Issue - meetings

That:

·       P and R Committee entering all contracts and/or grant agreements above £25,000.

·       P and R to delegate authority to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community for grant extensions of up to 6 months and amendments to grant agreements.

This report provides information on the organisations and projects that officers propose to continue to fund with existing budget already allocated to the Strategy and Partnerships Team.   The existing service level agreements with Citizens Advice Service Three Rivers (CASTR), Watford and Three Rivers Trust (W3RT), Home-Start Watford and Three Rivers, Watford FC Community Sports & Education Trust, Services for Young People and Herts Mind Network extend to 31 March 2026; this report recommends funding options until 31 March 2029. This will provide local organisations with security for the next 3 years and manage the transition into the unitary authority.

Recommendations:

That the General Public Services & Community Engagement Committee:

1.      agrees to continue to match fund a mental health support provision with budget already allocated to Strategy and Partnerships;

2.      agrees to an agile and targeted approach across the district for the grant agreement with Services for Young People;

3.      agrees to a new grant agreement with Roundabout Transport;

4.      agrees to increase funding to Citizens Advice Service Three Rivers from £259,290 to £260,000 from existing budget allocated to Strategy and Partnerships;

5.      agrees to enter all contracts and/or grant agreements proposed within this report for three years of any funding allocations under £25,000, subject to the annual budget setting process;

6.      agrees to recommend to the Policy & Resources Committee to enter all contracts and/or grant agreements above £25,000; and

7.      agrees to recommend to the Policy & Resources Committee to delegate authority to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community for grant extensions of up to 6 months.

The Partnerships and Inclusion Manager presented the report, which provided information on the organisations and projects which officers proposed to continue to fund, until 31 March 2029, using existing budget already allocated to the Strategy and Partnerships team.

In response to a concern expressed by a Committee Member about deterioration and a lack of preventative services for young people in Abbots Langley, officers responded that funding cuts at the County Council within Services for Young People meant that a youth service had not been provided consistently in Abbots Langley for the last few years.  Rather than the existing ad-hoc provision, it was proposed to move towards a model of providing more targeted intervention which was focused on areas of need.  This would mean that should an issue be identified in Abbots Langley and come to the attention of the council and the Community Safety Partnership then resource could be allocated, and the same would apply to any other areas of need identified elsewhere in the district.  The county council funding cuts meant that all preventative interventions by Services for Young People had now been stopped in favour of a targeted approach.

The Chair moved, and Councillor Lloyd seconded, the recommendations as set out in the report.  On being put to the vote these were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That the General Public Services & Community Engagement Committee:

1.      agrees to continue to match fund a mental health support provision with budget already allocated to Strategy and Partnerships;

2.      agrees to an agile and targeted approach across the district for the grant agreement with Services for Young People;

3.      agrees to a new grant agreement with Roundabout Transport;

4.      agrees to increase funding to Citizens Advice Service Three Rivers from £259,290 to £260,000 from existing budget allocated to Strategy and Partnerships;

5.      agrees to enter all contracts and/or grant agreements proposed within this report for three years of any funding allocations under £25,000, subject to the annual budget setting process;

6.      agrees to recommend to the Policy & Resources Committee to enter all contracts and/or grant agreements above £25,000; and

7.      agrees to recommend to the Policy & Resources Committee to delegate authority to the Associate Director of Corporate, Customer and Community for grant extensions of up to 6 months.