Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: For Determination

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: June 24, 2025

Purpose: To provide detail of the proposed changes to the Council’s scheme of Service Support Grant (SSG) funding to the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).

Content: The Cabinet has agreed to the proposed recommendations for the SSG three-year funding scheme for 2026-29 in Appendix A (subject to the Council’s normal annual budget-setting processes) to include:   1) Timing of the review and timetable – undertaking the review now 2) Budget for the SSG - increase the annual budget from £167,400 to £300,000 (plus Housing grants), a total increase of £132,600. 3) Themes and notional allocations - maintain the current themes (with some amendments) and ring-fence a sum (of £30k) for a specific pilot/project to encourage PLACE-based and/or theme-based working 4) Grant term and performance monitoring - maintaining the status quo, with performance monitored at: o six monthly intervals for those organisations in receipt of funding sums of £10,000 or greater per annum. o twelve monthly intervals for organisations in receipt of funding sums less than £10,000 per annum unless specifically requested by the Committee Members. 5) Framework for assessing project proposals - retain the status quo 6) Name of the scheme - amend the name from ‘Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)’ to ‘Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector’.