The Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Wednesday 14 October 2026 to discuss the extension of the Mayor's Community Grants Programme (MCGP) and the Emergency Fund, and to review performance reports for the MCGP. The committee resolved to extend both the MCGP and the Emergency Fund by three months until 30 June 2027. They also noted the performance of the MCGP for the January-March 2026 and April-June 2026 periods.

Extension of the Mayor's Community Grants Programme (MCGP) and Emergency Fund

The committee agreed to extend the Mayor's Community Grants Programme (MCGP) by three months, until 30 June 2027. This extension will ensure continuity of provision for residents and avoid disruption to essential services delivered by the voluntary and community sector (VCS). It will also provide sufficient time to design and implement a robust successor funding programme, informed by ongoing strategic work and grants deep dive findings, while enabling meaningful co-production with stakeholders. The committee also agreed to extend the Emergency Fund to 30 June 2027, which supports VCS organisations facing closure due to unforeseen circumstances.

The rationale for the extension was to enable a thorough and high-quality application process for any future funding, avoid the risk of vulnerable service users being disadvantaged by a loss of support if current grants ended on 31 March 2027, and ensure organisations could be supported through unforeseen emergencies during this period. Alternative options considered were retaining the current timetable for MCGP and attempting to implement a successor programme by 1 April 2027, which was deemed risky due to inadequate engagement, or allowing the current MCGP to end on 31 March 2027, which would create a gap in service provision.

The report detailed the significant investment the MCGP had made into local communities, supporting a wide range of organisations and residents across five priority themes. In 2025/26, nearly 48,000 residents were supported through cost of living initiatives, with over 15,700 receiving welfare advice, securing more than £3.1 million in debt write-offs, and 15,000 successful appeals. Education and lifelong learning interventions supported over 3,200 participants, improving wellbeing, digital skills, and confidence. Employment, skills, culture, and heritage programmes engaged over 5,400 residents, with 188 progressing into employment and many reporting improved health through participation. Health and wellbeing schemes supported over 5,700 residents, including measurable improvements in physical and mental health. Community empowerment and safety initiatives reached over 5,100 residents, strengthening community participation, addressing inequalities, and supporting vulnerable groups.

Mayor's Community Grant Programme (MCGP) Performance Report – Jan-Mar 26

The committee noted the performance of the Mayor's Community Grants Programme (MCGP) for January to March 2026. The report indicated that 101 out of 105 live projects were rated 'GREEN' (on track), with four projects rated 'AMBER' (issues that can be resolved with support).

Several projects were highlighted as 'AMBER' rated:

• SocietyLinks – Rainbow Links: Rated amber pending evidence of impact measurement and clarity on outcomes in their report versus the outcome targets in their funding agreement.
• Deafplus – Improving deaf and hard of hearing residents' English, Maths and digital skills: Delivery was significantly impacted by staffing instability, including the departure of the project coordinator and subsequent recruitment delays.
• Tower Hamlets Parents Centre - Women's Health Matters: While the project had positive health benefits, participant numbers dropped this quarter due to Ramadan, and an annual impact report was not submitted.
• Council of Mosques - CoM Community Empowerment Project: Strong narrative information was provided, but quantified data or structured evidence demonstrating robust data collection and outcome measurement was lacking.

Officers were working with these organisations to bring their projects back on track.

Mayor's Community Grant Programme (MCGP) Performance Report – Apr-Jun 26

The committee also noted the performance of the MCGP for April to June 2026. For this period, 103 out of 105 live projects were rated 'GREEN', with two projects rated 'AMBER'.

The 'AMBER' rated projects were:

• Toynbee Hall - Playful Tower Hamlets - Nurturing Bodies and Minds: Rated amber pending evidence of impact measurement and clarity on outcomes in their report versus the outcome targets in their funding agreement. Delivery was impacted by staffing instability, including the departure of the project coordinator and subsequent recruitment delays. However, the project is expected to return to 'GREEN' status for the July-September 2026 reporting period.
• Council of Mosques - CoM Community Empowerment Project: Rated amber due to a lack of quantified data or structured evidence demonstrating robust data collection and outcome measurement, despite strong narrative information about their work. Officers are supporting the organisation to provide the necessary information.

The committee was informed that for the 2026/27 period, unannounced visits would be undertaken for all projects, in addition to the standard planned visits, to provide further assurance on quality and impact.

The meeting also included declarations of interest, confirmation of previous minutes, and noted that no other unrestricted business was considered urgent. The meeting concluded at 6:14 p.m.