Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report (REVISED)

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to provide details of grants being considered for approval from the Policy and Resources budget in 2010/11.

1.2. This paper seeks to provide an update on the work that the Councils for Voluntary Services and other voluntary sector infrastructure bodies¹ have undertaken to improve value for money. It also outlines the steps taken to improve monitoring arrangements for the grant and makes proposals for Member involvement.

2. Contextual information

2.1. The County Council recognises the value of working with voluntary and community organisations and the contribution they make to help the County Council deliver its aims and objectives. The role of the County Council in supporting and helping to build capacity in the sector is essential in providing an environment for a thriving third sector which is one of the targets set within the Local Area Agreement.

2.2. The organisations listed in Paragraph 5 of this report receive grants/subscriptions from the Policy and Resources budget which are subject to yearly review. For the infrastructure organisations, the amounts being recommended for approval allow for an increase of between 2.07 and 2.25 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.

2.3. The organisations have been categorised into Part A and B. Part A includes voluntary and community sector infrastructure bodies and Part B includes other county wide agencies and voluntary sector groups.

3. Part A Organisations

Community Action Hampshire, District Councils of Voluntary Service and Volunteer Centres (Organisations 1 & 2)

3.1 Background

3.1.1 The 11 Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS), one in each district, and the county-wide group, Community Action Hampshire (CAH) are the main infrastructure bodies providing support, advice and certain services to local voluntary & community groups. CAH is also a Rural Community Council supporting and enabling initiatives in the rural communities. The CVSs are `trusts' (companies limited by guarantee) and registered charities for whom the core funding partners are the County Council and the District councils.

3.2. Ensuring value for money in support for CVS network

3.2.1 The value for money review that was commissioned in 2007 focussed on the CVSs and recommended that efficiencies could be gained through improved collaborative working between the 11 CVSs and that the funding formula be revised to bring about more equity of support for volunteering across the County. The Chief Officers of the local CVSs work together through a network known as the CHOFFs. In order to maximise their time they elect lead officers to represent the network on strategic issues e.g. representative on the Hampshire Voluntary Consortium, LAA volunteering lead. The Chair of the network is Rebecca Kennelly - Chief Executive of Basingstoke CVS.

3.2.2 As a result the CVS network have developed an Infrastructure modernisation programme to address the need for greater efficiency and effectiveness through joint working. Reports received by the Policy unit demonstrate that there is evidence of stronger collaboration throughout the network.

The key achievements during the past year are reported as:

· Establishing four new active networks - Community Development Workers, Funding Advisors, Training Leads and Finance Managers

· Setting up a new county CVS website. Using this site to promote CVS training courses

· Setting up common systems and processes for both the volunteer centre network and community development network

· Setting up a county volunteering website

· Aligning CVS common core newsletter articles across Hampshire

· Development and production of a Finance Toolkit for VCO's

3.2.3 The review also recommended a revised and more robust grant agreement be developed. Revised agreements have been developed with the legal department which ensures more accountability and provides a framework for improved monitoring. The negotiations have involved our district council partners to avoid duplication.

3.3 Improving the monitoring arrangements

3.3.1 The work to improve value for money is part of a wider Council approach to improve the relationship with the voluntary and community sector and Cabinet agreed a draft improvement plan in November. A key action is to increase the visible involvement of Council officers and improve communication.

3.3.2 As the grant agreements have been negotiated with the district council officers, joint monitoring arrangements have also been agreed to begin from April 2010. It has also been agreed that HATs will take part in the local monitoring of CVS performance with details still to be finalised. In preparation for that approach an officer from the County Council's Policy Unit was present at each of the CVS and CAH Annual General Meetings in 2009 and the information received has informed this report.

3.3.3 It is proposed that each CVS provide at least one case study which shows how the Council's funding makes a difference to the lives of people in Hampshire. Some examples from last year can be seen below others are available from Chief Executives Department

3.3.4 In order to make sure that the executive has adequate information to inform decisions, it is recommended that the Chief Officer from CAH and the Chair of the CHOFFS network be invited annually to provide this information through presentation to the Leader. This will be an opportunity for them to explain what they have achieved over the course of the year and the impact on local communities.

3.4. Review of other Part A organisations:

3.4.1 A review was also undertaken of the grants given to other organisations;

· Hampshire Association of Local Councils

· Citizens Advice, Hampshire

· Victim Support, Hampshire

· Relate

3.4.2 This review showed that the grant was effective in supporting these organisations to undertake their core functions and in line with the previous VFM review it recommended that agreements be put in place to clarify expectations. The agreement with HALC is being developed alongside the CVS & CAH agreement. Arrangements for the other organisations will be put in place during 2010.

3.4.3 With regard to Hampshire Association of Local Councils (HALC), it should be noted that at the end of last year they relocated from their offices in the St Thomas' Centre in Winchester to premises in Chandler's Ford. For the 2010/11 financial year they are seeking an additional sum of £9,300 to offset this cost. A one-off grant for this sum is being recommended for this year only.

3.5. Case Studies

3.5.1 The P&R grants support the Councils for Voluntary Services to coordinate volunteering activity in their area. Volunteering has many benefits fro both the volunteer and the person receiving support. It can help people who may feel lonely and isolated by giving chances to make a difference by giving their time and skills to support local projects - here are two examples of the work of these centres.

Ken was retired and lonely and wanted to do something constructive with his time. He came to the Rushmoor Volunteer Centre and was introduced to local organisations NeighbourCare and Age Concern as a volunteer driver. After receiving appropriate training, he now volunteers for five organisations on a regular basis. Once a week he collects 15 older people and drives them to and from a local Age Concern lunch club; he drives three Neighbourcare clients to appointments and also drives a minibus transporting 13 elderly and isolated people to a local friendship club. Ken finds his voluntary work very rewarding and says it gives him a purpose in life and his overall wellbeing is improved thanks to volunteering.

The Volunteer Centre based at East Hampshire CVS was successful in securing funding from Jobcentre Plus. This project aims to organise volunteering opportunities for people who have lost their jobs recently due to the economic downturn. A key feature of this recession is that the people affected are highly skilled professional people and this project helps them to maintain their skills as well as helping local organisations.

3.5.2. This is an example of how Councils for Voluntary Services support smaller voluntary organisations to find funds. The Normandy Veterans 44 Aldershot Branch approached Rushmoor Voluntary Services for help and advice in obtaining a grant. They wanted to help some elderly members to participate in some of the 2009 events to commemorate `D' Day. Bearing in mind the age of the veterans they recognised this was almost certainly the last time they would do this as a group. RVS told them about `Grassroots Grants' and helped them to make an application. The group were delighted when they received over £2000 which helped them to visit a Whitehall Remembrance service and one at Southsea as well as another trip with other veterans.

3.5.3 The P & R Grant funds the core functions of the CVS. One function is to identify where there are gaps in the provision of services and to establish projects to support unmet need. One such service is the RVS Community Access Project. This was established to work with people suffering from mental health issues but who do not fit the criteria to receive support from NHS. One client, an ex service man, was suffering post traumatic stress that led to alcoholism. The support he received from the CVS project enabled him to change his lifestyle. He then went on to run training courses about the issues of post traumatic stress. Via the volunteer centre he became a volunteer. As he was a qualified teacher he took a volunteer role two days a week teaching young people who had left school with no qualifications. He says "Without doubt this service saved my life".

3.5.4 Community Action Hampshire operates across the whole County and leads a number of strategic projects which help larger Countywide organisations. They have been working for a number of years to build capacity in the voluntary sector to increase their understanding and involvement of diverse communities. To support this work they have successfully attracted a number of different funding streams over the past 5 years. Earlier in 2009 they received 3 year funding support from the Big Lottery to further develop the diversity networks project. Reaching out and engaging with diverse communities is high priority for the County Council's Equality Scheme and this project is developing an Independent Equality Forum which will help the Council to improve.

4. Part B Organisations

4.1 Winchester Cathedral Trust

The County Council agreed to make a contribution towards the continuing restoration of the fabric of the building.

4.2 The Winchester 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 Centre.

4.3 St Mary's Music Foundation

St Mary's Music Foundation was founded to provide children and young people with the opportunity for musical education and training. Funding helps towards the cost of an organ scholarship. Although, St Mary's Church is based in Portsmouth, this year's beneficiary will come from Fareham.

4.4 The City of Winchester Trust

The Trust encourages landscape planning, planting and retention of trees and seeks to ensure that new developments complement the old in this ancient City.

4.5 Use of Great Hall

The County Council sets aside a sum of money to help voluntary and community organisations towards the cost of using the Great Hall for their functions.

4.6 Criteria of Grant

The criteria used in considering grants from this budget are attached as Appendix 1 to this report. To take into account the changing priorities for the both the organisation and the County Council. it was agreed they be reviewed on a yearly basis. The criteria remain fit for purpose and it is recommended they be agreed for the ensuing year.

5. Finance

5.1. The total amount of grants and subscriptions being recommended for approval in 2010/11 is £1,207,726 and can be accommodated within the budget.

5.2. A decision was made at the meeting of 10^th December, ref 1059, regarding the distribution of funding for the support of volunteering. It was agreed That the funding be phased in over 3 years, reviewed during the first year in light of economic circumstances. The Chief Officers of the CVS network have provided further information which shows that phased funding would have a negative impact on their ability to improve volunteering activity. Therefore, it is recommended that the funding be distributed in accordance with the proposal outlined in attached letter.

5.3. The amounts recommended for the organisations are listed below.

6. Performance

6.1. Steps have been taken over the past year to improve the performance measures for Part A organisations through revised agreements and subsequent monitoring arrangements see paragraph 3.3.

7. Future direction

7.1. Build on the value for money approach to monitoring the Part A organisations to ensure these grants enable the Council to support a thriving third sector in Hampshire.

8. Recommendation(s)

8.1. That approval be given to grants and subscriptions being awarded to those organisations listed in this report for 2010/11.

8.2. That revised distribution of funding to support volunteering activity be agreed.

8.3. That approval be given to the proposal to include Members in future monitoring of grants to Infrastructure bodies.

8.4. That the criteria in awarding grants from this budget be agreed for the ensuing year.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

Voluntary & Community organisations have a potential high impact on all equality groups and grant agreements include a clause which expects them to `promote equality and support the Council's equality objectives'.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

Voluntary & Community organisations have a potential positive impact, many of them run local relevant projects .

3. Climate Change:

Voluntary & Community organisations have a potential positive impact and are increasingly becoming aware of their role in the Councils actions to mitigate climate change.

FUNDING CRITERIA FOR THE POLICY AND RESOURCES GRANTS

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

1. Assistance will be considered only in response to direct applications from properly constituted organisations seeking assistance. You must show in your application that your organisation is properly and legally organised and has its own bank account.

2. Where appropriate, applications will be referred to the relevant service department (e.g. Adult Services, Culture, Communities and Rural Affairs, Children's Services, etc) for consideration.

3. Preference will be given to applications for specific projects activities rather than general running costs of organisations. These grants are not intended to replace shortfalls in service delivery budgets or replace funding for other support you may be able to obtain, or that you have obtained from us in the past.

4. Grants will not usually be made in respect of applications from the following:-

· District or Parish Councils

· Government Institutions

· Schools

· Overseas and out of County organisations which have no direct Hampshire involvement

· Branches or organisations assisted centrally with a sum from the County Council

· Bodies requesting funds for onward distribution to other charities e.g. mayoral appeals, carnivals, fetes, or for their own fundraising events.

5. Applications will not be accepted from political parties or groups affiliated with a political party or from lobbying/campaigning organisations.

6. Applications will only be considered from faith groups who can demonstrate their facilities are open and used by the local community other than for church related activities.

7. Requests may be considered from County wide groups (e.g. Guides, Scouts, Hampshire County Youth Orchestra) for specific trips, e.g. for an international jamboree or cultural tour. Individual requests will not be considered.

8. Where possible self-help within organisations should be encouraged and to this end, grants are normally a percentage of the sum required to complete the project.

9. As a general rule, grants in excess of £5,000 will not be awarded.

10. Only award grants to projects which are taking place in the same year as application for funds.

1^st October 2009

Dear Paddy

Reference VC funding Proposal and Draft SLA

Following a meeting of Chief Officers of the Hampshire CVS Network, on 25 September 2009, the CVS network wishes to put forward the following proposal for allocations of VC funding across Hampshire.

1 The network recognises the case for greater equality in the allocation of Hampshire's ₤185,191 funding of Volunteer Centres across the County

2 It also recognises the need for support for those centres that have received higher than average funding in the past, to ensure that best-practice, skills and the expertise of established staff are not lost through an abrupt reallocation of funding

3 It expects that, in return for this recognition, the larger and better funded centres will voluntarily take a lead on policy and development work relating to volunteering in Hampshire.

4 That said, the network feels that there is insufficient total funding available to carry out the "Six key functions" of a Volunteer Centre specified by Volunteering England and recommends that the focus remains primarily on brokerage, and marketing volunteering in their local area.

5 The CVS' are determined to work collaboratively and to engage in multi-lateral partnerships and cross-border working to maximise the impact of volunteering in each district

6 The network agrees with the proposal to incorporate this new arrangement within an SLA starting in April 2010 and notes that the SLA will be reviewed in 2013.

7 The proposed allocation of funding is as follows:

Council for Voluntary Services	Core funding	Funding to support volunteering
Basingstoke	£36,111	20,335
East Hampshire	£36,111	19,844
Eastleigh	£36,111	20,835
Fareham	£36,111	13,835
Gosport	£36,111	13,835
Hart	£36,111	13,835
Havant	£36,111	13,835
New Forest	£36,111	20,335
Rushmoor	£36,111	13,835
Test Valley	£36,111	13,835
Winchester	£36,111	20,835
Total= £582,415	£397,221	185,194

Funding 2009 / 2010 Taken from Gails Report

Council for Voluntary Services	Core funding	Volunteer centre funding
Winchester	£36,111	£30 435
Eastleigh	£36,111	£29 078
New Forest	£36,111	£25 644
Basingstoke	£36,111	£25 495
East Hants	£36,111	£21 078
Gosport	£36,111	£16 381
Havant	£36,111	£15 572
Hart	£36,111	£11 476
Test Valley	£36,111	£7 463
Rushmoor	£36,111	£1 286
Fareham	£36,111	£1 286
Total= £582,415	£397,221	£185,194

Whilst we recognise that this is not one of the original proposals put forward for discussion by HCC, the CVS trustees, Chief Officers and VC Managers all perceive this to be the most effective allocation of resources.

Finally, the CVS Chief Officer Network has also considered the draft SLA. We have amended sections of the SLA to make them more relevant to CVS/VC work, and aligned to the proposal above. Please see appendix 1 for amended SLA (amendments highlighted in grey).

We look forward to discussing any questions you have around this proposal and amended SLA on Monday.

Best wishes

R Kennelly

Rebecca Kennelly

Chair of Hampshire Chief Officers Network

Chief Executive Basingstoke Voluntary Services

01256423816

[email protected]