Decision

RESOLVED

That the Executive:

a)       Withdrew the discretionary Ward Member Empowerment Fund with immediate effect.

b)       Of the allocated budget of £136,000 designated to the Ward Member Empowerment Fund for 2026/27:

i.          allocated £68,000 to the Grants team to devise and develop with the Youth Advisory Council a Youth Empowerment Grant Scheme with a target launch date from September 2026; and

ii.          designated the remaining £68,000 to general revenue fund as an in-year saving.

Reason for Recommendations – The Executive requested a review of the arrangements of the Ward Member Empowerment Policy and to explore options for an alternative Scheme aligned to the Corporate Priority of Family. The proposal to implement a new Scheme utilising the funding from the Ward Member Empowerment Fund supports the council on its priority of Family.

The recommendation to withdraw the Fund recognises that to run two Schemes concurrently would incur additional resourcing costs of an anticipated value of £20,000. This In reaching this recommendation the comments of the Scrutiny Committee that the quality of the applications may impeded on a reduced application window has been balanced against the viability of running both concurrently.

Alternative Options Considered –The following options were considered and disregarded:

•         To do nothing and retain the Ward Member Empowerment Fund without any changes.

•         To retain a partial Ward Member Empowerment Fund on a partial allocation. .

•         To introduce a new scheme and retain the  Ward Member Empowerment Fund without revision to budget or policy.

•         To introduce a new scheme which is aligned to another corporate priority.