Archived decisions

Contact: David Carman, tel 023 8038 3407 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The Environmental Service Providers Grant Programme enables the Department to work with voluntary and community organisations and support the provision of particular services that are most effectively delivered by them. This programme also ensures that everyone has the opportunity to be active in their community, protecting local distinctiveness and diversity; respecting Hampshire's heritage and planning pro-actively for the future.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That grant payments for Environmental Service Providers 2008/09 be allocated as follows:

(i) Built Heritage £10,000

Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust

(ii) Coastal Archaeology £10,000

Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology

(iii) Environmental Advice to Land Managers £15,000

Surrey and Hampshire Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group

(iv) Historic Parks and Gardens £20,000

Hampshire Gardens Trust

(v) Schools Landscapes:

(a) Supporting Hampshire County Council Schools Landscape Programme £15,000

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

(b) Supporting advice at a national level £19,000

Learning through Landscapes

3. Introduction

3.1 On 16 January 2007 the Executive Member considered a report which set out the changes required to transfer from the Service Level Agreement process for securing services from the voluntary and community sector, to a process that meets the requirements of the One Compact for Hampshire.

The current options within the Compact for securing services from the voluntary and community sector are either through grant or contract, which may be entered into for up to a three year duration. Current budget pressures have not enabled commitment to a three year programme for environmental services provision. The level of grant available for 2008/09 is as set out in the Revenue Budget formally approved on 22 January 2008. The criteria against which the grants are awarded, agreed by the Executive Member on 16 January 2007, have not changed. The attached appendix provides a summary of the grant applications and recommendations against the criteria for awarding of grants.

4. Impact Assessments

4.1 In accordance with the One Compact for Hampshire applications for grants are open to all voluntary and community bodies with relevant experience, enabling equal opportunity for all.

5. Conclusion

5.1 Applications for grants were received for all areas of Environmental Service Provision. All applying organisations are known to Hampshire County Council and have delivered environmental services in the recent past. All applicant organisations meet the criteria required for eligibility. The recommendation to award grant is therefore based on an evaluation of the applicant's statement of how the service would be delivered, as well as the officer's personal experience of working with these organisations to deliver the services effectively.

1626Rpt/DC