Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Crime, Justice and Communities presented a report on the Corporate Grants and Commissioning Programme for 2012/13 and the proposed review of the arrangements for 2013/14.

The Cabinet Member advised that as part of the Council’s corporate savings exercise the budget for corporate grants and commissioning had reduced by £250,000 for 2012/13, with a similar reduction for 2013/14.  The original approach to strengthening communities and maintaining an effective capacity building commissioning programme amongst the Borough’s voluntary and community sector, as approved by the Cabinet last year (Minute 122, 15 March 2011 refers), had also assumed a considerable reduction in the contribution that the Council was obliged to make towards the London Councils Grants programme.  The Cabinet Member advised that the anticipated reduction was not as large as had been projected which meant that the Council had to consider alternative options to ensure a balanced budget position.  The Cabinet Member reported that the recommended approach would not affect the commissioning contracts during 2012/13 but would impact on the funding available through the Innovation and Pump Priming grants budgets.  It was noted that a report would be submitted to Cabinet later in the year on the proposals for 2013/14 and possible longer term options in relation to the current London Councils grant programme arrangements. 

Cabinet agreed:-

(i)  To note the adverse impact on the Council’s intended Corporate Grants and Commissioning Programme of the required contribution to the London Councils grant programme, as shown in Appendix 2 to the report;

(ii)  A reduced budget of £26,690 for Innovation Fund grants and £7,700 for the Pump Priming Fund for 2012/13 in order to remain within budget;

(iii)  The allocation of grants from the Innovation Fund for 2012/13 as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report; and

(iv)  To note that a review of the Corporate Grants and Commissioning Programme for 2013/14 would be undertaken this year to address the current projected budget shortfall.