Agenda

November 6, 2024 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Grants Sub Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered eleven applications to the second round of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Cost of Living Grant Fund. Six of these applications, totalling £80,962, were recommended for approval. The Committee's recommendations will be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 25 November 2024.

VCS Cost of Living Grant Fund - Round 2

Eleven applications to the second round of the VCS Cost of Living Grant Fund were considered. Each application was discussed in turn. The most significant discussion points were as follows:

Estate Art CIC

Estate Art CIC requested £15,000 to continue running its Saturday Health Café and Wednesday Spud Night on the Alton Estate. They also proposed to use the funding to provide weekly activities to encourage creativity and physical activity, deliver information and support sessions, provide life skills training, and offer diagnostic screening.

Officers did not recommend that the funding be awarded. Their summary assessment noted that the application has not clearly evidenced the link between their health work and the needs of residents who are being impacted by the Cost-of-Living, and that, from the activities the applicant has stated they will deliver, it is not clear what the impact will be for the 20-40 residents they will support.

In the discussion, an attendee expressed concern that the organisation's current source of funding, NHS South West London Integrated Care Board, would end in April 2025, and they queried if Estate Art CIC had an appropriate exit strategy. The Assistant Chief Executive, Jon Evans, responded that from time to time, grant recipients may be required to provide real time activity data and will be expected to respond to these requests within 5 working days, and that, any variance on project outcomes will be followed up with the grantee to determine if further action is required. Where grant funds have not been used in accordance with the terms and conditions the Council is able to request repayment of the grant in-part or in full.

Samuel's Charity

Samuel's Charity requested £10,000 to part fund a Community Care Coordinator role for their new 'At Home' project. The project would work with terminally or seriously ill children and their families so that the children could be treated at home rather than in St George's Hospital. The role would involve identifying families' support needs, arranging practical help such as benefits advice and support from other voluntary organisations, and arranging for medical equipment and support services.

Officers did not recommend that the funding be awarded. They argued that, It is not providing a direct response to the cost-of-living crisis, rather supporting those with a chronically or terminally ill child as well as developing its work and its long-term plans to grow the capacity of the organisation.

In the discussion, an attendee raised a concern that Samuel's Charity is based up in Milton Keynes. The Assistant Chief Executive, Jon Evans, responded:

The charity is based in Milton Keynes and has been working with St. George’s Hospital for eight years, stating that around 50% of their beneficiaries are Wandsworth residents.

Single Homeless Project

Single Homeless Project requested £15,000 to support staff training and development, including the funding of monthly training sessions in their three Wandsworth accommodations, bimonthly specialised training sessions at their Kings Cross offices for honoraries, and psychotherapy sessions for their Wandsworth clients in Kings Cross.

Officers did not recommend that the funding be awarded. In their summary assessment they stated that, the link between funding staff training and the link with how residents they are supporting are being impacted by the cost-of-living is not clearly identified. They went on to argue that, the need they identify is not a priority for this Fund, with the contracted work from the council being met.

During the discussion, an attendee expressed concern that some of the project activities would take place in Kings Cross. Mr Evans responded that:

They plan to offer psychotherapy sessions in Wandsworth when they have an appropriate space and sufficient personnel to do so.

Tooting and Graveney Day Centre

The Tooting and Graveney Day Centre applied for £17,228 to fund the provision of free daycare Monday-Friday. They stated that the project would particularly benefit older people from African Caribbean communities, many of whom suffer from dementia and are isolated.

Officers did not recommend that the funding be awarded. They argued that, it is not clearly demonstrated how the project supports people directly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.

The discussion raised concerns about the project's budget, which includes provision for a driver and escort, but does not include community transport costs, and about the organisation's history of late submissions of reports to the Charity Commission. Mr Evans stated that, officers were unable to obtain further information from the applicant despite several requests.

Tooting Community Kitchen

Tooting Community Kitchen requested £15,000 to continue running their weekly Lounge/Soup Kitchen. They proposed to provide hot meals, drinks, social activities and board games, and access to showers, internet and laptops.

Officers did not recommend the award. They argued that, whilst this project is the continuation of a project previously funded by the Cost-of-Living Grant Fund, the current application provides limited information on the development of the project, and that it has not been clearly demonstrated that the people attending are directly affected by cost of living rather than seeking alleviation from social isolation.

During the discussion an attendee noted that it seems that the project operates as a community space which helps to reduce isolation, alongside the offer of a hot meal and social activities, and asked how [Tooting Community Kitchen] are planning to provide more one-to-one support. Mr Evans said that this had not been made clear by the applicant.

Chantelle's Community Kitchen

Chantelle's Community Kitchen applied for £14,430 to continue operating their kitchen in Roehampton, providing free hot meals on Tuesdays and running a Brunch Café on Fridays.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded, and an attendee noted that Chantelle's Community Kitchen provides a much-needed provision in an area of severe deprivation and poor health outcomes. However, an attendee did express concern that most of their funding in 2023 and 2024 has been from the Council, which does present a risk, and they suggested that the organisation needed to start applying to a wider range of funders.

Earlsfield Foodbank

Earlsfield Foodbank applied for £15,000 to fund their core operating costs in the face of increasing demand and decreasing donations.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded.

An attendee expressed concern that the Foodbank had previously had to change its approach to using the Cost of Living Grant after its manager left, and they asked if the current project was sustainable. Mr Evans responded:

From this experience, the Trustees and volunteers have developed a new approach, which this application supports in looking to the future – both for the organisation and their guests.

Living Truth CIC

Living Truth CIC requested £8,640 to fund a change to their service model. They proposed to reduce the operating hours of their advice, advocacy and support drop in service, which currently runs four days a week, and to use the freed up staff time to provide home visits to housebound and elderly residents.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded.

Power2Connect

Power2Connect applied for £15,000 to continue providing digital devices, free data, and training sessions to residents struggling with digital and financial exclusion.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded, noting that the organisation is well known to the council being recognised for its positive contribution to digital inclusion in the borough and leading VCS efforts for Wandsworth to be the most digitally inclusive borough in London.

Regenerate

Regenerate requested £15,000 to continue funding their Youth and Community Programme. The programme provides a safe social space for young people and free hot meals four days a week. The organisation also delivers cooking workshops, and sports sessions at Roehampton Sports and Fitness Centre.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded.

An attendee stated that, Regenerate are supporting both young people and their families who are impacted by the cost-of-living with this project, and they asked if the applicant was monitoring the balance between the number of young people being supported and the number of families being supported by the food provision elements of the project. Mr Evans suggested that this would be useful to identify the need more precisely.

Vineyard 61 Church

Vineyard 61 Church applied for £12,892 to continue running their Community Hub, which provides a safe space, hot food, advice, and support to elderly and isolated people. They also proposed to use the funding to upskill staff and volunteers to improve the service.

Officers recommended that the funding be awarded.

Attendees

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