Content

9.1

The purpose of the report is to seek
approval for the Council to become accountable body for multiple
grants from the Youth Investment Fund.

 

 

9.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Committee
approves the Council becoming accountable body for multiple
grants up to a maximum combined value of £7.9 million from
the Youth Investment Fund for the refurbishment and/or creation of
youth and community facilities across the city in line with the
basis set out in this report.

 

 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

9.3.1

The Youth Investment
Fund (YIF) is a £368 Million Government commitment to young
people to transform and level up the out-of-school youth
sector.

 

 

9.3.2

Officers have been
working on up to 13 proposals for funding from the Youth Investment
Fund with a combined value of up to £7.9 million. It is a
requirement of the funding that projects are fully completed by
31st March 2025.

9.3.3

If successful, the
funding will provide up to 13 new and refurbished youth facilities
that will contribute to the aims of the Youth Strategy (2022-25) of
enhancing the provision of universal youth work by investing in
youth facilities across the city to make them safe, secure and with
the right equipment to meet young Sheffielders’ expectations of modern,
contemporary, welcoming spaces.

 

 

9.3.4

Having the right
facilities in the right places will also contribute to the stated
aim of having 3 universal youth provisions in each ward every
week.

 

 

9.3.5

This decision will
ensure that, if successful, the acceptance of the funding can be
completed quickly to ensure that the projects can be delivered
against the programme.

 

 

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

9.4.1

Alternative option
1 – Do nothing.
A do-nothing option would be for the Council not to accept grant
funding from the Social Investment Business Foundation through the
Youth Investment Fund. This would result in not gaining the
benefits of the funding for young people and communities across the
city. Each individual project will benefit young people and their
communities by increasing universal youth provision and/or
providing facilities across the city that are safe, secure and with
the right equipment to meet young Sheffielders’ expectations of modern,
contemporary, welcoming spaces.

9.4.2

Alternative option
2 – Wait for the outcome of the application
process.
Waiting until after grants are awarded will lead to a delay in
progressing the projects and would increase the risk that projects
could not be completed before the end of the funding period.
Authorising the acceptance of grants prospectively reduces this
risk.