The Interim Chief Executive presented a report, the purpose of which, was to provide an update in respect of the use of the Community Action Fund  (CAF) approved by Cabinet on 5 September 2017; to update on the recommendations from the Audit Committee and to seek approval for the discontinuation of the Community Action Fund.

The 2017-2021 Medium Term Financial Strategy which was approved by Council on 1^st 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. It was hoped to broaden the impact which council funding can have on individual communities and provide a funding source which Elected Members can individually use to directly benefit their local ward.

He continued by stating that Elected Members have significant discretion over how the money has been used, with the overarching caveat that expenditure must be lawful and it must not contravene Council policy. Similarly, funding should not be awarded to profit making organisations or for political purposes. It should not be used for expenditure that is recurring and would necessitate future funds.

Elected Members were required to attend mandatory training before they submitted applications for payment to ensure that the scheme operated smoothly, that administration costs and enquiries were kept to a minimum, and Members were able to comply with the conditions of the scheme and self-regulate.

The Interim Chief Executive explained that during the period the scheme operated, a total of £231,667.24 of the available £270,000.00 (85.8%) was provided from the Community Action fund to fund some 156 projects across the County Borough.

Paragraph 4.1.4 of the report gave examples of variety of projects the funding had been used for, with a full list of the projects being included in Appendix 1 to the report.

The next section of the report detailed some of the administrative support that was required for the scheme, which was more complex than was initially anticipated. The support of the Fund was borne largely by Legal, Finance and Democratic Services staff and was fairly time consuming.

Paragraph 4.3 confirmed that Internal Audit undertook a review of the Community Action Fund, and the findings arising from this were detailed in this section of the report.

He concluded his submission by confirming that given some of the feedback on the scheme, particularly from Members which was mixed, it may be more beneficial in the future for Cabinet to consider the cessation of the CAF and the transfer of the £285,000.00 funding back into the MTFS.

Though Cabinet felt that a considerable number of projects the Fund supported were worthwhile and beneficial to various communities, they also acknowledged that the Council were facing continued financial difficulties going forward into the future and that due to this, it may be worthwhile for the above funding to be allocated to the Council’s Corporate fund.

The Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help felt that the project could possibly be revisited post-austerity.

RESOLVED:               That Cabinet:-

(1)  Noted the report.

Approved the cessation of the Community Action Fund and the transfer of the £285,000 funding back into the Medium Term Financial Strategy for consideration when setting the budget for 2019-20 to 2022-23.