Agenda item

            (Mrs. M. Higgins, Lead Officer, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised that, as the Members would be aware, the Department for Communities (DfC) provided an annual grant to the Councils to help with the delivery of the Community Support Programme (CSP).

            He then specifically referred to a statement by the Minister for Communities in December 2021, when it had been announced that changes were being introduced for organisations directly funded by the Department to offer funding at a level that would allow employer organisations in the Sector to offer ‘fair pay’ and associated conditions.

            The Members noted the changes, as follows: 

·             allocations to allow employing organisations to ensure Real Living Wage (RLW);

·             a consolidated 2% increase on current level of support provided by the Department for salaried posts (which had been calculated after ensuring the level of support to meet RLW rates);

·             a 7% non-consolidated payment (which had been calculated following application of steps I. and II above); and

·             an increase in support to allow for an increase in employer’s pension contributions from the Governments recommended minimum level of 3% to 5%.

            The Director proceeded to outline the proposed approach for allocation of the uplift which would be applied to organisations supported under the Community Support Programme with funded staffing costs during 2021/22.  The uplift payment, equal to 9% of the funded staffing costs, would be issued to these organisations for the 2021/22 financial year. He advised that the Council would request organisations to ensure that this funding was used in line with DfC guidance around the use of the ‘Fair Funding’ uplift and offer “fair pay” and associated conditions for those employed in the Voluntary and Community Sector to enable those employed in the Voluntary and Community Sector to receive RLW rates.

The Director advised that the allocations provided by the DfC provided the total budget for applying this uplift and there was no need for additional funding from the Council to implement this change.

            Following a query from a Member regarding also applying this uplift to Independently Managed Community Centres, the Director advised that the uplift could only be applied to those organisations that had been directly supported under the Community Support Programme.  He undertook to report back outlining which grant programmes staff could apply for staff costs under and whether the current framework for these could be changed and to provide clarity if the funding could provide support for increased costs for fuel/utilities.

            The Lead Officer advised that a report regarding the Framework for Capacity and Community Grants was being submitted to the April meeting of the Committee for consideration. 

            The DfC had stated that they would apply a 2% uplift to wage costs on an ongoing basis for directly funded posts, however, there was no indication from the DfC whether it would make an additional allocation to the CSP to support a similar increase for staff funded through the CSP. Based on current costs, an increase of 2% would require an additional budget of approximately £111,000. However, all organisations funded through the BCC Capacity Building funding had the opportunity to reprofile their budget on an annual basis. 

            The Director advised that, on that basis, officers were recommending that any additional ‘Fair funding’ uplift awarded by DfC in 2022/23 should be applied to organisations based on 2021/22 percentage figures for staffing budget lines.

            The Director then drew the Members’ attention to a comprehensive update regarding issues that had arisen in relation to the Council’s Community Provision Grant Funding approach for 2022/23 and the proposed approach, as follows:

·             2022/23 Community Support Programme - no Letter of Offer had been received from the DfC for 2022/23 and there had been no indications from DfC officials whether the same core level of funding would be made available;

·             Community Capacity and Community Buildings Revenue Grants -  proposed that 6 month Letters of Offer for 2022/23 be issued to all existing recipients of Council’s Community Capacity and Community Buildings Revenue Grants at an approximate value of 50% of their 2021/22 grant allocation.  The Letters of Offer to make clear that the Council could not guarantee the exact amount to be provided in the second half of the 2022/23 financial year until the DfC Letter of Offer had been received and considered by the Council;

·             Advice Grants – proposed that 6 month Letters of Offer for 2022/23 be issued to each of the five Advice Consortia at an approximate value of 50% of the 2021/22 grant allocation.  The Letters of Offer to make clear that the Council could not guarantee the exact amount to be provided in the second half of the 2022/23 financial year until the DfC Letter of Offer had been received and considered by the Council;

·             Independently Managed Community Centre and Services Level Agreements - As the DfC Letter of Offer had not yet been received, it was proposed that the 6 month Letters of Offer for 2022/23 be issued to each of the Independently Managed Centres and SLA’s at an approximate value of 50% of the 2021/22 grant allocation.  The Letters of Offer to stipulate that the Council could not guarantee the exact amount to be provided in the second half of the 2022/23 financial year until the DfC Letter of Offer had been received and considered by the Council; and

            The Committee granted approval for:

·             the outlined approach for implementing the ‘Fair Funding’ uplift which had been provided through the Community Support Programme and agreed that a report on whether this measure could be extended to Independently Managed Centres would be submitted to a future meeting;

·             a 6-month Letter of Offer for 2022/23 to be issued to all existing recipients of the Council’s Community Capacity and Community Buildings Revenue Grants at an approximate value of 50% of the 2021/22 grant allocation;  

·             a 6-month Letter of Offer for 2022/23 to be issued to each of the five Advice Consortia at an approximate value of 50% of the 2021/22 grant allocation; and   

·             a 6-month Letter of Offer for 2022/23 to be issued to each of the Independently Managed Centres and SLA’s at an approximate value of 50% of the 2022/23 grant allocation.

            In terms of Project/Activity Grants, the Members noted the resources that were being made available to support activity across the city until 31st March 2023 and the details of the grants that were currently open for application until 12 noon on Monday, 4th April 2022, further information available here