Agenda item

Report of Commissioning Manager

This report provides a summary of the Small Grants Fund from May 2013 to March 2014.

The Scrutiny Committee received a report of the Commissioning Manager for Leisure and Community, which provided a summary of the Small Grants Fund for the period from May 2013 to March 2014. 

The Commissioning Manager stated that the scheme had been very successful in its first year.  It had benefited from better publicity.  She thanked the original Task Group which had provided input to officers on the development of the new scheme.

The Chair also thanked the task Group for their work.  She had noted that the scheme had been widely advertised and that local groups had received information.

The Commissioning Manager confirmed that no funds had been carried forward to the 2014/15 budget.  In response to a question about the rejected applications, she explained that there had been a variety of reasons proposals were refused.  The main reason had been that organisations had requested core funding.  Capital building works’ funding and sports equipment had also been refused as they did not meet the criteria.  She stressed that sports clubs were not excluded from applying for funding as could be seen in the list of organisations granted funding during 2013/14. 

Councillor McLeod commented that she was impressed by the variety of groups that had been awarded funding and the different locations across the town.  She asked how the fund had been advertised.  She suggested that further publicity could be included in watford-wide publications, for example About Watford.  She also asked whether the fund was advertised on the website, including information about the results of applications.

The Commissioning Manager responded that as part of the publicity for the fund, officers had worked with the Communications Team to ensure it was included in the Council’s publications.  The Team also wanted to ensure that people were aware of the success stories.  She would advise Members if the fund was advertised on the Council’s website.

Following requests for further information on specific awards, the Commissioning Manager advised that she would provide the information following the meeting as she did not have the individual case details immediately available.

The Commissioning Manager explained about the application process.  She advised that the fund was open throughout the year, but a closing date was set to ensure that the application could be processed within that financial year.  A decision-maker’s meeting was held every month.  Officers assessed the initial applications and then presented them to the Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services and Portfolio Holder for a final decision.  She added that officers recommended to groups that they should apply well in advance of any funding requirements. 

Councillor Taylor noted that in one case a request had only been part-funded based on the percentage of people from Watford.  He asked whether a similar scheme was available to groups in Hertsmere Borough Council.

The Commissioning Managed informed the Scrutiny Committee that officers directed groups to other relevant organisations, particularly Watford and Three Rivers Trust, which had information about different funding streams.  

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head suggested that an article might be included in About Watford; it could advertise the scheme and highlight some of those who had previously been successful.

The Chair asked whether officers received any feedback from groups, particularly letters of thanks.

The Commissioning Manager responded that officers regularly received complimentary letters.  All groups were asked to complete a monitoring report.  This enabled officers to see the benefit of the award and the reports often included thanks for the support given to the groups.  She agreed that she would provide an article for the Members’ Bulletin and would include some of the comments that officers received.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the Commissioning Manager provides the information as requested by the Scrutiny Committee.

2.      that the Scrutiny Committee’s comments be noted.

3.      that an article be produced for the Members’ Bulletin.