Purpose

Thanet District Council acts as the legal and financial Accountable Body for the £20 million Ramsgate Pride in Place Programme (PiPP), funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). In November 2025, Cabinet formally accepted the PiPP funding and endorsed the strategic priorities set out in the Ramsgate Regeneration Plan.

To deliver immediate, visible, added value community improvements while longer term major capital projects are developed, the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board has designed a £150,000 grassroots grant framework. This decision is required to formally agree to the scheme's operating framework, establish robust compliance parameters under the council's constitution supporting the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board to allocate funding to local community organisations.

Decision

1. The framework, strategic parameters, and eligibility criteria for the Ramsgate Pride in Place Programme Community Action Fund has been agreed. This is in line with the council's requirements as the Accountable Body for the Pride in Place Programme.
2. The proposed governance and decision making model as set out by the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board and its designated Grant Decision Panel in scoring and recommending applications, while retaining final legal and financial approval within Thanet District Council as the Accountable Body was noted.
3. Authority was delegated to the council’s S151 officer to sign off the grant agreements in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democracy & Monitoring Officer.

Reasons for the decision

As the Accountable Body for the Pride in Place Programme the council is required to ensure the funding is spent compliantly and in line with the government's guidelines. The council has reviewed the Community Activation Grant programme and considers it to be compliant with government guidance. Council officers will complete the due diligence requirements and sign off the grant agreements as part of the programme.

Alternative options considered

Two alternatives were considered including:

·  Requiring full Cabinet approval for the £150,000 allocation to the Community Action Grants Programme. The funding allocations are below the key threshold for Cabinet decision making, and with the maximum grant allocation of £15,000 this does not constitute a significant investment in any one organisation. The delivery of the grant programme is a decision for the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board, and the council is comfortable with the proposed process for managing the programme. Requiring full Cabinet consideration for this grant programme would create unnecessary administrative delay, running contrary to ministerial guidance advocating operational agility. This option was not recommended.

·  Do Nothing - by delaying the establishment of the Community Action Fund risks failing to meet central government delivery milestones and undermines local community confidence. It is also not the council’s role, as the accountable body to not support decisions that the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board has made, the council’s role is to ensure compliance with statutory requirements in spending government money. This option was not recommended.