Decision details

Urgent Business

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

The Cabinet gave consideration to an item of urgent business in relation to Establishing a Local Improvement Fund for Districts. The reason for urgency was to avoid delay to any projects seeking funding.

 

At Annual Council on the 22nd May it had been agreed to abolish District Executives, including the attached Capital and Revenue funding. To continue investing in local projects, Council agreed that a Local Improvement Fund (LIF) should be established. The LIF was a £500k fund that all elected Members and District Teams could access through a bidding process. This would be a community-based approach to create long-term local impact.

 

The funding would support Districts to:

·       Encourage the active participation of residents and local organisations in improving the quality of life in the local area.

·       Improve community buildings, equipment and other facilities.

·       Engage with residents to prioritise schemes that matter to them.

 

The LIF would be overseen by a Cabinet Sub-Committee made up of:

·                 The Council Leader

·                 The Deputy Leader (Statutory)

·                 The Cabinet Member for Finance and Human Resources

·                 A nominated Shadow Cabinet Member would attend in a non-voting capacity.

 

Members of the Senior Management Team would advise as appropriate and would have no voting rights.

 

The Sub-Committee would consider applications for LIF funding and its terms of reference were set out for consideration.

 

An advisory panel would be established to review the LIF applications and make recommendations to the Sub-Committee on which projects should be funded. The advisory panel would be made up of:

·             Two Members from the administration

·             One Member from the main Opposition group

 

The advisory panel would assess potential projects using the process and scoring criteria outlined. The terms-of-reference for the LIF advisory panel were set out for consideration, along with the process and scoring criteria.

 

Cabinet noted that a toolkit would be available to advise Members on how to access funds and submit bids.

 

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option1 – Do nothing

Option 2 - Approve the establishment of a Cabinet sub-committee to oversee the LIF application process and approve successful grant applications. Agree the LIF application process and scoring criteria. Approve the establishment of an advisory panel to review the LIF applications and make recommendations to the Cabinet sub-committee on which projects should be funded.

 

RESOLVED that:-

1.     The establishment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee to oversee the LIF application process and consider grant applications be agreed.

2.     The LIF application process and scoring criteria be agreed.

  1. The establishment of an advisory panel to review the LIF applications and make recommendations to the Sub-Committee on which projects should be funded be agreed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publication date: 25/06/2019

Date of decision: 24/06/2019

Decided at meeting: 24/06/2019 - Cabinet

Effective from: 03/07/2019

Accompanying Documents: