VAC : News : Review of Voluntary and Community Sector Funding

Update: Review of Voluntary and Community Sector Funding.

Council’s Executive agrees recommendations and to freeze budget For 2007/8

On the 11th October the Council’s Executive agreed the recommendation in the report on the review of funding to the voluntary and community sector and to freeze the budget for 2007/8 i.e. same level as 2006/7. Members emphasised that the report would be the subject of consultation between now and December when a further report would go to the Executive.

VAC co-ordinated a deputation to the Executive which made the following points:

The paper submitted to Scrutiny on this subject in September talked about the need for a ‘mixed economy of funding’.
The current paper proposes solely a commissioning and contracting model within a competitive tendering framework, with a nominal small grants fund. This is not a ‘mixed economy of funding’, and the model will undermine the vibrancy and diversity of the sector and the future of small and medium voluntary and community groups.
The model fails to recognise and undermines the ‘sense of community’ that comes from involvement in the voluntary and community sector – the social and community cohesion agenda that is a priority of the current administration
The paper in section 6.7 asks members to agree to substantial cuts in the areas of Advice, Infrastructure and the Arts without any prior consultation or reasoned debate.
In section 4.5, detailed in appendix 7, the paper sets out new funding priorities that have not been the subject of consultation.
The paper proposes indicative sums are allocated to specific commissioning intentions, contrary to the guidance issued on commissioning for the Local Area Agreement.

The deputation requested the Executive:

Not to agree the model of funding and to instruct officers to work with the sector to identify options that will create a real ‘mixed economy of funding’, including an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and how these can be dealt with.
Not to agree the new priorities identified in section 4.5, detailed in appendix 7, and to agree that they form part of the consultation.
Not to agree the level of funding to each priority, and whether or not indicative amounts should be laid down as set out in section 6.7, and to agree that this will form part of the consultation process
To agree that members will oversee the development of the commissioning briefs and targets and that these will be developed in partnership with the voluntary and community sector
To agree that the budget for 2007/8 will be the budget allocation for 2006.7 plus an allowance of 2.5% for inflation.
Agree that a report on a, b, c and d be made to the Executive in December 06/Janaury 07.

Some of the key points made in the debate.

Vibrancy of the sector was recognised.
Alongside education the Executive saw the voluntary and community sector as a high priority.
Executive would continue to be a generous funder
Executive wanted to take a more strategic approach taking on new priorities.
Members had listened to the sector by moving from a total commissioning approach to a ‘mixed economy of funding’
Concerns about consultation recognised but appendix 10 made it clear that this was the intention.
The Council would work together with the voluntary and community sector in developing outcomes
The paper represented a process not a statement and a number of important issues still had to be sorted out

VAC will of course continue to present the concerns of the sector, let us know your views by emailing Simone Hensby.

Links

Follow this link for a copy of the report submitted to the executive (pdf format).

Follow this link for a copy of the deputation made to the executive (pdf format).

Follow this link for a copy of VAC's response to the paper Review of Voluntary & Community Sector Funding.

Follow this link for a copy of VAC's specific response to issues around the funding of infrastructure organisations in the paper.