Purpose

The Director for Communities is using his authority delegated in the Constitution at paragraph 10.13.23 'To devise and administer arrangements for distributing grants to improve the health and wellbeing of local people' to set the focus for the community grants programme in 2026/27 within the priorities above by Council on 18th October 2023. The priorities for 2026/27 will be 'widening access to arts and culture through using health and wellbeing especially among those who haven’t participated in the past' and 'using outdoor spaces and community buildings more effectively, maximising their potential'.

This focus will enable the £10,000 for community grants approved as part of the 2025/26 budget to be brought forward into 2026/27 and combined with the £10,000 in this year's approved budget to give a total of £20,000 for grants to facilitate the 2026/27 Arts in East Herts programme. It should be noted that this £20,000 for grants is being funded from the contribution to the council from the East Herts Lottery that can be used for community-related purposes.

Decision

Distribute community grants in 2026/27 to deliver the priorities of 'widening access to arts and culture through using health and wellbeing especially among those who haven’t participated in the past' and 'using outdoor spaces and community buildings more effectively, maximising their potential' so as to facilitate the 2026/27 Arts in East Herts programme.

Alternative options considered

Option 1 - do not focus community grants on arts and culture activities in 2026/27. NOT RECOMMENDED as the Arts in East Herts programme is a corporate priority of the council and given that the previous funding from the council's UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme is no longer available, without using community grants in this way, Arts in East Herts could not proceed in 2026/27.

Option 2 - focus community grant funding on arts and culture in 2026/27. RECOMMENDED for the reasons laid out in this report.