Decision details

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member of Housing seeking Cabinet approval for the final allocation of 2012/13 grants.

On 27th October 2011, following stakeholder consultation, an officer delegated decision was made to

• suspend the grant application process for awarding grants from the corporate grants budget for 2012/13 and
• renew 2011/12 grants at current levels, excluding any paid notice, for a further year until 31st March 2013 subject to satisfactory monitoring.

Monitoring forms have been sent to grant recipients for completion and return by 6th January.

(i)  To approve the grant recommendations set out in the attached Appendix 1.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Manager of the Communities Team following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to allocate Community Chest grants during the year.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Manager of the Communities Team following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to allocate the unallocated budget of £31,721 during the year as grants to voluntary organisations for crisis funding, exceptional projects or any ad hoc grant applications received during the year that meet the council’s funding priorities.

(iv)  To delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to:

·  determine any outstanding applications for grants for 2012/13 and to authorise grants to applicants subject to remaining within approved budgets

·  do anything necessary to give effect to allocation of grants for 2012/13

1. Southampton City Council has a long history of supporting the contribution of the voluntary and community sector to the City with grants, contracts and other help in kind.

2. On 27th October 2011 it was agreed under officer delegated authority to suspend the 2012/13 grants process and renew 2011/12 grants for another year until 31st March 2013 and report to Cabinet on the detail of those grants.

The option of continuing the current open, competitive grant application process for awarding grants in 2012/13 was considered and rejected as it perpetuates annual short term decision making when the council needs to be making long term strategic decisions about its grant making process.