Item 12 - Update of Voluntary Grants 2022-23
West Dunbartonshire Council · 16 August 2023
Back to Corporate Services Committee — 16 August 2023 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer - Resources Corporate Services Committee: 16 August 2023 __________________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Update of Voluntary Grants 2022/23 1. Purpose of Report 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update of the voluntary grants administered and awarded by West Dunbartonshire Community & Volunteering Services (WDCVS) in 2022/23 in respect of Community Chest, Playschemes, Cultural, and Social Transport Support Funding Grants on behalf of the Council. 1.2 The report also provides information on the position regarding the Provost’s Fund and the Dumbarton Common Good Fund. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Committee is asked to note the position of the grants paid out by WDCVS, the Provost’s Fund and the Dumbarton Common Good Fund. 2.2 The Committee is asked to approve a top-up payment of £2,429.64 to be made to the Provost’s Fund as detailed in paragraph 4.6 below. 3. Background 3.1 The Corporate Services Committee in March 2007 agreed that a report should be brought to Committee after each year-end, giving information regarding the grants approved during the financial year. 3.2 Community Chest, Playscheme, Cultural and Social Transport Support Grants are administered by WDCVS. The Council continues to administer grants for Dumbarton Common Good and the Provost’s Fund. 3.3 The Provost’s Fund was established in 1953 as the Burgh of Clydebank Provost’s Fund and in November 1998 it was determined that the Fund may be used to cover the whole of West Dunbartonshire. 4. Main Issues WDCVS Administered Funds 4.1 During 2022/23, the total budgets available and the amounts paid out in grants administered by WDCVS are noted below: ITEM 12
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Group Type Total Budget Agreed Spend % Spent Unspent % Unspent Community Chest/Cultural/Playscheme £50,000 £45,000 90.0% £5,000 10.0% Social Transport Support £100,000 £58,550 58.6% £41,450 41.4% WDC funded total £150,000 £103,550 69.0% £46,450 31.0% Community Chest/Cultural/Playschemes 4.2 The 2022/23 budget was set at £50,000 and WDCVS has awarded £45,000 in grant funding to organisations as noted in Appendix A. 4.3 In addition to the above, a number of organisations submitted funding applications and were referred by WDCVS to other funders. As a result of this a further £321,750 of applications for funding was supported by WDCVS by re-routing applications to other sources as noted in Appendix B. 4.4 All applications received by WDCVS were granted funding from either Community Chest Grants or alternative funders. Social Transport Funding 4.5 The 2022/23 budget was set at £100,000 and WDCVS has awarded £58,550 during 2022/23. 6 groups who have been awarded grants in previous years have ceased operating during 2022-23 and a further 1 group did not operate during 2022-23 but intend to restart during 2023-24. The grant value of these 7 groups is normally £11,450. Provost’s Fund 4.6 Members are requested to approve a top-up payment of £2,429.64 to be made to the Provost’s fund to restore the fund balance to £3,000. The table below details the current balance in the fund and value of grants paid since April 2022. Provost Fund In/Out Balance 22-23 Opening Balance 3,720.00 (Top-up covered £720 already paid in 22-23) Grants paid (prior to top-up) 720.00- 3,000.00 Grants paid during 22-23 2,129.64- 870.36 22-23 Closing Balance 870.36 Grants paid in 23-24 (prior to top-up) 300.00- 570.36 Top-up requested 2,429.64 3,000.00
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Members are advised that the top-up value is taken from funding otherwise made available to WDCVS and as such the top-up reduces the funding to be administered by WDCVS. Dumbarton Common Good 4.7 Fifteen organisations benefited from funding from the Dumbarton Common Good Fund totalling £287,207 (67.7%) against a budget of £424,455, as detailed in Appendix D. The £7,000 small grants budget has not awarded any funding during 2022-23 as no applications were received. The main reason for the budget underspend was £142,547 not spent on Town Centre Management. This part of the budget has been devolved to the Regeneration Team for a number of years and has continued to carry a large unspent balance each year-end. A review of the arrangements for this budget will be undertaken during 2023/24 to consider whether further promotion of the fund availability should be carried out or whether the budgeted expenditure should be reduced to be more aligned to historic spend levels. 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. 6. People Implications 6.1 There are no people implications. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 WDCVS paid out grants totalling £103,550 during 2022/23. The full budget was £150,000, leaving a balance of £46,450 unspent. The unspent funds are returned to the council. The Provost’s Fund spent £2,849.64 in 2022/23 and £870.36 funding was available for spend in 2023/24 at the beginning of April. One award of £300 during 2023-24 has reduced the remaining funds to £570.36. 8. Risk Analysis 8.1 The Council must consider financial and reputational risks when considering grant applications. The financial risk is not only that the Council and Common Good Fund remain within budget, but also that the organisations funded by the Council and the Common Good Fund are both viable in the long term and comply with the Conditions of Grant which cover issues such as discrimination, health and safety, insurance, etc. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 No equalities impact assessment was required in relation to this report.
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10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 No assessment of environmental sustainability was required in relation to this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 Legal and Financial Officers have been consulted in preparing this report. 12. Strategic Assessment 12.1 Proper budgetary control and sound financial practice are cornerstones of good governance and support Council and officers to pursue the 5 strategic priorities of the Councils Strategic Plan. 12.2 Payment of voluntary grants contributes to improvements in life changes for children and young people, care for elderly and the wellbeing of communities. Laurence Slavin Chief Officer, Resources Date: 01 August 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Adrian Gray, Finance Business Partner, Church Street, Dumbarton, Email: adrian.gray @west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix A: Breakdown of Community Chest, Cultural & Playscheme Grants 2022/23 Appendix B: Organisations Supported by WDCVS to attract external funding in 2022/23 Appendix C: Breakdown of Social Transport Grants 2022/23 Appendix D: Breakdown of Dumbarton Common Good Grants 2022/23 Background Papers: Grant application summary information Individual group grant applications Wards Affected: All wards