Contact: Louise Pickford - Ext: 7355: e-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The undermentioned organisations receive annual grants/subscriptions from the Policy and Resources budget which are subject to yearly review. For those umbrella type organisations the amounts recommended for 2005/06 allow for an increase of between 2.5 and 3.9% for inflation, in accordance with national recommended scales/or corporate assumptions. Where the grants are not related to any specific level of service, no increase has been made for inflation.

2 District Councils of Community Service

2.1 Most Councils of Community Service (CCS's) provide a volunteer bureau that helps to recruit and direct volunteers. The County Council recognises the value of volunteers and the contribution made to the overall aim of creating a cohesive and participative community. The second generation Local Public Service Agreement, which is currently being negotiated, includes a target around enhancing the extent and nature of volunteering in Hampshire and the One Compact for Hampshire is developing a volunteering code for 2005/6. County Council funding for volunteer bureaux has previously been from Social Services, but this is not especially logical in view of the link to CCS's being funded through Policy and Resources as volunteers contribute across the whole range of the Council's services. As part of the overall implementation of the Best Value review of support for the voluntary and community sector, therefore, these funds have been transferred to the centre to be considered alongside the main CCS funding. It is therefore, recommended that the payment of £150,006 to the Volunteer Bureaux be transferred to this budget from Social Services.

3 Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Council

3.1 The 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. They requested a £10,000 increase on last year's main grant which is a 15.3% increase. They have also requested a £2,000 increase on the £6,000 one-off grant towards their Quality Parish Status (QPS) they received last year from this budget.

3.2 Although this was a one-off grant and a larger increase is being proposed to the main grant, a further grant for the QPS is being recommended in view of the importance of this initiative.

4 Budget Position

4.1 Therefore the annual grants being recommended for approval is £1,058,946 and can be accommodated within the budget. These grants would support Aims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy by Maximising life opportunities, Stewardship of the Environment, Achieving economic prosperity, Building strong and safe communities and Improving services.

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

RECOMMENDATION:

That grants/subscriptions for 2005/06 be awarded to the voluntary organisations and other bodies shown in 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 2005/06

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

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). An annual workplan with Community Action, Hampshire defines outcomes and clarifies links with Social Services funding and services. County Council grants are towards costs of core activities of CCS's based on 1/3 of the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Services' recommended minimum budget for CCS's.

Most Councils of Community Service provide a volunteer bureau that helps to recruit and direct volunteers. The County Council recognises the value of volunteers and the contribution made to the overall aim of creating a cohesive and participative community. The second generation Local Public Service Agreement, which is currently being negotiated, includes a target around enhancing the extent and nature of volunteering in Hampshire and the One Compact for Hampshire is developing a volunteering code for 2005/6. County Council funding for volunteer bureaux has previously been from Social Services, but this is not especially logical in view of the link to CCS's being funded through Policy and Resources as volunteers contribute across the whole range of the Council's services. As part of the overall implementation of the Best Value review of support for the voluntary and community sector, therefore, these funds have been transferred to the centre to be considered alongside the main CCS funding.

(3) Hampshire Citizens Advice Bureaux Consortium (awarded 1974)

The County Council assists Citizens Advice Bureaux in Hampshire through an annual grant to the Hampshire Citizens Advice Bureaux Consortium rather than supporting individual offices. The grant 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.

(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) 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.

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

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

(11) 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.

(12) 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" by helping to provide protection to the natural and built heritage of the County. Officer meetings take place regularly with representatives of the Trust on a variety of issues. It is proposed to reduce this donation from £1,000 to £400 per annum.

(13) 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.

(14) Use of Great Hall (awarded 2000)

The County Council sets aside from its Policy and Resources "one-off" grants budget of £2,500 each year to voluntary organisations towards the cost of using the Great Hall for their functions.

The following grant is listed here for information purposes and is not included in the grant sums:-

** 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.

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