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Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Executive held on 07/02/2005
Sponsored Organisation Scheme


Summary & Purpose
The purpose of this report is to consider the applications from the Sponsored Organisations for revenue funding in 2005/06.

The report details the assessment of applications against the approved Sponsored Organisation Scheme criteria and provides recommendations for funding.
Quality of Life Implications
Natural Resource Use
Pollution Prevention and Control
Biodiversity and Nature
Local Environment
Social Inclusion
Safe Communities
Local Economy
Natural
Resource Use
Pollution
Prevention and Control
Biodiversity
and Nature
Local
Environment
Social
Inclusion
Safe, Healthy
and Active
Communities
Local
Economy
Positive
Positive
Positive
Positive
Positive
Positive
Positive


E-Government implications:

There are no direct E-Government implications arising from this report. Sponsored Organisation Scheme application forms and guidance notes are available electronically by email.

Resource and legal implications:

The total value of the funding awarded to Sponsored Organisations in the current financial year (2004/05) was £599,465.

For 2005/06, a contribution of £49,455 from the Sponsored Organisation Scheme has been approved as Waverley’s contribution to the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel (WVGP) for social welfare organisations.

If no increase in funding is approved for the Sponsored Organisation Scheme, the total funding available will therefore be £550,010 as follows:

Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel
for social welfare organisations 2005/06 £49,455

Sponsored Organisations 2005/06 £550,010
________
£599,465

The total value of funding requested from Sponsored Organisations for 2005/06 is £671,258. A table detailing the grants requested by each organisation together with the grants approved over the last four years is attached at Annexe 1.

A table detailing all the Sponsored Organisations that applied under the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel and the grants awarded are attached at Annexe 2.


Background

1. In December 1999, the Council approved the introduction of a Sponsored Organisations Scheme. The former Policy & Resources Committee agreed details of the scheme on 4th July 2000.

2. The principal aim of the Sponsored Organisation Scheme is to ‘provide financial support for the on-going revenue costs of voluntary and charitable organisations that are delivering high priority services for the benefit of Waverley residents in partnership with the Council’.

3. In October 2004, the Executive approved the grant eligibility, criteria and timetable for 2005/06. These are detailed in the application guidance at Annexe 3.

4. At the October 2004 meeting, the Executive also agreed that:

o The Sponsored Organisation Scheme would not be open to new organisations to apply for funding in 2005/06 but that a commitment is made for the scheme to be open to new organisations in 2006/07. o For the financial year 2005/06, Waverley will support social welfare organisations through the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel. It was agreed that the value of Waverley Borough Council’s contribution would equate with the grant approved to these organisations in 2004/05. In total 17 of the Sponsored Organisations are defined within the social welfare category and therefore these organisations applied under the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel Scheme for 2005/06. Results of these applications are detailed in the table attached at Annexe 2.

o A funding increase in-line with inflation is proposed, but that such an increase will be assessed alongside other demands on Council finances during the budget process.

APPLICATIONS

5. A total of 27 applications for revenue funding in 2005/06 (excluding the 17 social welfare organisations who applied under the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel) have been received from Sponsored Organisations.

6. In total, the funding requested by these organisations for 2005/06 is £671,258.

7. In the first four years of operation, the total Sponsored Organisation Scheme funding awarded was as follows:

YearNo. of organisationsTotal SOS Funding Awarded
2001/0236539,471
2002/0339548,250
2003/0444599,465(included a % increase for inflation)
2004/0541599,465
8. The summary table detailing all the Sponsored Organisation Scheme applications is attached at Annexe 1. A summary description of each organisation is contained in Annexe 4.

Grant Criteria and Assessment of Applications

9. Each application has been assessed against the Sponsored Organisation Scheme grant eligibility and criteria by the relevant ‘link officer’ within each service area. In addition, Waverley’s accountants have undertaken a financial assessment of each organisation’s annual accounts. The link officers as part of assessing the grant applications have taken the results from these financial assessments, together with information about organisations reserves policy, into account.

10. The grants recommended by officers are shown in the last two columns of the table at Annexe 1. The second to last column (Grant Recommended I) details the grants recommended for each organisation based on officer assessments, as detailed in paragraph 9 above. These recommendation result in a total increase of £17,277, approximately 3% increase on the grants awarded last year.

11. Officers have provided a second recommendation based on no increase in funding for the Sponsored Organisation Scheme. These recommendations are shown in the last column of the table at Annexe 1 (Grant Recommended 2). This level of funding provides no allowance for inflation, which will be particularly difficult for those organisations where there are salary costs. Based on the Grant Recommended 2 column in Annexe 1, the following provides a summary of recommendations:

a) For all Sponsored Organisation Scheme applicants, other than those detailed below, the recommendation is for a grant award at the same level as that awarded in 2004/05

b) Recommended Increases in Grant

Grant Approved 2004/05
£
Grant Recommended 2005/06

£
Total
Increase

£
Haslemere Educational Museum
0
1,500
1,500
Milford & Villages Day Centre
43,500
44,600
1,100
Surrey Hills AONB
5,090
5,423
333
TOTAL £2,933
c) Recommended Reductions in Grant Other Financial Support From Waverley

12. In addition to the Sponsored Organisation Scheme, a number of organisations have received other financial support from Waverley in 2004/05.

Organisation
Project
Grant
Awarded
£
Total
Project
Cost
£
Farnham CABIT Development
3,680
14,740
Farnham MaltingsTitfield Thunderbolt Touring Play
1,000
8,950
Farnham MaltingsChantrys Enhancement
10,000
49,900
Haslemere HallStrengthening Floor
3,652
14,610
Rural Life CentreRelocation & Restoration of building
2,000
10,812
Milford & Villages Day CentreCraft & Activities Room
25,409
4,400


Loan

Farnham MaltingsFundraising£50,000 loan repayable over 5 years (£25,000 of the £50,000 loan taken-up and paid in 2004/5
Rate Relief

13. In addition to the Sponsored Organisation Scheme grant in 2004/05, the following organisations also receive mandatory and discretionary rate relief as detailed below:

Organisation
Mandatory
Rate Relief
Discretionary
Rate Relief
Amount
£
Cost to Waverley (75% of Discretionary Rate Relief)
Age Concern Waverley
2,371.20
592.80
2,964.00
444.60
Age Concern Haslemere and District
5,572.32
1393.08
6965.40
1044.81
Brightwells Gostrey
1140.00
285.00
1425.00
213.75
Citizens Advice Bureau – Farnham
3,700.37
925.09
4,625.46
693.82
Citizens Advice Bureau – Godalming
8,043.84
2,010.96
10,054.80
1508.22
Citizens Advice Bureau – Haslemere and Cranleigh
4,888.32
1,222.08
6,110.40
916.56
Cranleigh Arts Centre
4414.08
4414.08
Farnham Maltings
21,888.00
21,888.00
Farnham Voluntary
Services Council
1,906.08
476.52
2,382.60
357.39
Godalming Museum Trust
7,752.00
1,938.00
9,690.00
1,453.50
Haslemere & District Volunteer Bureau
2042.88
2042.88
Haslemere Educational
Museum
22,854.72
5,713.68
28,568.40
4,285.26
Haslemere Hall Trust
3027.84
3027.84
Milford and Villages Day Centre
4,797.12
1,199.28
5,996.40
899.46
Rural Life Centre
(Old Kiln Museum Trust)
337.44
84.36
421.80
63.27
Waverley Community Transport
1659.84
1659.84
Total
£96,396.05
£15,840.85
£112,236.90
£11,880.64

Timetable

14. Applicants will be notified of the results of their applications after the Council meeting on 22nd February 2005. The Sponsored Organisation scheme timetable is attached at Annexe 5.

Observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees

15. The Sponsored Organisation Scheme applications were considered by the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18th January 2005 and are due to be considered by Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1st February 2005 and at the reconvened Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 2nd February 2005.

16. The comments from the Corporate and Community Overview and Scrutiny Committees will be forwarded separately following their meetings.

Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The comments from the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee are set out below:

17. In regard to the Blackwater Valley Recreation and Countryside Management Service the Committee observed that we were the only authority that had not met its financial obligations (£6,954). In regard to the Surrey Heathland project, it was also noted that obligations (£10,462) had not been met. Members also observed that existing obligations (£500) for the Hurtwood Control Committee should be maintained to show a continuing support. The Committee wished to express the view that all obligations should be met and that it was not good practice not to do so.

18. The Committee questioned the reduction in regard to the Rural Life Centre and considered that this would have a considerable effect. Officers informed the Committee that a reduction had been proposed as there was evidence of them generating their own income. The Committee, however, agreed that the figure obtained last year (£5,000) would be appropriate. With reference to the Cranleigh Arts Centre, Members questioned the figures suggested (£32,000 based on assessments; £27,750 funding available). Officers informed the Committee that this figure was considered necessary to cater for additional administrative staff. Members suggested that there should be encouragement towards them becoming self-financing.

Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel

19. At the October 2004 meeting, the Executive agreed that for 2005/06, Waverley will support organisations providing social welfare services through the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel. It was agreed that two nominated Members, supported by officers, would represent Waverley on the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel.

20. For 2005/06, a contribution of £49,455 from the Sponsored Organisation Scheme has been approved as Waverley’s contribution to the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel. Prior to Waverley’s contribution, the fund had a total allocation of £80,000 from the Primary Care Trust (PCT). As a result of Waverley’s contribution the PCT is contributing a further £146,788 in 2005/06 resulting in a total contribution from them for 2005/06 of £226,788. In addition, Waverley’s contribution has resulted in Surrey County Council Adult & Community Services contributing £66,000 to the fund. At the same time, applications to the fund were made from organisations previously funded by the Health Authority, the PCT, Surrey County Council and Waverley. In 2004/05 these Waverley organisations received £328,635 and the grants panel allocated £341,524 for 2005/06, an overall increase in funds of some £13,000. All previous Waverley SOS applicants received no less than they received in 2004/05 from Waverley; in some cases grants were combined and in the case of HOPPA an excellent increase was achieved.

21. The grants awarded for 2005/06 by the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel are summarised in the tables attached at Annexe 2.

22. In total £340,743 was awarded to 36 voluntary organisations within the Waverley area. These are divided as follows:

a) Grants totalling £60,238 were awarded by the Waverley Voluntary Grants Panel to 15 of Waverley’s Sponsored Organisations defined as social welfare.

b) A further 10 grants, totalling £117,322 were also awarded to organisations that are Waverley Sponsored Organisations.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive considers the applications from Sponsored Organisations and that the allocations for 2005/06 totalling £549,943 as listed in Annexe 1, Grant Recommended 2 column, be approved.


Background Papers (DoF)

Sponsored Organisation Scheme application forms


CONTACT OFFICER:

Name: Wendy Varcoe Telephone: 01483 523093
E-mail: wvarcoe@waverley.gov.uk
comms/exec/04-05/407