Report to: Cabinet Member – Date of Issue: 20th January Communities and 2020 Housing Date of Decision: 28th January 2020 Subject: Ward Budgets

Report of: Head of Communities Wards Affected: All

Is this a Key No Included in No Decision: Forward Plan: Exempt / No Confidential Report:

Summary

The purpose of the report is to introduce a revision of the ward budget criteria (formally Area Committee funds) in line with the recommendation of the Area Committees Working Group.

Recommendation(s):

That the Cabinet Member approve the revision of the ward budget criteria (formally Area Committee funds) to reflect the recommendation of the Area Committees Working Group.

Reasons for the Recommendation(s):

As part of the consultation and decision-making process regarding the work completed by the Area Committees Working Group, which reports to Overview and Scrutiny committee (Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Services), the following recommendation was made:

 To determine, with the consent of the three Ward Councillors, the devolved allocation of Ward funds on local priorities that would not otherwise be funded by Council budgets; that this funding continue to be administered by the Head of Communities; and any Ward budget over £10,000 not allocated at the end of the Municipal Year be transferred to the Cabinet Member – Communities and Housing for inclusion in the Community Transition Fund.

The following proposal explains the revised Ward Budget process to reflect the changes agreed in the report of the Area Committee Working Group

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: (including any Risk Implications) Cabinet Member has agreed the criteria and process for allocating this fund.

What will it cost and how will it be financed?

(A) Revenue Costs N/A

(B) Capital Costs N/A

Implications of the Proposals:

Resource Implications (Financial, IT, Staffing and Assets): Any underspend on the Ward budget is carried forward as an Earmarked Reserve at the end of each financial year so it can be utilised in future years. The change to the Ward budget criteria may reduce the amount of resources available to be carried forward with a corresponding increase in resources available within the Community Transition Fund. The budget is managed by staff in the Neighbourhoods team.

Legal Implications: Grants issued to groups/organisations must ensure they have the appropriate policies and procedures to deliver the activities being funded.

Equality Implications:

Organisations receiving funding must adhere to the Equalities Duty in the provision of any services or projects.

Contribution to the Council’s Core Purpose:

Protect the most vulnerable: provision of activities and projects aimed specifically at supporting vulnerable people or communities within Sefton

Facilitate confident and resilient communities: development and provision of projects that seek to become sustainable and develop resilience within a community

Drivers of change and reform: Funding can be used to develop new and innovative ideas

Greater income for social investment: Projects are often match funded, bringing additional resources to an area

Cleaner Greener: Funding can be used to provide environmental based projects for the benefit of the wider community.

What consultations have taken place on the proposals and when?

(A) Internal Consultations

The Head of Corporate Resources (FD 5917/20) has been consulted and comments have been incorporated into the report.

The Chief Legal & Democratic Officer has been consulted and has no comments on the report (LD 4101/20) (B) External Consultations N/A

Implementation Date for the Decision Following call in

Contact Officer: Kerry Pavey

Telephone Number: 0151 934 3800

Email Address: [email protected]

Ward Budgets

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council allocates a small fund to each of the 22 Wards to facilitate actions that are requested by local people.

The money must be used on projects that will improve the area and should meet the following criteria: -

 It should contribute to one or more of the Council’s priorities:

 Protect the most vulnerable:  Facilitate confident and resilient communities:  Commission, broker and provide core services:  Place – leadership and influencer:  Drivers of change and reform:  Facilitate sustainable economic prosperity:  Greater income for social investment:  Cleaner Greener

 It must not result in a long-term financial commitment to the Council.

 It must benefit the wider community and not just an individual person or nonpublic group.

 Grants cannot be used retrospectively

 Applications are more likely to be successful if it can be demonstrated that they will be match funded. (Applicable if the request is over £1000.00 at the discretion of the ward members).

Please contact the Neighborhoods team with any applications:

Derby, , , St Oswalds Garry McCartney 0151 934 4614 or email [email protected]

Church, , , Netherton & Orrell Kerry Pavey 0151 934 3800 or email [email protected]

Park, , , , John Keogh 0151 934 3718 or email [email protected]

Ainsdale, , , , , , , , Sue Ashe 0151 934 3455 or email [email protected]

Guidance Notes and Allocation Conditions

1. About Ward Budgets

1.1 Ward budgets (formerly Area Committee Budgets) are managed by the Neighbourhoods Team, .

1.2 Each of the 22 wards are allocated a budget at the beginning of the Municipal year in May, following elections. The amount allocated to each Ward is based on the population within these boundaries.

1.3 Any unallocated ward funds over £10,000 at the end of the Municipal year will be transferred to the Community Transition Fund.

1.4 Elected Members are responsible for agreeing all requests for Ward Funding. All three members must agree each request. If agreement cannot be reached between the ward members, members can request that the matter be referred to Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing who will make the decision.

1.5 Requests can be submitted by ward members at any time to the Neighbourhoods team. The relevant Area Coordinator will request approval from the other ward members and feed back to the requesting Councillor.

2. How to apply

2.1 All requests for funding should be submitted to the Neighbourhoods team using the contact details above.

2.2 Applicant contact details must be included with the funding request.

2.3 Requests can be submitted at any time.

2.4 The relevant Area Coordinator will discuss the request with the appropriate ward members. If the request meets the funding criteria and all three ward members agree the grant will be approved. If no agreement is reached, the decision will be made by Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing.

2.5 Once a grant has been approved the applicant will be issued with an offer letter and on receipt of appropriate invoices the grant will be paid. Applicants should not commit to or start any work/activities until an offer letter has been received.

3. What Ward Budgets can and cannot be used for:

3.1 Applications for funding must be for the benefit of the wider community in the area it is requested from.

3.2 Any application for Ward funding cannot commit the Council to on-going expenditure in future years. Also, any allocation that is agreed does not commit the Council to a similar allocation in the following year(s). Any future requests for recurring payment will be considered at the discretion of the ward members.

3.3 Funding requests should be for additional activities/works that are above and beyond an organisation’s usual provision.

3 4 This is not a general grant scheme for community organisations. Voluntary Organisations seeking financial assistance should first contact Sefton CVS (0151 920 0726) or the Community Foundation for (0330 440 4900) for current grant funding opportunities.

3.5 In exceptional cases where a grant is approved for a community organisation, a letter must accompany the proposal signed by two representatives from that organisation indicating their agreement to all the conditions contained in these guidance notes.

3.6 Applications are more likely to be successful if it can be demonstrated they will be match funded with money from external resources. (Applicable if the request is over £1000.00 at the discretion of the ward members).

3.7 Any allocation made must only be used for the purpose that it is given. The Council will demand repayment of any allocation that is discovered is not used for the purpose for which it was awarded.

3.8 Any application for building or decorative work, or buying equipment must be accompanied by three estimates of the costs of the work or equipment, unless an estimate has been obtained by a Council Department as part of its normal arrangements for tendering and quotations.

3.9 The Council reserves the right to carry out inspections to check that allocations are spent in line with the application form and the conditions contained within these guidance notes.

3.10 Payment will be made following the submission of copy invoices or receipts to the Neighbourhoods team to show the works/activities have been completed. With prior agreement, original invoices may be sent to the Neighbourhoods team to be paid directly by Sefton Council. In some circumstances, an upfront payment can be made to an organisation if they can evidence they do not have the funding available to pay for works/activities in advance of receiving the allocation. This will be considered on an individual basis by the Neighbourhoods team.

3.11 Payment will not be made for any retrospective works/activities that were started or completed before the date of the applicants offer letter.