To receive apologies for absence.

 Apologies were received from Councillors Mrs M.D. Lloyd-Hayes, G.V. Hyde, R.J. Phillips, J.G.S Guthrie, and Mr P Collins, Mr G Jones, and Mrs E Newman.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on this agenda.

The County Secretary and Solicitor reminded members of the provisions regulating the declaration of interests.

The following declarations of interest were made:

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 4th November, 2004

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4th November, 2004 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider the outcome of the review of support to the Voluntary Sector. 

(Councillor A.C.R Chappell had declared a prejudicial interest in relation to Community First and Councillor R.V. Stockton had declared a prejudicial interest in relation to Herefordshire Voluntary Action and they withdrew from the meeting during consideration of matters relating specifically to those Organisations.)

The Committee considered the outcome of a review of support to the Voluntary Sector.

The report noted, as last reported to the Committee in February 2004, that the review, as a cross-cutting review, was within the Committee’s remit, building on work commenced by the Social and Economic Development Scrutiny Committee because the majority of grants were distributed through the Policy and Community Directorate.

The review’s principal recommendations were set out in an executive summary, at the front of the detailed review report, as set out in appendix 1 to these Minutes.  Additional recommendations in relation to funding challenges facing the Council in setting its 2005/2006 and future budgets were set out in part 8 of the report, as set out in appendix 2 to these Minutes.

The Senior Partnership Policy Officer, lead officer for the review, gave a presentation highlighting the scope of the review, the methodology employed, key findings and key recommendations.

The key findings he identified were: that Herefordshire Council is in comparative terms generous in its support to the Community and Voluntary Sector and that the Council is not securing best value for money from current arrangements.

The key recommendations he identified were in four categories, as detailed in full in the appendix to these Minutes:

General

·         A Community & Voluntary sector support strategy to be drawn up

·         Market Testing in appropriate service areas

·         Comprehensive review and monitoring systems needed

·         Radical changes to the Voluntary Sector Grants Scheme

·         An end to 2 annual bidding rounds

·         Revised grant criteria

·         Earmarking some funds for the most deprived areas

Voluntary Sector Grants

·         Grants to be awarded on a once only basis

·         Individual Council managers to be responsible for grant performance

·         Delegation of grants awards to officers after consultation with the Cabinet Member, and local member with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) where appropriate

·         SLAs, not grants for support lasting longer than 1 year

·         SLAs to be made more robust and consistent

·         More robust SLA monitoring and evaluation

      Infrastructure Organisations

·         Funding for Community and Voluntary Action Ledbury & District to be withdrawn

·         Community First programmes to be market tested

·         Formal partnership collaborative working with Citizens Advice Bureaux for Community and Voluntary Action, ABLE and the Welfare Rights Team, but if unsuccessful, market testing of the Welfare Rights Service

The Director of Policy and Community emphasised that periods of notice referred to in recommendations set out in the review would require adjustment if it was decided to proceed in issuing such notices.

She added that the review had been conducted on the assumption that current levels of funding could continue to be available.  However, given the future funding challenges facing the Council in setting its 2005/2006 and future budgets the Review Team had commented on this issue, as set out in appendix  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.