Decision details

Accountable Body Authorisation for Community Groups- Update

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hughes)

 

Councillor Leyshon and Whitehead had previously declared an interest in this item.  At this point Councillor Hanson and Councillor Blamire both declared an interest: Councillor Hanson in view of her involvement with the Friends of Regent Park and Councillor Blamire through her involvement with the Friends of Williamson Park.

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Environment) to consider the approval of delegated responsibility to the Chief Officers (Environment) and (Resources) to authorise and accept external funding applications, and for the Council to act as the accountable body for community bodies working to improve facilities on council owned land.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1:  Delegate Responsibilities as outlined

Option 2: Seek Cabinet approval on each individual basis

Advantages

As there are so many projects in this area of work, this will save time, allowing officers to focus on supporting the community and delivery of the corporate objective for green spaces.

 

It will allow groups to respond quickly to opportunities which arise.

 

Projects are usually funded by three or four different funding bodies.  Delegated responsibility will provide flexibility when pulling funding packages together.

 

Enables quick applications to go in to maintain community interest.

 

Allows consideration of specific budgetary pressures and commitment of future budgets as and when bidding opportunities arise.

 

Disadvantages

Annual commitments against existing budget levels may be incurred, reducing future scope to make savings in those areas.

 

It does not provide the flexibility and responsiveness which is required for these small scale community projects. Some funding is available at short notice which does not easily fit into council procedures and timescales.

 

Due to the quantity of projects and funding applications – the officer time in complying with these requirements on a project by project basis.

 

 

Risks

There will be no immediate risk regarding ongoing maintenance costs as this will be addressed at the start of any project, but would be risk associated with committing future years’ budgets, potentially.

 

There is a risk that the group don’t fulfil their requirements and the funding is reclaimed – Officers work very closely with groups to ensure this does not happen.  Acting as the accountable body also allows us to have more control over funding requirements, procurement procedures, quality of work, etc. that may reduce long term risks to the council.

Loss of funding opportunities due to the required timescales.

 

Loss of community interest due to the required timescales especially when funding has been secured and needs spending by a certain date.

 

The preferred option is option 1 as it enables the council to respond more quickly to securing funding for these relatively small scale community projects and the risks and consequences are considered manageable.

 

Councillor Hughes proposed, seconded by Councillor Pattison:-

 

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)       That authority be delegated to the Chief Officer (Environment), in agreement with the Section 151 Officer, to approve the making and acceptance of external funding bids above the key decision threshold where:

-         any such bid is for the purposes of improving public open space in the District; and

-         it can be contained within the budget and policy framework and would not require redirection of resources between service areas, functions or activities on an ongoing basis.

(2)       That authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in agreement with the Chief Officer (Environment), to adopt the role of “accountable body” where appropriate, in order to support formally constituted ‘Friends of’ and community groups in helping to improve public open space in the District, subject to due diligence and any financial implications being contained within the budget and policy framework.

(3)       That the above delegations remain in place until October 2021 and be subject to review at that time.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Environment)

Chief Officer (Resources)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The Council is experienced in managing external funds and has robust arrangements in place for administering such funding as well as undertaking the role of Accountable Body. The decision is consistent with the delivery of the Council’s objective for Green spaces: ‘the Council will encourage local communities and individuals in their local area to become involved in protecting and improving the quality of local areas, parks and public spaces in a way that is sustainable.’ 

 

Publication date: 09/10/2017

Date of decision: 03/10/2017

Decided at meeting: 03/10/2017 - Cabinet

Effective from: 17/10/2017

Accompanying Documents: