Purpose

To seek approval to provide a grant of
£10,000 to Phenomenal Futures, a grant of £40,000 to
Citizens Advice Nottingham and District, a grant of £2,500 to
RCAN and a grant of £5,000 to Gedling Play Forum, to be
expended by each organisation during the period April 2024 –
March 2025 for the purposes as set out in this report.

Decision

THAT The Portfolio Holder for Communities and
Place
1)approves the giving of a £10,000 grant to Phenomenal
Futures, a £40,000 grant to Citizens Advice Nottingham and
District, a £2,500 grant to RCAN and a £5,000 grant to
Gedling Play Forum to be expended by the organisations in the
financial year 2024/25.
2)authorises the Head of Communities and Leisure to enter into
grant agreements with Phenomenal Futures, Nottingham and District
Citizens Advice, RCAN and Gedling Play Forum to secure how the
grants are used and monitor expenditure and performance.

Reasons for the decision

To enable the continuation of essential
welfare rights, supportive crisis and domestic violence
intervention and family play services, and to enable ongoing Parish
engagement, all for the wider short- and -long -term benefit of
those most vulnerable and / or isolated in Gedling Borough.
To ensure that the funds are expended in accordance with the agreed
aims and to enable monitoring of performance.

Alternative options considered

To enter into grant agreements and award
grants of differing values or with different output levels, aims
and target areas/beneficiaries. The values and purposes of the
grants have been approved at full Council based on detailed
discussions and comparative benchmarking, and the outputs have been
reviewed to ensure value for money and maximum benefit to Gedling
residents in areas where there is statistical evidence of most
need.
Not to enter into Grant Agreements with the three organisations.
This option would potentially place some of the most vulnerable
residents of Gedling at risk of exclusion from essential
intervention, rural engagement and community play services and a
reduced quality of life.