Agenda and minutes

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 8).

(Report of the Chief Executive – Agenda Item 2):

Our Chair agreed to accept the report as urgent business. The report was late because the Executive had not met until 13 June, 2006. The report was too urgent to await the next meeting because the Executive in appointing the membership had also changed the Committee’s name and amended its terms of reference.

RESOLVED

That the change of name of the Voluntary Sector Grants Committee to the Executive Voluntary Sector Committee be noted, along with the membership and amended Terms of Reference as set out in paragraph 7 of the report. 

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgement of the public interest.

The following members declared personal, non-prejudicial interests in respect of item 6 on the agendas.

Cllr Diakides – as a member of the Greek Cypriot Centre

Cllr Mallet – as a member of The Selby Centre and Irish Community Centre

Cllr Dogus – works for an organisation funded under the ‘Supporting People’ programme

Cllr Amin – as a member of the Selby Trust and Irish Centre

The Councillors remained in the room when the item was discussed as it was for noting and information purposes only; not decision. Cllr Dogus as an observer.

Cllr Reith declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest in respect of item 7 but as she is no longer a  member of the former Tottenham Law Centre (now known as the Haringey Law Centre), remained in the room when the item was discussed.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 November 2005.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2005 be approved and signed.

To consider any deputations received in accordance with Standing Orders.

None received

(Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy)): To provide an update on the administration of voluntary sector grants through the Chief Executive’s Corporate Voluntary Sector Team (CVST).

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy).  To update the Committee on the administration of voluntary sector grants through the Chief Executive’s Corporate Voluntary Sector Team (CVST)

Members noted the recent launch of the Voluntary Sector Compact and agreed to receive an update at a future meeting.   Members also asked for a list of the 15 organisations referred to in paragraph 6.8 and noted the benefits offered to these smaller organisations.

Members agreed to receive 2 tabled spreadsheet appendices in respect of this report,  setting out the funding summary for 2005-2006 and the contributions from the Supporting People Project and New Initiative Development Fund.  Officers defined the 3 main funding programmes for the Voluntary Sector and members noted that this report considered Advice and Legal Services.  It was noted that 3 year funding was considered good practice and all grants were subject to monitoring and review before further rounds of funding.  

Members were advised that all organisations funded by the Council were asked to supply details of the sections of the community using their services. The chair reported that she had received a breakdown on funding provided to BME specific groups and had asked for further information on the proportion of BME residents benefiting from funding provided to other funded organisations.

In response to members’ queries it was noted that the Voluntary Sector Team administered £800k on behalf of Supporting People and that a Capacity Building officer was funded by this programme. 

Members suggested that future reports to the Committee should be entitled ‘Annual Report from the Corporate Voluntary Sector Team’ and not specifically grants. 

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

(Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy)): To agree core funding to the legal and advice agencies based  on the recommendations of the independent evaluation of their services over the last 3 years of funding.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy).  To agree core grant funding to the legal and advice agencies based on the recommendations of the independent evaluation of their services over the last 3 years of funding

Members noted the findings from the MBA evaluations of the Citizens Advice Bureau, Haringey Law Centre and Angolan and Cabinda Community Associations.  In summary, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau was peforming very well and had adopted methods to manage waiting periods.  The Angolan and Cabinda Community Associations were providing a good service on immigration law for which they receive funding and future funding will be conditional on them ensuring the Council’s funding continues to be used for this purpose only.

The Haringey Law Centre were being assisted by MBA and the CVST with an improvement plan based on the findings of the MBA evaluation.  While this work is being undertaken and to bring the Law Centre to a point where they could be sustainable grant will be awarded to 31^st March 2008.  This would be subject to a further report to the Executive Voluntary Sector Committee before grant to 2010 would be allocated.

In response to member’s queries about the change of name of the Centre from Tottenham Law Centre to Haringey Law Centre; officers explained that the service was not exclusively for Tottenham and did not comply with the Constitution of the Law Charities Institute. The change in name reflected the use and work of the centre for all Haringey residents and in this respect would attract more funding.  Members noted that a new Centre Manager would be appointed.  

Officers advised that the immediate objectives of a borough wide Advice Strategy could be addressed through the existing Anti Poverty Strategy.

RESOLVED

1.                  That the funding recommendations set out in 5.5.1 and 5.5.4 of the report, up to March 2010 be agreed.

2.                  That a borough wide Advice Strategy as set out in 5.5.2 be developed

3.                  That inflation be added to the core grant for advice agency from April 2007 to the end of the newly agreed funding agreement as set out in 5.5.5 of the report.

The meeting ended at 8.40 pm