Agenda item

To consider a report from a Member Task and Finish Group and recommendations following a review of the Council’s funding to the voluntary sector.

i.  Approves the award of two contracts, one for advice based services and the other for infrastructure services, as detailed as Option 4, paragraph 3.5 of the report;

ii.  That the contract term and funding be until the 31st March 2020;

iii.  That the overall budget model be Option 3 (amended) as detailed in the first Table in paragraph 4.4 of the report;

iv.  Approves the funding split for the contracts as 65% to 35% in favour of advice based services but with flexibility through negotiated contract award of 10% either way; and

v.  That the existing Task and Finish Group be retained and to work with the Executive Councillor for Community Resilience to develop the contract terms including performance metrics and reporting frameworks. 

By way of a report by the Head of Community in partnership with the Chairman of the Member Task and Finish Group, Cllr Hayward, (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Cabinet received the conclusions and recommendations following a review of the Council’s funding arrangement for the voluntary sector, having previously agreed the formation of a Member Task and Finish Group at its meeting in January 2016.

The Council had historically supported the voluntary sector across Huntingdonshire through revenue grant funding. The existing funding arrangements had ended on 31 March 2016 and the Cabinet resolved in January 2016 to extend the funding arrangements, in defined cases, to 31 March 2017; to establish a Task and Finish Group to review the arrangements for allocating Council funding to the voluntary and community sectors; and to propose any changes to funding arrangements to take effect from 1 April 2017.

The Group obtained evidence from representatives within the voluntary sector and Cambridgeshire County Council, and had undertaken further desk-top research with other local authorities. In making its recommendations to the Cabinet, the Group recognised the Cabinet resolutions from January 2016, guidance from the National Association of Voluntary and Community Action, and the Council’s Corporate Plan 2016-18.

The Group considered options, as detailed in paragraph 3 of the report, from the continuation of the existing funding arrangements through to the creation of a single contract for the whole of the sector, as well as the option of terminating funding to the sector.  In considering the options for the funding of the voluntary and community sector, the Group recommended Option 4 – the award of two contracts for the provision of advice to Huntingdonshire communities, and the provision of infrastructure and support to the Huntingdonshire voluntary and community sector.

Regarding the duration of contracts, the Group considered options including Council procurement until 31 March 2020, of seeking alignment with the current funding arrangements of Cambridgeshire County Council, and of extending the Council procurement until 31 March 2021. 

To provide further stability in the Huntingdonshire advice service, and voluntary and community infrastructure services, the Group recommended that the contracts should be awarded until 31 March 2021, which would avoid the year of District Council elections.

By extending the duration of contracts to 31 March 2021 the Cabinet noted this would provide a five year contract, which it considered was too extensive.  Therefore, the Cabinet amended the Officer’s recommendation as contained within the report, so that the contract term and funding was until the 31 March 2020.

In January 2016, the Cabinet agreed to taper the reduction in funding to the voluntary sector over the period 2016/17 to 2019/20.  The Group had reconsidered this in light of evidence obtained from its review.  The Cabinet agreed with the recommendation, that in order to ensure stability and confidence for long-term planning within the sector, Option 3, as detailed in the first Table in paragraph 4.4 of the report, be the preferred funding option with the reduction of funding in 2016/17, and then the award of a static annual contract value until 2019/20.

The Task and Finish Group had considered the present split of funding across the five contracts currently awarded voluntary and community sector funding, and the likely pressures on the sectors over the contract term.  The Cabinet agreed with the Group’s recommendation of a 65%/35% split in favour of the advice based contract with the flexibility through negotiated contract award of 10%.

The Cabinet requested reassurance that those organisations being awarded voluntary sector funding would be challenged on performance and that there be consequences for underachieving.  In discussing this matter, the Cabinet agreed that the existing Task and Finish Group be retained and that it work with the Executive Councillor for Community Resilience to develop contract terms including performance metrics and reporting frameworks. 

The Cabinet were keen for the Overview and Scrutiny Panel to continue to be involved in the process of scrutinising the performance to those awarded contracts.

Having expressed appreciation to the Task and Finish Group and commended the community based approach, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

i.    to approve the award of two contracts, one for advice based services and the other for infrastructure services, as detailed as Option 4, paragraph 3.5 of the report;

ii.  that the contract term and funding be until the 31 March 2020;

iii.  that the overall budget model be Option 3 (amended) as detailed in the first Table in paragraph 4.4 of the report;

iv.  approves the funding split for the contracts as 65% to 35% in favour of advice based services but with flexibility through negotiated contract award of 10% either way; and

v.  that the existing Task and Finish Group be retained and to work with the Executive Councillor for Community Resilience to develop the contract terms including performance metrics and reporting frameworks.