The Interim Section 151 Officer presented a report providing an update in respect of the use of the Community Action Fund (CAF) approved by Cabinet on 5 September 2017.  She explained that the 2017-18 Medium Term Financial Strategy which was approved by Council on 1 March 2017, included a new budget of £285,000 for the creation of a Community Action Fund.  The broad aims of the fund were to create opportunities for localised intervention by members within their own ward to the benefit of the community. CAF was designed with the aim of minimising administrative costs and placing responsibility for eligibility of payments with individual Elected Members.  Assurance would then be provided through public accountability which included the reporting of payments to the Council’s website and to Audit Committee.

The Interim Section 151 Officer explained that Elected Members were required to attend mandatory training before they could submit applications for payment and Members were able to comply with the conditions of the scheme and self-regulate.

On 5 September 2018 Cabinet approved the implementation of the Community Action Fund.  Due to the delay in the implementation of the scheme, the funding allocated for the first year would be rolled over into the subsequent financial year. Between 16 October 2017 and 21 June 2018 a total of £77,198.96 was provided from the Community Action Fund budget to fund 27 projects across the County Borough.

The Interim Section 151 Officer outlined the way funding had been used and the variety of projects including funding of school equipment, refurbishment work and safer routes to school.

The Committee considered the need to hold more frequent meetings due to the volume of Committee reports it has to consider.  The Interim Section 151 Officer stated that the number of meetings had been set to deliver the programme, however if agendas become unwieldy, additional meetings of the Committee could be arranged.  The amount of business on Committee agendas would be kept under review.

In response to a question from the Committee as to the threshold of funding per Member and the mechanism in place for external regulation of the Community Action Fund.  The Interim Section 151 Officer informed the Committee that an allocation of £5k per Member had been made and that the scheme is self-regulatory, its outcomes would be published and made available to the public.  The funding would not be available for recurring expenditure and neither would it replace core services.  The Interim Section 151 Officer informed the Committee that a report reviewing the Community Action Fund would be submitted to Cabinet and Council.  The Interim Section 151 Officer also informed the Committee that applications must be submitted in accordance with the guidance given to Members.  The Group Manager – Chief Accountant advised that payment would be made after expenditure had been incurred and applications will be processed by the Business Support Team.             

RESOLVED:            That the Audit Committee:

a)    noted the content of the report.

b)    noted the publication of the Community Action Fund information as shown in Appendix 2 to the report.

noted that a full review of the Community Action Fund would be undertaken following the end of the current phase of funding as stated in paragraph 4.11 of the report.