Agenda item

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services detailing the outcome of a review of the Voluntary Sector Organisations.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor J D Ablewhite, Executive Leader, Councillor T D Sanderson, Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, and Councillors P J Downes and T W Clough were in attendance for this item).

The Panel received a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) detailing the outcome of a review of the Voluntary Sector Organisations that held commissioning agreements with the Council.

In introducing the report, the Healthy Communities Manager reminded the Panel of the background to the review, which had been prompted by Members at the November 2010 meeting of full Council. It was reported that a series of review meetings had been held with the organisations concerned to assess the potential impact of a reduction in grant funding upon service users, their ability to attract external funding and their willingness to utilise their financial reserves to offset any grant reductions proposed by the Council.

The Panel questioned whether the social impact of grant reductions to voluntary organisations could be assessed given that they had a number of functions beyond those specified within their service level agreements that affected the wider social environment. The review findings indicated that some of the voluntary organisations could be placed in a vulnerable situation if the Council decided to reduce its grants to them by 50%. Members commented that there would be greater pressures placed on the Council and other public service providers and voluntary organisations in the District if grants were reduced. Owing to the fact that the organisations made use of volunteer workers, the cost to the Council of meeting this demand would exceed any grant reductions.

The Panel noted that the level of funding provided to the organisations had changed over time. It was suggested that future funding should be based on the level of need for the services offered by them. It was further suggested that the Council should take into account whether services were offered on a District-wide basis. Members were informed that Huntingdon Shopmobility and St Barnabas Community Learning Centre were they only organisations that provided services to a specific sector of the District’s community. Having been acquainted with the outcome of the Equality Impact Assessment undertaken as part of the review, the Panel also expressed concern at the likely effect of any grant changes on those in isolated rural areas.

Members discussed the fact that financial support was provided to the voluntary organisations by other funders such as Cambridgeshire County Council, the Primary Care Trust, the Police and Town and Parish Councils. Although they acknowledged the difficulties faced by some organisations when other funders withdrew their contributions, it was noted that the District Council had, in the past, made up the resulting shortfall in funding.

The Panel has commented that, given the varying levels of funding currently received by the organisations and the contributions that the grants make overall towards their operating costs, a uniform rate of reduction across all the organisations would not be appropriate. Any grant adjustments should be assessed on an individual basis.

The Panel acknowledged the valuable contribution made by the organisations to the Council’s aims and the fact that they each had its own links to other voluntary organisations in the District. Members expressed support for the joint working that they undertook and encouraged them to explore further opportunities for closer working in order to generate further efficiency savings.

The Panel suggested that the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities should investigate alternative accommodation options for the voluntary organisations with a view to reducing their operating costs. The options identified included approaching Churchmanor Estates and Huntingdon Town Council and utilising accommodation space available at Pathfinder House and at the Bargrove Centre in Eynesbury, St Neots.

A further suggestion was made that the Council should offer support to the organisations that it currently commissions to search for external and/or match funding opportunities. Additionally, it was suggested that a more holistic approach to the review, incorporating other voluntary sector organisations, should be undertaken. Finally, the Panel placed on record the point that future large scale developments, such as the St Neots Eastern expansion, could result in there being greater demand for voluntary services.

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be invited to consider the Panel’s comments as part of its deliberations on the report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services.