Agenda item

This report will provide members of the Housing & Wellbeing Committee an update on the work of voluntary sector and recommend the setting of new grants and contracts from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2029. These grants include Voluntary Action Arun & Chichester (VAAC), Community Transport Sussex (CTS), Arun Community Transport (ACT), Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove (AUKWSBH) and Citizens Advice (CA).

The Chair invited the Leisure & Wellbeing Business Manager to introduce the report to members.  The report endorsed the work of the Council’s partners; Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester (VAAC), Community Transport Sussex (CTS), Arun Community Transport (ACT), AGE UK West Sussex Brighton & Hove (AUKWSBH) and Citizens Advice (CA).  The recommendation before members ensured the organisations have a commitment to the Council for the next four years, allowing each to plan for future years with the knowledge that the grant was in place. The financial summary set out the proposed increases from 2025, and the following three years from 2026-27 to 2028-29 and included the introduction of a consumer price index increase for each organisation. 

The proposals included an additional increase for community transport to fund an Arun local development officer to add value to the current services provided.  Both the community transport organisations had been working with other transport partners over the last 18 months to improve cohesion between the organisations.  The funding provided to  VAAC would continue to be used to fund their costs to provide the service.  The CA’s 2022 collaborative agreement managed by West Sussex County Council (WSCC) includes all West Sussex District and Borough councils and is due to end 31 March 2029 following the agreement of all the councils that the contract was offering value for money and it would be of benefit to extend the agreement.  Following the publication of the report, officers had received confirmation from WSCC that they will extend the agreement, and that Public Health England will send a letter confirming the decision in due course.

He reported that all the organisations were well versed with the Council’s vision and officers were working with these key partners to ensure the Council’s wellbeing services needed were delivered without duplicating the work.  It was noted that the Council’s draft Wellbeing Strategy would be considered at the 4 February 2024 Committee meeting.  The Group Head of Climate Change had delegated authority to agree the service level agreements (SLAs), which would include future priorities targets, addressing gaps in services and provision, promotion of their activities and promotion of their services.  He advised that both he and the Community Wellbeing Manager would receive quarterly updates from the organisations to ensure they were providing quality services for residents.    

The recommendations were then proposed by Councillor Cooper and seconded by Councillor Wiltshire.

The Chair invited members to ask questions or make comments.  During the discussion a member referred to the Council’s significant financial deficit and having been advised that savings needed to be made and asked if was wise to propose increasing expenditure until 2029.  The Leisure & Wellbeing Business Manager advised that following discussion with the Finance Team the intention was for the grants to be in line with the current CA contract, based on a maximum consumer price index increase.  Enabling the organisations to preplan and increase their viability and ensuring they had the right resources in place to provide their services.  The Community Wellbeing Manager provided details of work undertaken to quantify the effect of not providing the funding to the CA.  Residents would still need to be supported through the vital resources the organisation had provided, and it was likely that residents would approach the Council to help them instead, which would have financial and resourcing impacts for the Council.  The Council would feel the financial pressure more if it was not supporting those organisations helping the community.  The Group Head of Environment and Climate Change confirmed that he had delegated authority to sign off the organisations service level agreements (SLAs) and that the delegated authority was already in place. 

During the discussion, comments were made that the report did not articulate what the Council expected the organisations to be delivering.  Some members did not feel comfortable to endorse the proposed expenditure for a further four-years without details of what the return would be and whether or not they were providing value for money. The Leisure & Wellbeing Business Manager advised that the Council’s expectations would be written into the updated SLAs and provided members with examples.  The Community Wellbeing Manager offered to provide members with the guidelines within the current SLAs.  In response to members concerns, she assured them that in the SLAs, that  there were clauses within the contract that set out the action to be taken if the organisations were not delivering against the SLAs and KPIs.  The contracts allowed the Council to break the contract if organisations were not delivering on their requirements.  It was confirmed that the monitoring of the SLAs and KPIs was at the forefront of the quarterly monitoring meetings along with additional visits undertaken throughout the year and monitoring of their partnerships with other organisations.  A member advised they found the response reassuring as it was the monitoring that was crucial but still had concerns about predicting future requirements in four-year’s time.  

Further comments were made that the Council would find it difficult to operate without the organisations providing these essential services. 

The Committee discussed approving the grants for a shorter period due to the Council’s current financial situation, as it was currently difficult to understand what their requirements will be in five years’ time.  During the discussion views were expressed that these essential organisations carried out very good work and needed the certainty of knowing in advance what their future funding income would be to enable them to plan their future services.  A further view was expressed that the Council would not be able to operate without these organisations providing their services.  However, members felt reassured that the contract was flexible to enable the Council to amend the SLAs and KPIs if requirements changed during the life of the contract.  The Chair drew attention to the large amount of money that some of these organisations brought into the District from funding received by the Government.

A member referred to the individual funding proposed and asked for the figures to be rounded up for each of the organisations.

The Director of Environment and Communities explained that the grants proposed would enable the voluntary sector to assist The District’s most vulnerable residents.  Further confirmation was given that SLAs were in place and monitored.  Just like any other contract if there was uncertainty over their funding the organisations would find it difficult to plan delivery of their future services.  One of the main reasons for giving them grants for a longer period was so they had certainty regarding their future. 

Councillor Pendleton proposed an amendment to recommendation 2.1, which was seconded by Councillor Yeates, as follows (deletion shown in strikethrough and additions shown in bold).  This would enable the current administration to review the organisations performance and to make the decision on future funding.

1.1      Endorse the work of all voluntary sector partners and the increases in grants from 2026 as shown in the above table, with an annual CPI increase from 2026 added until the final year 2026-27year end 31 March 2027. 

Following a vote this amendment was declared NOT CARRIED.

A vote then took place on the original recommendations.

The Committee

       RESOLVED

1.2  Endorse the work of all voluntary sector partners and the increases in grants from 2026 as shown in the above table, with an annual CPI increase from 2026 added until the year 2028-29. 

1.3  Note that the Group Head of Environment and Climate Change has delegated authority to agree service level agreements within the organisation.