SWCA - Discreationary Budget Report by Nicholas Morris

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL South West Community Assembly Report

Report of:

South West Community Assembly Manager

______________________________________________________________ Date: 31st March 2011 ______________________________________________________________ Subject:

South West Community Assembly Discretionary Budget 2011 /12 ______________________________________________________________ Author of Report:

Tammy Barrass South West Community Assembly Manager tammy.barrass@sheffield.gov.uk 0114 203 7212 ______________________________________________________________ Summary: The 2011/12 Discretionary Budget for the South West Community Assembly is approximately £156,000. This report provides recommendations regarding the allocation of the 2011/12 budget. An early allocation will ensure the services, partner agencies and community organisations, which receive funding, will have up to 12 months to deliver services / spend the money. All allocations will need to be spent by any recipients by 31 st March 2012. ___________________________________________________________ Reasons for Recommendations: The allocation of the 2011/12 South West Community Assembly Discretionary Budget will ensure activity takes place to address the priorities as identified in the South West Community Assembly Plan, namely; • Protect and enhance green and open spaces • Improving the way people can move around • Improve the appearance of neighbourhood centres and local street scene • Ensure the South West remains a safe place to live • Develop provision for Children and Young People • Establish older peoples needs and develop provision 1

In addition it will tackle further priorities around • Promoting and encourage participation in local democracy • Improving communication and use of available facilities, services and provision • Contributing to the development of the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector ____________________________________________________ Recommendations: That the South West Community Assembly: (1)

Regard having been had to the Sheffield City Strategy and to the relevant Secretary of State’s guidance, confirms its belief that the granting of funding as envisaged in this report is likely to achieve the promotion and improvement of the economic, social and environmental well-being of residents of the wards of Crookes, Dore and Totley, Ecclesall and Fulwood;

(2)

Considers the information contained within this report and allocates £156,000 of the 2011/12 Discretionary Budget to the projects identified in Section 4 of this report, namely: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Allotment Ranger (half time post) Community Project Officer (full time) Community clean up Young peoples activity programme You Choose participatory budgeting Contingency Fund NEAT Team Benefits advice and information Crookes end of term litter Community Assembly Events/Publicity Additional Dog Bins (Crookes) Activities for older people

£17,000 £39,000 £ 3,000 £20,000 £10,000 £13,000 £20,000 £5,000 £5,000 £9,000 £5,000 £10,000

(3) Delegates authority to the Assembly Manager to allocate the Small Grant funding of £10,169 previously administered through Grant Aid, via the ‘You Choose’ event/s and to determine all criteria and processes relating to the distribution of this funding. (4) Delegates authority to the Assembly Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Assembly, to • Agree targets, outputs and outcomes for all funded activity with the identified service deliverer and ensure best value for money, • allocate funding to organisations to deliver additional activities for Children and Young People and additional activities / services for Older People,and 2

•

(5)

vary the amount of all grants by not more than ten per cent in each case, with any additional funding required to be drawn from the £13,000 contingency budget.

Authorises the Director of Neighbourhood Renewal and Partnerships, in consultation with the Director of Legal Services, to agree the terms on which all funding in this report is made available and to complete funding agreements for the projects mentioned within this report and any other related documents that he considers appropriate.

______________________________________________________ Background Papers:

South West Community Plan

Category of Report:

OPEN

Statutory and Council Policy Checklist Financial Implications YES

Cleared by: Liz Orme Legal Implications

YES Cleared by: Elen Williams

Equality of Opportunity Implications YES (South West Community Plan EIA) Cleared by: Phil Reid Tackling Health Inequalities Implications YES Human rights Implications NO Environmental and Sustainability implications YES Economic impact NO Community safety implications YES Human resources implications YES Property implications NO Area(s) affected South West Community Assembly area of Sheffield Relevant Cabinet Portfolio Leader Cllr Paul Scriven Relevant Scrutiny Committee if decision called in Successful Neighbourhoods Is the item a matter which is reserved for approval by the City Council? NO Press release NO

Summary

1.1

The 2011/12 Discretionary Budget for the South West Community Assembly is approximately £156,000.

1.2

This report provides recommendations regarding the allocation of the 2011/12 budget. An early allocation will ensure the services, partner agencies and community organisations, which receive funding, will have up to 12 months to deliver services / spend the money.

1.3

All allocations will need to be spent by any recipients by 31 st March 2012.

2. What does this mean for people within the South West Community Assembly Area? 2.1 The 2010/12 Community Plan, based as it is on consultation with local people, reflects the priorities of the local community in making the area a better place to live. The projects identified for funding in this report will benefit residents in the South West Community Assembly. In particular it will – • • • • • • • • •

Protect and enhance green and open spaces Improve the way people can move around Improve the appearance of neighbourhood centres and local street scene Ensure the South West remains a safe place to live Develop provision for Children and Young People Establish older peoples needs and develop provision Promote and encourage participation in local democracy Improve communication and use of available facilities, services and provision Contribute to the development of the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector

Outcomes and Sustainability

3.1

The funding identified in this report will contribute to the delivery of the priorities in the South West Community Assembly Plan, thus benefiting residents in the South West Community Assembly Area.

3.2

The projects and activity within this report contribute to all six of the Council’s ambitions as indicated in the Corporate Plan – • Leading Sheffield’s Transformation • Vibrant, Safe and Strong Communities • Protecting and Enhancing the Environment • A Better Life for Children and Young People • Supporting People to be Healthy and Independent • Putting the Customer First and Achieving best Value for Money 5

Full Proposal

4.1

The 2011/12 Discretionary Budget for the South West Community Assembly is £156,000.

4.2

This section of the report provides recommendations regarding the allocation of the 2011/12 budget. An early allocation will ensure the services, partner agencies and community organisations which receive funding will have up to 12 months to deliver services / spend the money.

4.3

All allocations will need to be spent by any recipients by 31 st March 2012. 4.3.1 Allotment Ranger (half time post) – This is the continuation of the current Allotment Ranger post in the South West Community Assembly area. This is a post within the Parks and Countryside department of the Council. The cost of funding this post is £17,000. This project will be managed by Parks and Countryside, SCC. 4.3.2 Community Project Officer (full time) – The South West Community Assembly funded a part time Community Project Officer during 2010/11. This funding will continue the support for this post on a full time rather than part time basis. This is a post within the Parks and Countryside department of the Council The cost of funding this post is £39,000. This project will be managed by Parks and Countryside, SCC. 4.3.3 Community Clean Up – This allocation will provide funding to community groups in the area to purchase skips for community clear up days. The allocation to this project is £3,000. This project will be managed by the Community Assembly Team, SCC. 4.3.4 Young Peoples Activity Programme – This allocation will be used to purchase a range of activities for young people in the South West area. The community assembly will ‘shop for services’ to ensure a variety of service provision in the area. However, due to timescales £2,690 of this pot will be awarded to Activity Sheffield to deliver a programme of activities during Easter half term. The allocation for this project is £20,000 4.3.5 You Choose participatory budgeting - in 2011/12 the South West Community Assembly will be responsible for allocating £10,169 of Small Grant funding (previously administered through Grant Aid), which was devolved to Community Assemblies through a report to Cabinet on January 23rd 2011. It is proposed that this is allocated via the ‘You Choose’ process and that a further £10,000 is added from the Discretionary Budget to make it up to £20,169. The 2011/12 You Choose process will take place in early summer 2011. The project will be managed by the South West Community Assembly Team, SCC.

4.3.6 Contingency Fund - this allocation will be used to enable the Community Assembly to carry out small scale pieces of work in line with the community assembly plan. This project will enable the Community Assembly to respond quickly to issues as an when they arise. This budget will also be used if any project or activity unavoidably comes in over budget. However, if an overspend is 10% or more of the allocated budget then any additional allocation will need to be approved at a South West Community Assembly meeting. This allocation will be managed by the South West Community Assembly Manager in consultation with the Chair of the Assembly. 4.3.7 Neighbourhood Environmental Action (NEAT) Team - This is a continuation of activity funded during 2011/12. This is allocation will ensure that the South West Community Assembly continue to benefit from the NEAT Team carrying out clean up work in the area. The Community Assembly will maximise promotion of this service to residents in the South West area via newsletters, web based information, the blog and the Community Assembly contact list. The allocation for this project is £20,000, this will pay for 20 weeks of provision in the area. This project will be managed by Streetforce, SCC. 4.3.8 Benefits advice and information – This allocation will be used to commission free impartial and confidential, advice, support, representation and information one day per week in Totley. The allocation to this project will be £5,000. The South West Community Assembly manager will invite expressions of interest from organisations able to provide this service. 4.3.9 Crookes end of term litter – This allocation will fund a dedicated, flexible and visible street cleaning team working on regular patrols to respond to, remove and dispose of side waste and rubbish in the Crookes area during student departure weeks. The allocation to this project is £5,000. The project will be managed by Streetforce, SCC. 4.3.10 Community Assembly Events/Publicity – This funding will enable the Community Assembly to run a range of events, provide publicity and information materials during 2011/12. The allocation to this project is £9,000. This project will be managed by the South West Community Assembly Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Assembly. 4.3.11 Additional Dog Bins (Crookes) – This allocation will support the purchase of 4 additional dog waste bins to be installed in the Crookes area. The allocation will fund the cost of purchasing the bins and servicing costs for 3 years. The allocation to this project £5,000. This project will be managed by Environmental Regulatory Services, SCC. 4.3.12 Activities for older people - The South West Community Assembly will use this allocation to ‘shop for’ additional services for older people in the area. The project will ensure a variety of service provision across the South West Community Assembly area. The Community Assembly Team will invite expression of

interest from eligible providers during April/May 2011. The allocation to the project is £10,000. The project will be managed by the South West Community Assembly manager in consultation with the Chair of the Assembly 5.

Financial Implications

5.1

The Discretionary Budget for the South West Community Assembly for 2011/12 is £156,000. This report proposes how the Assembly should allocate this budget. This will be monitored in accordance with Sheffield City Council financial procedures.

5.2

Delegations will be given to the relevant officers by the South West Community Assembly to ensure that the grants can be distributed and managed in the manner that is proposed.

Legal Implications

6.1

If the Community Assembly takes the view that the funding of the projects mentioned in this report is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of Sheffield or any persons present or resident in the city the Council will have the power to make this funding available pursuant to section 2, Local Government Act 2000. In exercising this power, the guidance issued by the Secretary of State has to have been considered: the proposals in this report are not at variance with this guidance

6.2

In exercising the Section 2 power, regard must also be had to the Council's Sustainable Community Strategy ("the Sheffield City Strategy") prepared pursuant to section 4, Local Government Act 2000. The projects recommended in this report are supportive of one or more of the five aims of the Sheffield City Strategy: Strong Economy, Successful Neighbourhoods, Inclusive, Healthy Communities, Great Place to Grow Up and Environmental Excellence.

6.3

The procurement of goods or services must be undertaken in accordance with all relevant provisions of Sheffield City Council’s Constitution including the Council’s Contracts Standing Orders and all applicable procurement guidance.

Equality of Opportunity Implications

7.1

The South West Community Assembly Discretionary budget has been allocated to help address a range of needs in the area, as dictated by the South West Community Assembly Plan (which is supported by an Equality Impact Assessment). There are measures funded which will benefit: • Children and Young People • Older people • BME people 8

• • •

People with reduced mobility Those with specific health needs Everyone

Human Resource Implications

8.1

Funding provided for NEAT team, Crookes end of term litter, Allotment Officer, Community Project Officer, additional activities for children and young people and additional activities for older people are likely to impact on the staffing resources within Street Force, Parks and Activity Sheffield.

Environmental and Sustainability Implications

9.1

Funding provided for an Allotment Officer, Community Project Officer and Crookes end of Term Litter will have a positive impact on the local environment.

10.

Alternative Options

10.1

As a result of the ongoing community consultation and Councillors local intelligence and surgeries, a number of priorities / activities were identified for possible inclusion in the budget. Consideration was given to –

• • • • •

Supporting the retention of Library Opening Hours at Ecclesall Library Bring out Your Rubbish Days Bents Green Targeted Action Ecclesall Sawmill Educational Programme Additional Grit Bins

11.

Reasons for Recommendations

11.1

The allocation of the 2011/12 South West Community Assembly Discretionary Budget will ensure activity takes place to address the priorities as identified in the South West Community Assembly Plan, namely; • Protect and enhance green and open spaces • Improving the way people can move around • Improve the appearance of neighbourhood centres and local street scene • Ensure the South West remains a safe place to live • Develop provision for Children and Young People • Establish older peoples needs and develop provision

11.2

In addition it will tackle further priorities around • Promoting and encourage participation in local democracy

• Improving communication and use of available facilities, services and provision • Contributing to the development of the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector 12.

Recommendations

That the South West Community Assembly: (1)

(2)

£17,000 £39,000 £ 3,000 £20,000 £10,000 £13,000 £20,000 £5,000 £5,000 £9,000 £5,000 £10,000

(5)