Agenda item

Regina, Community Development Officer, introduced the report which presented to the Cabinet Grants Panel six Community Grant applications for consideration. She drew the Panel’s attention to the application from Carers Support West Sussex which has initially requested £5,000 however the Assessment Team found it was closely aligned to the Council’s priorities therefore it has recommended to be funded fully of £9,500.

The applications which were recommended for consideration by the Panel are set out

below:

Table 1: Applications recommended for award

Table 2: Applications Considered but NO GRANT Award Recommended

The Chairman highlighted that awarding the increased grant may set a precedent but noted that the application aligns with the Council’s priorities.

The Vice-Chairman shared the Chairman’s concerns and enquired whether the organisation had a plan to fundraise the full amount of the project.

The Community Development Officer explained that the organisation had a plan to fundraise in their application as well as use their own funding. However, the Assessment Team, upon review, found the work specifically targets male carers who currently have an underrepresentation in Council services therefore the Council considers it best to get the project off the ground as quickly as possible.

The Chairman alluded to the social care crises and highlighted that the role of carers in the community will be ever more important.

The Member asked what reserves the organisation has.

The Community Development Officer stated that organisations are allowed to have 6 months reserves, but they supported the full funding of the grant due to the gap of underrepresentation of males in the services which the Council is keen to address.

The Member sought further information of the research collected about the underrepresentation.

The Community Development Officer detailed the Council’s contract with Age UK which is working to improve wider male participation so requires activities that will attract men.

The Chairman noted that males of the older generation often have less established community links.

The Vice-Chairman echoed the Chairman’s comments and drew attention to the efforts of Age UK in encouraging more males to engage with their services. He expressed support for the recommendation.

The Panel were supportive of the application.

The Member referenced the application from 4Sight Vision Support and highlighted the considerable cost of producing and delivering newsletters.

The Chairman sought clarification as to whether they are aware they will not receive repeat funding.

The Community Development Officer explained that the newsletters are expensive as it is imprinted with braille and is designed in a sensory friendly format. She added that the organisation did a pilot and are now looking to enhance their offer. She also confirmed that the organisation is aware they cannot come for another grant.

The Member thought it was a brilliant idea.

The Chairman asked whether the organisation has plans for future funding.

The Community Development Officer replied that the decision was based on the presented plan and that they were not asked how they would make it sustainable.

The Chairman found all organisations to be excellent and noted that Kangaroos Mid Sussex receives funding from the Chairman’s charity.

The Vice-Chairman requested an update from Family Support Work at the next meeting of the Panel to see how well their drop-in groups worked.

The Chairman noted no Member wished to speak so moved to vote on the applications.

The Panel were supportive of all applications.

RESOLVED

The Cabinet Grants Panel agreed:

1.    That £1,716.22 from the Community Grants Fund be released to 4Sight Vision Support to fund the production of newsletters in accessible format.

2.    That £9,500 from the Community Grants Fund be released to Carers Support West Sussex to fund a project to identify and engage with male carers in Mid Sussex.

3.    That £820 from the Community Grants Fund be released to Family Support Work to fund the setup of an informal, drop-in group for isolated parents and carers of children at the Bentswood Hub.