Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Adult Social Care and Services Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 22 June 2022 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration will provide the panel with a verbal update regarding the integration of health and social care.

Item deferred.

The following officers will be in attendance to provide the Scrutiny Panel with information regarding the financial elements of the investigation (including grant funding; programmes delivered; and Welfare Rights / benefit take up and advice):

 

The Head of Resident and Business Support;

The Head of Strategic Commissioning and Procurement;

The Strategic Business Manager; and

The Voluntary Sector Liaison and Grants Officer.

The Chair welcomed the Head of Resident and Business Support; the Head of Strategic Commissioning and Procurement; the Strategic Business Manager; and the Voluntary Sector Liaison and Grants Officer to the meeting.

 

The officers delivered a presentation in two sections: ‘Grants to the Voluntary Sector’ and ‘Hub Advice and Benefit Take Up’.

 

The Voluntary Sector Liaison and Grants Officer provided information regarding the ‘Grants to the Voluntary Sector’ section, which focused on the following matters:

 

·        The processes involved in grant funding allocations, i.e.:

-        determination of the programme and panel compilation;

-        criteria and application form development; programme launch;

-        application forms – submission, assessment and due diligence;

-        panel meeting / determination of application;

-        offer, acceptance and payment of funding; and

-        monitoring of use (for example: in some instances, a return of payments or part-payments may have been requested).

·        Grant allocations for 2021/22: 664 grants had been processed, with 532 of these being approved (80% success rate).  It was explained that due to over subscription, there was a significantly higher level of unsuccessful grants.  Applications received from private sector businesses were immediately discounted, as they did not fit the criteria.

·        Amounts awarded – Members heard that in comparison to previous years, the figures had increased significantly during the pandemic.  These were as follows:

 

-        2018/19 - £290,950;

-        2019/20 - £303,293;

-        2020/21 - £1,342,664; and

-        2021/22 - £2,287,739.

 

Current projections:

 

-        2022/23 - £581,821 plus Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) allocation; and

-        2023/24 - £195,000 plus Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) allocation.

 

The importance of ensuring that VCS organisations were appropriately supported during both the lockdown and recovery periods was highlighted.  As organisations at a ‘grass root’ level, it was essential that those were not lost.  In addition to payments of grant funding, it was explained that the team had also offered support and advice to VCS organisations in terms of project management.

 

·        Programmes delivered in 2021/22 – the panel was advised that a number of programmes had been delivered with a view of the importance of getting people returning to activities and supporting local communities.  With regards to Public Health messages, it was important to use the VCS to convey messages to the public.  The following programmes had been delivered:

 

-        Befriending;

-        Carers Grant Programme;

-        Community Grant Fund (which residents were involved with);

-        Covid Champions Network Development;

-        Covid Communications;

-        Covid Recovery Grant Programme;

-        Dementia Grant;

-        HAF;

-        Short Breaks; and

-        Staying Included.

 

·        Core grants – the panel was informed that originally there were 17 of these, but this had since been reduced to three.  The three recipients were chosen after significant consideration and research, and were reviewed every three years to ensure they remained fit for purpose, etc.  These were currently as follows:

 

-        Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) allocation: £87,314 plus £46,000 = £133,314;

-        Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency (MVDA) allocation: £41,314 plus £38,250 = £79,564; and

-        St. Mary’s Centre allocation: £12,625.

 

It was explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22/11

The Chair will present a verbal update on the matters that were considered at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 19 July 2022.

The Chair provided a verbal update on the matters that were considered at the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 19 July 2022.

 

NOTED