 1 (Maximising Life Opportunities) and Aim 5 (Improving Services) of the Corporate Strategy by financially contributing to services of voluntary organisations, and Aim 3 (Achieving Economic Prosperity) and Aim 4 (Building Strong and Safe Communities) of the Corporate Strategy by its partnership approach.

2.3 The applications in this report have been managed in accordance with the aims of the Hampshire Compact.

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: Annette Rebentisch, (01962) 847150, [email protected]

Presenter: Alan Edwards, (01962) 847158, [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report sets out information about the processes relating to the consideration of applications for grants to voluntary organisations and seeks the approval to the allocation of grants of £5,000 or more.

1.2 This decision supports Aim 1 (Maximising Life Opportunities) and Aim 5 (Improving Services) of the Corporate Strategy by financially contributing to services of voluntary organisations, and Aim 3 (Achieving Economic Prosperity) and Aim 4 (Building Strong and Safe Communities) of the Corporate Strategy by its partnership approach.

2 Background Information

2.1 The Social Services Department proposes to spend some £44.8M with voluntary organisations in the Social Care sector in 2004/05. Of this, some £42.88M will be used to purchase services under contract arrangements and £1.92M will be used for grants. Custom and practice excludes from the general grants approval process those grants supported by Central Government Specific Grants for Mental Health, Substance Misuse and HIV/AIDS (£0.22M), grants for residential care (£0.11M) and deficit funding payments in support of sheltered employment and supported housing schemes (£0.5M), so that £1.09M will be used as general grant aid to voluntary organisations.

2.2 A contracted or purchased service usually results from the initiative of the Social Services Department; relates to a service which would otherwise be provided directly by the Department; represents the full cost of the service and is paid at a tendered price.

2.3 A grant usually results from the initiative of a voluntary organisation; is made in support of a service which is complementary to the work of the Social Services Department; is a contribution towards the cost of the service rather than the full cost; is subject to the financial need of the organisation rather than at a pre-agreed price; is subject to annual review and approval and is paid subject to the availability of financial resources and the policy on awarding grants.

2.4 This report is concerned with general grants to voluntary organisations and not with contracted services, Specific Grants or deficit funding payments.

2.5 Grant agreements, into which the Social Services have entered with voluntary organisations, are mentioned in Appendix 3 within the background information on organisations. These agreements, although they are for three or two year periods, undergo a formal review each year as part of the grant approval process: The organisations hand in applications, prove their financial need through the audited accounts, and their applications are considered by the appropriate officer, the Service or County Manager for the care groups concerned. Through the grant agreement an officer from the Social Services is appointed who monitors the grant. Grants over £50,000 are also monitored by an officer who sits on the Board of the organisation.

2.6 During recent years there has been a steady movement away from contributing towards the cost of services by way of grants, towards the purchase of specific services. This ensures that services are more directly targeted at both the needs of the service users and the approved policies and commissioning priorities of Social Services.

2 Impact Assessment

3.1 In compiling this report, regard has been taken of the requirements of the Corporate Equalities Plan and Race Scheme. In the Hampshire Compact it is stated that the voluntary sector is responsible for having policies that ensure equality of opportunity. Additionally, equal opportunity and race relation policies have been sought from the voluntary organisations.

4 Allocation of Grants for 2004/05

4.1 The indicative budget for grants to voluntary organisations in 2004/05, excluding all specific grants funded by Central Government, amounts to £1.09M. Some £43,965 may need to be transferred to purchasing budgets to finance those schemes which will now be the subject of contract arrangements (see 4.11 below and Appendix 5).

4.2 At this stage, it is not possible accurately to predict the expenditure outcome but it is anticipated that there will be little or no underspending.

4.3 Approval of grants of less than £5,000 is delegated to designated officers so that decisions may readily reflect local needs. It is anticipated that smaller grants to voluntary organisations will be approved by officers in 2004/05. A list of grant approved in this way will be made available for the information of members during the course of the financial year. Grants of £5,000 or more must be approved by the Executive Member for Social Care.

4.4 A voluntary organisation may be considered for grant aid only if it meets the Social Services Department's eligibility criteria for grants. In general terms this means that the organisation must be undertaking work which is compatible with the Department's objectives, priorities and policies and must agree to give the Department independently audited or examined statements of accounts. The organisation should also have investigated and, where possible, secured other sources of funding. Grants may be given only to those organisations which cannot fund themselves in any other way. The full eligibility criteria for grants are given in Appendix 1.

4.5 In dealing with applications for grants regard has been given to the Hampshire Compact and its Codes of Good Practice.

4.6 Every organisation in receipt of recurring funding, together with any other groups requesting funding have been invited to complete application forms which were then considered by the appropriate Service Managers and County Managers to ensure that services met operational needs and strategic commissioning priorities respectively. The Department's eligibility criteria for grants have been used when assessing applications and, as grants are subject to financial need, the latest annual accounts of each organisation have been scrutinised. Inflation at 2.9% has been included in recurring grants.

4.7 The voluntary organisations are listed according to care groups. However, where organisations or their service cover two or more care groups, they are listed under `other services'.

4.8 Appendix 2 lists proposals totalling £507,871 which are recommended for approval.

4.9 Appendix 3 provides background information on the organisations for which grants are recommended.

4.10 Appendix 4 lists applications for grants of £5,000 or more which are not recommended for approval.

4.11 Appendix 5 lists applications for grants of £5,000 or more which have been withdrawn from the grant procedure. Money may need to be vired from the grants budget to pay for those schemes which will now be subject to contract arrangements.

Recommendations

1. That the proposals for the support of voluntary organisations in 2004/05, which are outlined in Appendices 2 and 3 of the report, be approved.

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.

Applications for grants in 2004/05, submitted by the voluntary organisations included in this report.

NB. The list excludes:

1. Published works

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

Appendix 1

Executive Member - Social Care

29 April 2004

Grants to Voluntary Organisations, 2004/05

Eligibility Criteria for grants

The Social Services Department will consider voluntary organisations eligible for grant

aid where the following conditions are fulfilled.

1. The service is within the statutory responsibilities of the Social Services Department.

2. The service complies with the objectives, priorities and policies of the Social Services Department.

3. All other likely sources of funding have been investigated and, where possible, secured.

4. The proposal is presented in the standardised form required by the Social Services Department.

5. The organisation has a clear management structure within its constitution and accountability built into its business plan.

6. Any service which is grant aided will be subject to appropriate quality assurance and review procedures as agreed with the Social Services Department.

7. An annual independently audited or examined statement of accounts and, where required, a report on the use of funding during the previous financial year will be presented before full payment is made.

8. The organisation shall (a) have a policy of equal opportunity in both staff recruitment and service delivery (b) comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act, 1998, Disability Discrimination Act, 1995, Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 and Race Relations Act, 1976 and (c) provide details of its insurance arrangements in respect of staff, volunteers, users and third parties.

9. Grants will not normally be made in support of services which are provided by an organisation under contract to the Department.

10. Organisations will not normally be eligible for grants where they hold balances in excess of one year's running costs. Those organisations receiving recurring funding which hold in excess of three months' running costs may receive a reduced grant.

Appendix 2

Executive Member - Social Care

29 April 2004

Grants to Voluntary Organisations, 2004/05

Allocation of grants of £5,000 or more to voluntary organisations in 2004/05

* Some organisations have made application at the 2003/04 level but with the expectation that inflation will be applied.

Appendix 3

Executive Member for Social Care

29 April 2004

Grants to Voluntary Organisations 2004/05

Summary of Services provided by Voluntary Organisations

Please note the paragraph numbers correspond to the numbering of proposed grants in Appendix 2 and the cash figures identify the amount of grant recommended for approval.

1 Older People

1.1 Club Hampshire - £102,925

Since April 2002 Club Hampshire has operated a range of clubs for older and disabled people, which were formerly managed by the Red Cross and which were supported by Social Services by way of an annual grant. The clubs are run on a voluntary basis and provide a variety of activities for their members. An in depth review of Club Hampshire took place in November 2002 and concluded that the organisation's work fits well with the Commissioning Strategy Action Plan and its agendas of prevention and promotion of independence; Social Services has supported Club Hampshire since April 2002. The grant is used to facilitate the clubs by contributing to transport and staff costs and rent. About 1,000 people in over 50 clubs benefit from the service. The current grant agreement ends March 2005.

1.2 Age Concern Hampshire - £89,394

Age Concern Hampshire voices the concerns of older people, researches and disseminates information as to possible solutions, works in partnership with other Age Concern groups, Social Services Departments, Health Care Trusts, and Housing Associations. Former grants contributed towards several aspects of the work of the organisation, e.g. awareness raising and campaigning, promoting active retirement, information and advice, and support to other Age Concern organisations in the County. Some of these aspects fit well with the Commissioning Strategy Action Plan, but others are not key priorities for the Department and attract other sources of funding. In order to enable the grant to fit more closely with the Commissioning Strategy Action Plan, it is proposed that it moves towards contributing to the information and advice service, which receives about 10,000 enquiries a year. It is therefore recommended that the organisation receives the same amount of grant as last year but, in view of the fact that the grant has become more focused, does not receive any inflationary uplift. The grant of £89,394 will contribute to 86.4% of the cost of the information and advice service (estimated at £103,471). The current grant agreement between the Social Services and Age Concern Hampshire expires in March 2004; a new grant agreement will highlight the new focus of the grant.

1.3 Age Concern Basingstoke and Deane - £19,071

Age Concern Basingstoke and Deane aims to promote the welfare, independence, well-being and care of older people in rural and urban areas. It provides preventative services such as social care, clubs and home visiting, and will increase its outreach work. About 1,500 older people benefit from the services of the organisation. The grant is a contribution towards the running costs, mainly of the advice and information service and the activity centres. Last year's grant went towards the same activities and to escorted holidays and podiatry services. A grant of £19,071 is recommended - the base grant of 2003/04 with inflationary uplift.

1.4 Age Concern Romsey and District - £5,855

Age Concern Romsey and District organises, co-ordinates and enhances a range of services for older people in the Romsey area like a lunch and a tea club, a replacement relatives service, and pension and benefit advice. About 250 older people benefit from these services. Last year's grant and this grant are a contribution towards the salary costs of the Service Development Officer and are needed to enable the services to continue to operate. Scrutiny of the latest audited annual accounts, while taking into account the budget forecast, have shown that the organisation does not fully meet the Social Services' eligibility criteria for grants in that the current net assets equate to 8.68 months' expenditure. A reduced grant of £5,855 is therefore recommended. (Last year, the grant for Age Concern Romsey and District was reduced due to a similar high level of reserves. The organisation's Business Plan assumes that reserve levels will sink below the three months' expenditure limit by 2005/2006.)

1.5 Age Concern Winchester - £6,544

Age Concern Winchester aims to promote the welfare of older people and to improve the quality of their lives by offering services that give practical help, advice and regular care and mental stimulation. 294 older people benefit from these services. The grant contributes towards the cost of the salaries of the chief officer and the lunch clubs co-ordinator and also supports the running costs of the organisation's office. Scrutiny of the latest audited accounts have shown that the organisation does not fulfil all eligibility criteria by holding 7.77 months' annual expenditure as reserves. The organisation's Chief Officer explained that the organisation plans to expand into new premises and has therefore started to build up reserves to cover deposit, fixtures and fittings, estimated at £50,000 to £75,000 (this amount equals 42 % - 64 % of their estimated expenditure of 2004 -05). Given the increase in reserves, a reduced grant of £6,544 is recommended. (Last year, the grant for Age Concern Winchester was reduced due to a similar high level of reserves.)

2 Physical Disability

2.1 deafPLUS South - £8,865

deafPLUS South belongs to deafPLUS, a national charity which aims to integrate deaf and hearing people through innovative programmes of contact, information, training and social activities. In the county of Hampshire, over 1,800 people benefit from these services. Last year's grant and this grant are a contribution towards the costs of operating two centres, which provide an information and equipment advisory service with equipment demonstration by appointment, one-to-one support, and a monthly support groups for elderly deaf and deaf/blind people. The organisation also operates, under contract, a Mobile Advisory Service throughout the county. The current grant agreements expires in March 2004. Plans to combine grant and contract had to be postponed due to current staff and organisational changes in deafPLUS. A grant of £8,865 - last year's grant with inflationary uplift - is recommended.

2.2 Hampshire Centre for Independent Living (HCIL) - £7,500

HCIL provides independent living advice, information, training and support based on the actual experience of disabled people to individuals and other interested parties, thereby enabling disabled people to exercise choice and control in their everyday lives. The organisation helps 633 persons, the majority of them physically disabled. The grant is a contribution towards the core costs of the service and is the subject of a grant agreement, which expires in March 2005.

2.3 Havant and District Socially Independent Disabled (HADSID) - £6,054

HADSID advances the education and training of disabled people and operates a work centre for the teaching of art and craft in a social environment. Approximately 30 people benefit from the workshop sessions which are available on three days each week. Last year's grant and this grant are a contribution towards the rent of the workshop and for transporting clients who are unable to make their own arrangements.

2.4 Huntington's Disease Association - £5,000

The Huntington's Disease Association exists to support people affected by Huntington's disease, a neurological disorder that causes progressive mental deterioration and severe physical incapacity. The grant contributes proportionally to the Regional Care Adviser for Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. In Hampshire the Adviser supports 173 individuals suffering from the disease and works with 129 family members who act as carers. The Adviser, too, provides information to professionals and local social services. This is a new grant and linkages to the organisation are as yet irregular. It is therefore recommended that a grant of £5,000 be approved with linkages strengthened in the forthcoming year.

2.5 New Forest Disability Information Service - £5,000

The Information Service aims to empower people with disabilities in the New Forest by giving them information and advice, thus enabling them to make informed choices and lead active lives in their community. Over 1,000 people benefit from this service of which an estimated 15% are clients of Social Services. Over the past year, enquiries and requests for help have become more and more complicated. The organisation addresses this by training of its staff and further recruitment. The grant contributes to the costs of the main office in New Milton and to the Hythe and Ringwood outreach services.

3 Mental Health

3.1 Basingstoke Advocacy Service - £12,000

Basingstoke Advocacy Service aims to provide independent advocacy to people who are disadvantaged by age, frailty, mental or physical illness, and disability. It provides one-to-one support and representation through its vetted and trained volunteers. 135 people in the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane benefit from the Service, about ten of them have been referred to the Advocacy Service by Social Services. The previous grant and this grant contribute to the provision of advocacy and welfare benefits assistance at Parklands Psychiatric Hospital, Basingstoke. (Community based advocacy is funded through a grant from North Hampshire PCT.)

3.2 Cherry Tree Nursery, Supported Work Opportunity Project - £7,944

Through the Project, Cherry Tree Nursery provides sheltered, horticultural work opportunities for people with mental health problems living in Dorset and West Hampshire. It enables them to develop skills, have a meaningful occupation and thus promotes their sense of worth, heightens their self esteem and their mental well being. The Project offers a holistic service: it, too, promotes occupational rehabilitation and gives adult literacy and numeracy training. About 100 volunteers benefit from the Project, of which 8 live in Hampshire. The grant contributes proportionally to the core costs of the project: Nursery workers, and the training programme. The responsible Manager commented that the organisation provides an excellent service at a reasonable cost. (The service would cost substantially more, if Social Services had to spot purchase it.) Scrutiny of the last audited accounts have shown that the organisation holds reserves in excess of three months' annual expenditure. This was due to a last minute donation the organisation received at the end of its financial year 2002/03. For the current and forthcoming financial year, such a donation is not expected. The organisation has forecasted its income and expenditure and calculated a shortfall that can not be covered by sales and, therefore, needs to be covered by grants and donations. The organisation has applied for grants from other Councils. A grant of £7,944 is recommended, last year's grant with inflationary uplift.

3.3 The Trinity Centre - £15,083

The Trinity Centre in Winchester offers information, advice, counselling and healthcare services and recreational facilities to persons disadvantaged by homelessness, unemployment, illness, addiction, poverty or other social deprivation. It has a drop-in service giving shelter, food, advice, bathing and laundry services, a furniture scheme to assist those resettling, a healthcare project and therapy classes. Its main users are homeless and suffer from substance misuse. Over 500 persons benefit from these services yearly, 45 persons each day. The grant contribute to the salaries of the project and advice workers who are involved in the face-to-face work with service users.

4 Children and Families

4.1 Hampshire Family Mediation - £7,000

The Family Mediation Service enables individuals involved in family disputes to attend mediation meetings at various locally based centres throughout the county. The purpose is to alleviate hardship and distress caused by the break-up of marriage and family and to preserve and protect the mental and physical health of both adults and children involved in the break-up. The organisation mediates in a wide range of issues but, particularly where parents are involved in separation or divorce, with a focus on the welfare of children. The service benefits about 2,500 individuals, 800 of them children, with about 30% of them living in the County of Hampshire. The Department's grant is a contribution towards the running costs of the organisation in recognition of the preventative nature of the service.

4.2 KIDS, Youth 2 - £8,000

Through working in partnership with parents and collaborating with others, KIDS seeks to enable children with disabilities throughout England to develop their skills and abilities and to fulfil their hopes and aspirations. The Youth 2 project helps young people who have a complexity of needs and require high staffing levels to access play and leisure opportunities. The young people engage in a variety of activities using the facilities of a local special school and mainstream activities within the local communities. In the County of Hampshire, 19 children benefit from this project. The project is seen as effective and popular by the Service Managers. The grant contributes to the core costs of the project in Havant, Fareham and Gosport.

4.3 Off The Record, Havant - £12,908

Off The Record aims to relieve and prevent suffering of young people, aged 11 to 25 years, in South East Hampshire by offering access to a range of free and confidential services which encompass information, counselling, crisis support, educational and preventative services, befriending and opportunities for self development. Off The Record is a well respected and valuable service to which the local Social Services Office often refers young people. Many young people also make a direct approach to Off The Record for support rather than to Social Services, thus reducing pressure on the Department. Currently, 2,385 people benefit from the service, 1,510 of them children. The grant contributes to the counselling service, one-to-one counselling, on-going support to those with more complex problems, and on-going training and supervision for the volunteers, to develop support for young people with mental health difficulties and new group work activities for disadvantaged young people. Negotiations have started for a contract with the organisation to improve the organisation's long-term financial viability in the next financial year (2005/06).

4.4 Relate, The Hampshire Group - £8,735

Relate aims to help avoid unnecessary marriage and relationship breakdown, to limit the damage which commonly accompanies poor relationships, separation and divorce, and to increase the prospect of subsequent relationships succeeding. It supports vulnerable adults and young people with difficulties in their family relationships in order to improve their quality of life. The grant is a contribution towards the costs of the Relateen service that targets children and young people and services for people with learning disabilities. Approximately 200 young people benefit from the service annually, of whom some 10 have mental health problems.

4.5 Wel-care, Basingstoke - £12,500

Wel-care provides support to lone parent families who are in condition of need, hardship and distress to enable and empower lone parents to live independently. Currently over 200 individuals, about 100 of them children, benefit from its services. The organisation employs one-and-a-half project workers who are supported by a team of volunteers. The grant pays for the part-time project worker, for service provision and to support development activities.

5 Other services

5.1 Eastleigh Citizens Advice Bureau, Outreach - £5,145

The CAB Outreach is located at a GP surgery and is a one stop advice service for the communities of Netley Abbey, Hamble and Bursledon. It aims to support and empower its users by providing them with information, advice, advocacy and representation either at the surgery or in their own homes. Enquiries amount to more than 550 per year and 33% of clients who are seen at home are older people who, because of illness or increasing frailty, are unable to travel to the surgery. The Outreach service's value lies mainly with its preventative work, but it also receives numerous referrals from Social Workers of the Eastleigh Team. The grant contributes to the core costs of the Outreach service and helps to enable the service to be increased from 12 to 15 hours per week. The grant complements funds received from Test Valley South PCT (£9,207).

5.2 Hampshire Voluntary Care Groups Advisory Service - £47,500

The Hampshire Voluntary Care Groups Advisory Service supports over 103 voluntary care groups with about 3,100 volunteers. Its work fits well with the Commissioning Strategy Action Plan: the voluntary care groups undertake preventative work like taking people to their GP, gardening and shopping, thereby providing a safety net of care in Hampshire by offering neighbourly help to anyone who needs it. The grant contributes to the salaries and administrative costs of two advisers and will be used for grants to groups. The advisers support existing groups by training, advice on best practice, insurance cover, and grants. The current grant agreement expires in March 2004.

5.3 Resettlement of Offenders Coordinating Committee (ROCC) - £25,000

With a large network of members ROCC provides advice, training and consultancy to assist in the development of services for disadvantaged and marginalized groups. ROCC is specialised in housing and related support services, but works across the spectrum of not-for-profit social need organisations. The direct beneficiaries of the services ROCC provides are the charities and voluntary organisations who receive training and support. The grant contributes to the core costs of ROCC. In addition it will aid the delivery of the `Cascade' training for Adult Protection for the voluntary sector on behalf of Social Services. The grant will pay for the attendance of 120 people, who will only pay a small charge to participate. The roll-out of the training will be supported by another, separate donation from Social Services. A grant of £25,000 is recommended, which will form the base for a three year grant agreement with the organisation.

Volunteer Bureaux

The funding of all Volunteer Bureaux is normally shared with the District Councils on a 67% (County Council); 33% (District Council) basis. As part of the Best Value Improvement Programme, the County Council is looking at the funding of Councils of Voluntary Service and Volunteer Bureaux.

5.4 Basingstoke Voluntary Services, Volunteer Bureau - £20,673

The Volunteer Bureau is part of the Basingstoke Voluntary Services, covering six areas of core work: matching the skills and aspirations of volunteers to opportunities, rights and responsibilities, support, information, development and liaison. In the nine months from February 2003 to November 2003, the Bureau matched 262 volunteers to organisations whose services ranged over all care and age groups. The grant contributes to the costs of running the Bureau. (The Bureau uses its own database to evaluate voluntary organisation in its region and to give information on good practice. It has another database to post short term projects of companies to enable their employees to do voluntary work.)

5.5 East Hampshire Volunteer Bureau - £18,000

5.5.1 The Bureau promotes the co-ordination of volunteers and organisations in East Hampshire in order to advance education, protect health and relieve poverty and sickness. It recruits, manages and organises the work of a large number of volunteers who are trained by the Bureau and who provide various services and support to vulnerable people of all ages.

5.5.2 In the year from April 2002 to March 2003, the Bureau interviewed 121 potential volunteers and matched 108 of them to voluntary organisations.

5.5.3 The grant contributes to the core costs of the Bureau's four local points in key towns and its rural outreach service.

5.5.4 Scrutiny of the annual accounts for 2002/03 has shown that the organisation does not fully meet the Department's eligibility criteria for grants in that the current assets of £39,324 equate to 7.23 months' running costs. In a letter from the Bureau's Treasurer, the current reserves are explained as necessary to equip the new and better premises to which the Bureau has moved, which will cost an estimated £8,000.

5.5.5 Information from the East Hampshire District Council confirmed the above: The Volunteer Bureau has a three year grant agreement with East Hampshire District Council from whom it receives a base grant of £9,000. East Hampshire District Council, too, offers the Volunteer Bureau premises free of rent in a "resource centre" where other voluntary organisations are located. The Bureau moved into these premises in the last year and now needs to equip them. (The value of this free rent amounts to £6,000 annually.)

5.5.6 It is, therefore, recommended to waive the Department's criteria on reserves and to approve a grant of £18,000 due to the following reasons: The organisation explained its high level of reserves and how it plans to spend them; the Hampshire Compact "Code of Good Practice on Funding" explicitly states that `earmarked' reserves may be taken into account, when grant amounts are considered; a grant of £18,000 accords with the formula funding agreement with District Councils.

5.6 Hart Voluntary Action, Volunteer Bureau - £8,701

Hart Voluntary Action supports the voluntary sector by offering advice, training and information and acts as an intermediary between statutory bodies and voluntary organisations. The Bureau recruits and trains volunteers and finds suitable placements for them. In 2002/03, over 100 new volunteers had been found, of whom about 20 had been referred to the Bureau by Social Services. The grant is a contribution towards the core costs of the organisation.

5.7 Havant Council of Community Services, Volunteer Bureau - £12,200

The Havant Volunteer Bureau provides a clearing house for prospective volunteers and organisations wishing to offer voluntary work. It actively recruits volunteers and raises the level of public awareness to the need for and value of voluntary work. About 150 voluntary and community groups and their users benefit from the services of the Volunteer Bureau, 400 potential volunteers benefit from advice, guidance and support. The previous grant and this grant contribute to the overall running of the Bureau, its day-to-day management, services, and information and awareness activities. The requested amount has increased from the previous year due to pay for the manager's post to become full time and to recover costs.

5.8 Test Valley Community Services, Volunteer Centre - £5,274

The Volunteer Centre's aim is to encourage community involvement by developing and supporting voluntary activity, by working with a person or group to promote equality in all aspects of live. The Centre finds and places volunteers. Over 150 people benefit from the service. The grant contributes to the maintenance and development of the post of volunteer co-ordinator, i.e. to cover salary and travel costs.

5.9 Health Improvement and Social Inclusion, Andover Area - £25,000

£25,000 has already been committed to the pooled budget for Health Improvement and Social Inclusion in the Andover Area under Section 31, Health Act 1999. After the successful pilot of the scheme in the Winchester Area, it was approved to extend the pilot to the Andover Area. Mid Hampshire PCT and Test Valley Borough Council together with Hampshire County Council set up a pooled budget for three years from which grants are made to voluntary organisations to provide services aimed at reducing pressures on the statutory agencies. Hampshire County Council committed £12,500 in 2003/04 and agreed to contribute £25,000 in 2004/05 and 2005/06. (Report of the Director of Social Services on 19 September 2003)

Appendix 4

Executive Member for Social Care

29 April 2004

Grants to Voluntary Organisations 2004/05

Applications for grants of £5,000 or more which are not recommended for Approval

Comments

1 Older People

1.1 Club Hampshire - funding gap

Club Hampshire made two applications for grants. It is recommended that the first grant contributing to the facilitation of the clubs be approved (please see Appendix 2 and 3). The second grant application aims at bridging a funding gap due to insufficient funds at the time of set-up of the organization. The grant would not contribute to any specific services, and it is therefore recommended that a grant be not approved. It is understood that the organisation are making an application to the Policy and Resources for the set-up costs.

2 Mental Health

2.1 Fareham Community Action, Mental Health Advocacy Service

The Mental Health Advocacy Service provides short and long term advocacy services to represent adults who have a serious mental health problem where there is a clearly defined advocacy focus. One part-time caseworker and two trained volunteers provide the service. The grant application was assessed at the County and local level: Funding the grant would require a new allocation of funds at the local level. Additionally, the amount requested would cover all expenses of the Service, and it was therefore felt that a contract would be a more suitable way of funding. It is, therefore, recommended that a grant be not approved.

2.2 Gosport Voluntary Action, Supported Volunteering Project

Gosport Volunteer Centre provides support, advice, information and practical help to voluntary and community organisations with the overall aim of enhancing the quality of local community services. The Supported Volunteering Project helps people with extra support needs to undertake volunteer work and thus to enable them to gain confidence, self esteem and become more involved in the community. The grant application was assessed by the local Mental Health service in Fareham and Gosport: The grant would not improve or add to services in the area, since Social Services already have a specialist employment service in Fareham and Gosport for people with mental health problems. It is, therefore, recommended that a grant be not approved.

3 Other Services

3.1 Basingstoke and District Counselling Service

Basingstoke and District Counselling Service provides general and generic counselling to adults who require help for emotional, psychological and relationship problems. The Service helps those who are not necessarily defined clinically as mentally ill. This type of service does not form part of the Department's policies, objectives and priorities. It is, therefore, recommended that a grant be not approved.

Appendix 5

Executive Member for Social Care

29 April 2004

Grants to Voluntary Organisations 2004/05

Applications for grants of £5,000 or more which have been withdrawn from the grants process

1 Learning Disability, Advocacy Services

The Learning Disability Team plan to continue to actively promote the development of services for advocacy in Hampshire. Funds in the budget of 2003/04 have now been allocated to support the above listed advocacy services. Additionally, it has been decided to provide the funding via contracts, in line with the proposed Advocacy Strategy. These will be evaluated in the forthcoming financial year and will inform future contracting.

2.1/2.2 Home-Start Eastleigh, Home-Start Butser

Home-Start provides emotional and practical support to vulnerable families under stress and with at least one child under five years of age. 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. The service is wholly compatible with the Green Paper "Every Child Matters". The Department has undertaken a review of all Home-Start schemes and a strategy has been devised for equalising funding between the various existing schemes and any new schemes. The Home-Start schemes will, therefore, no longer be funded via grants.

2.3 Winchester S.N.AP.S.

S.N.A.P.S. aims to provide good quality, age appropriate activities for children and young people with special needs. Previous grants helped to pay for the salary of the part time co-ordinator and towards the running costs of the organisation's office. To facilitate funding and to give Social Services the possibility to give a clearer outline to the services as used by Social Services' clients, future funding will be provided through a contract.