Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval for City of York Council to work with a Community Foundation to establish the York Community Fund (YCF), to fund priority city funded work including community-based projects and to deliver funding for a Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) pilot.

Resolved:

                      i.         To establish, the YCF and agree to enter into a partnership agreement with an appropriate community fund manager;

                     ii.         Agreed to waive the requirements set out within the Council’s CPRs within the Council’s Constitution and delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance to enter into a partnership agreement directly with a suitable Partner, without any prior procurement exercise;

                    iii.        Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance the drafting, negotiation, and completion of a partnership agreement with the successful community fund manager and other partners, as well as authority to draft, negotiate and complete any subsequent variations to the partnership agreement once in place;

                   iv.        Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance to establish a supplementary ring-fenced fund within the YCF arrangements once in place, specifically to collect funding raised by the externally led UFSM fund raising campaign;

                     v.        Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance and other officers as and when required, to develop a Case for Support to support the fundraising for the delivery of a UFSM Pilot;

                   vi.        Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, the Director of Customer & Communities, and the Director of Governance to approve roles to, and delegate authority to, Council officers in the relevant structures and steering groups.

Reason:     To establish a permanent community fund that will fund and deliver community projects and growth on a permanent basis, with the ability to have specific and targeted campaigns for an agreed set of projects aligned to the administration’s priorities. By establishing the YCF, it provides the city with a fund-raising mechanism for additional opportunities that officers and partners can explore in partnership.

The Assistant Director for Customer Services and Digital outlined the proposal for a permanent fund, which would aim deliver community-based projects as well as provide funding for a Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) pilot.

The Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education welcomed the opportunity to establish a community fund for York and stated that it would see the Council to work in partnership with people to deliver projects such as UFSM. Members discussed the need for business engagement with the fund to deliver projects.

Resolved:

                         i.         To establish, the YCF and agree to enter into a partnership agreement with an appropriate community fund manager;

                        ii.         Agreed to waive the requirements set out within the Council’s CPRs within the Council’s Constitution and delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance to enter into a partnership agreement directly with a suitable Partner, without any prior procurement exercise;

                      iii.         Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance the drafting, negotiation, and completion of a partnership agreement with the successful community fund manager and other partners, as well as authority to draft, negotiate and complete any subsequent variations to the partnership agreement once in place;

                      iv.         Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance to establish a supplementary ring-fenced fund within the YCF arrangements once in place, specifically to collect funding raised by the externally led UFSM fund raising campaign;

                       v.         Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Customer & Communities in consultation with the Director of Governance and other officers as and when required, to develop a Case for Support to support the fundraising for the delivery of a UFSM Pilot;

                      vi.         Agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, the Director of Customer & Communities, and the Director of Governance to approve roles to, and delegate authority to, Council officers in the relevant structures and steering groups.

Reason:     To establish a permanent community fund that will fund and deliver community projects and growth on a permanent basis, with the ability to have specific and targeted campaigns for an agreed set of projects aligned to the administration’s priorities. By establishing the YCF, it provides the city with a fund-raising mechanism for additional opportunities that officers and partners can explore in partnership.