Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Director of Housing and Communities which asks Executive to approve the method of allocating ward funding.

Resolved (unanimously):

That Executive approves

a)   Model D (7) for implementation for the next financial year.

b)   Enhancement of the ward funding arrangements as outlined in paragraph 30 of the report:

·      Structured ward funding bid programmes held on a quarterly basis followed by City Wide Funding releases.

·      Flexibility to carry forward projects and funding at year end:

1)    To continue to allow approved projects not yet started to be carried forward into the new financial year (this has been in place since 2024/25); and

2)   To allow 20% of the year’s budget to be carried over at the end of the financial year so if there is insufficient funding for an application at year end, it can be topped up from the following year.

3)   Publication of all ward funding decisions on ward web pages to demonstrate to residents how the money had been spent each year.

Reason: To ensure that ward allocations meet Council Plan

priorities and methodologies around allocations and delivery are

transparent to residents and stakeholders.

The Director of Housing and Communities submitted a report which asked Executive to approve the method of allocating ward funding.

The following annexes were attached to the report:

-       Annex A: Ward Funding Model Options A-E

-       Annex B: Detailed Ward Funding Allocation Models

-       Annex C: Differing % for deprivation analyses on Model A

-       Annex D: Differing %’s for deprivation analyses on Model D.

Pauline Stuchfield, Director of Housing and Communities, was in attendance for this item.

The Executive Member highlighted the importance of ward funding, which enabled local organisations to undertake positive work across the city. That it was right to prioritise funding based on levels of deprivation to provide greater levels of support to those who needed it most.

Resolved (unanimously):

That Executive approves

a)   Model D (7) for implementation for the next financial year.

b)   Enhancement of the ward funding arrangements as outlined in paragraph 30 of the report:

·      Structured ward funding bid programmes held on a quarterly basis followed by City Wide Funding releases.

·      Flexibility to carry forward projects and funding at year end:

1)    To continue to allow approved projects not yet started to be carried forward into the new financial year (this has been in place since 2024/25); and

2)   To allow 20% of the year’s budget to be carried over at the end of the financial year so if there is insufficient funding for an application at year end, it can be topped up from the following year.

3)   Publication of all ward funding decisions on ward web pages to demonstrate to residents how the money had been spent each year.

Reason: To ensure that ward allocations meet Council Plan

priorities and methodologies around allocations and delivery are

transparent to residents and stakeholders.