Agenda item

This report presents the draft final report arising from the Loans and Grants Task Group scrutiny review, together with new information regarding the appropriate use of Grant Funding Agreements.  The Task Group are asked to agree any further changes required to the draft final report in light of this new information.

Consideration was given to the draft final report arising from the Loans and Grants Task Group scrutiny review at Annex 1, together with new information regarding the appropriate use of Grant Funding Agreements.

It was confirmed that the Group had already identified a number of recommendations, set out at paragraph 54 of the draft final report and information on the implications associated with those recommendations had been sought.

The Deputy Head of Legal Services reported further on the legal implications associated with the recommendations, confirming that the introduction of Grant Funding Agreements (GFA) for grants over £100k, in place of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) would be beneficial to the Local Authority as they would be more robust and legally binding. He pointed out that, whilst publication of details of grants made would be appropriate on the Council’s website, he did not consider it appropriate to add in the associated SLA or GFA as they may contain commercially sensitive or confidential information. He also indicated that the Summary at page 73 of the SLA template would provide sufficient information for publication on the website and that monitoring would vary depending on the type of grant.

In answer to Members questions it was confirmed that any Freedom of Information request, in relation to a SLA or a GFA, would be considered on an individual basis. Checks would be

made on a case by case basis as to whether any exemptions applied.

Members then examined the draft recommendations and report in detail, and made the following comments:

Service Level Agreements

·               Section 1-‘The Summary’ to be used as the basis for provision of information of loans and grants made on the Council’s website;

·               The summary to include details of how the grant would contribute towards the Council’s corporate priorities and any outcomes the Council would expect;

·               Para 4.1 - Service Standards to be amended from ‘This section should’ to ‘This section must’;

·               Para 4.2 Performance Indicators, to be amended to read:

          It is important that all services are regularly monitored to identify opportunities for performance improvement. [insert organisation name] must provide key performance information to the Council in accordance with the schedule set out below.  The Council reserves the right to request data from [insert organisation name] at more frequent intervals.  Key performance indicators for this agreement include.........................;

·               Para 6.1 to be amended to read:

CYC will manage the SLA and liaise with [insert organisation name] to ensure its obligations are fulfilled.

Delete ‘CYC will undertake regular reviews of the SLA, as detailed in section 3 and provide feedback regarding performance to senior management and council Members, as appropriate.

The finance and performance monitoring report to Cabinet will include a specific section on grants and, at least every six months, information on newly awarded grants will be provided.’

·        That, if manageable, details of all grant and loans approved by the Council be published on the Council’s website.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:  That subject to the above amendments the draft final report be approved for submission to CSMC in January 2014.

Reason:     To enable the presentation of the review draft final report to the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee at its next meeting on 13 January 2014, and to conclude the review in line with CYC scrutiny procedures and protocols.