Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

Report of the Head of Community Engagement

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Community Engagement to propose commissioning arrangements to support the voluntary, community and faith sector in delivering services to meet current and emerging local needs and to recommend a timetable for Arts commissioning following the publication of the Arts Strategy for the district.

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

The officer preferred option was Option 1 as this reflected the findings of the Local Assessment, the engagement workshops and also provided the most efficient and effective way of maximising impact by providing benefits across the VCFS and supporting a very wide range of services indirectly.

The Council had taken steps towards introducing the commissioning arrangements proposed in the report over the last two years.  A detailed review of current SLA’s, an assessment of local needs and opportunities and communications and engagement work with the VCFS had been undertaken, leading to the proposals.  The recommendations provided a means of steering the Council’s investment in VCFS services to achieve the maximum impact linked to current needs and opportunities in the district.  In addition, they would provide clear, transparent arrangements that focused on Value for Money and Impact and supported the principle already agreed by Cabinet at earlier meetings.  Specific steps had been taken to work with Lancashire County Council with the potential to invest jointly providing a more strategic investment in some services.  The report recommended that Arts commissioning took place following the publication of the Arts Strategy in early 2013.

Councillor Barry proposed, seconded by Councillor Blamire:-

“(1)      That the Commissioning Framework for Arts and Voluntary, Community and Faith sector services be approved in principle.

(2)        That the Commissioning of Arts sector services be undertaken following the publication of the Arts Strategy in early 2013 and that existing Arts Service Level Agreements remain in place for the next twelve months

(3)        That Investment in VCFS services for the three year period from 2013 – 2016 be focused on:

·      support for VCFS organisations

·      volunteering coordination

·      advice and information services and

·      small development grants

(4)        That indicative sums be agreed for each of these services by the portfolio holder and Leader once more information is available on the cost of support for VCFS organisations and volunteer co-ordination, subject to final confirmation as part of the budget process.

(5)        That subject to the introduction of a small development grants scheme, the council’s Welfare Grants Scheme be removed.

(6)        That final decisions on service delivery be determined as part of the procurement process and in line with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.

(7)        That the General Fund Revenue Budgets be updated accordingly as part of the 2013/14 Budget Process.

(8)        That the Commissioning Plan and service specification be approved at the December Cabinet meeting, prior to the publication of the plan.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That the Commissioning Framework for Arts and Voluntary, Community and Faith sector services be approved in principle.

(2)        That the Commissioning of Arts sector services be undertaken following the publication of the Arts Strategy in early 2013 and that existing Arts Service Level Agreements remain in place for the next twelve months

(3)        That Investment in VCFS services for the three year period from 2013 – 2016 is focused on:

·      support for VCFS organisations

·      volunteering coordination

·      advice and information services and

·      small development grants

(4)        That indicative sums be agreed for each of these services by the portfolio holder and Leader once more information is available on the cost of support for VCFS organisations and volunteer co-ordination, subject to final confirmation as part of the budget process.

(5)        That subject to the introduction of a small development grants scheme, the council’s Welfare Grants Scheme be removed.

(6)        That final decisions on service delivery be determined as part of the procurement process and in line with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.

(7)        That the General Fund Revenue Budgets be updated accordingly as part of the 2013/14 Budget Process.

(8)        That the Commissioning Plan and service specification be approved at the December Cabinet meeting, prior to the publication of the plan.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Community Engagement

Head of Resources

Reasons for making the decision:

The proposals potentially impacted on a wide range of people and organisations and the work undertaken to understand local needs and the VCFS issue and opportunities had helped to inform the proposals which sought to have a positive impact within the limits of the funding available.

The decision fits with the Corporate Plan priorities and Outcomes as follows:

·  The voluntary, community and faith sector has capacity to deliver services for the district

·  Local communities are actively working with partners to improve where they live in ways that matter to them

·  Efficiency savings and service improvements achieved through joint working and shared services

·  Impact of welfare reforms managed well to avoid any unnecessary impact on local communities