Agenda item

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services.

Decision

Cabinet agreed:-

(a)       The continued provision of the ‘information, advice and guidance’ service for residents at the current financial rate for a 5-year term to offer stability.. Extension of the current grant for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021

(b)       The continued provision of an arts and culture support service at the current financial rate for a 5-year term. Extension of the current grant for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021.

(c)        The continued provision of support services to the social voluntary community sector at the current financial rate for a 5-year term. This will be tendered as one contract for bidding organisations to work in partnership to deliver the support for the rest of the social voluntary community sector. Extension of the current grant recipients for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021.

(d)       The continued commissioned support of the museums and community centres in which Dorset Council have a reversionary interest at the current financial rate for a period of 1 year from 1^st April 2021 to be considered within the wider council buildings and assets review.

(f)        A discretionary outcome-based fund to be introduced to replace all historical grant programmes offered by Dorset Council. Criteria to be modified in accordance to the comments made in the consultation and agreed with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder.

Reason for Decision

1. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the information, advice and guidance service for residents. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.

2. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the arts support service. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.

3. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the social VCS support service. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.  It is acknowledged that the current organisations worked incredibly effectively together before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving joint outcomes.

4. The consultation has evidenced a strong level of support for the museums and community centres in which the council has a reversionary interest. However, given that the council is currently undertaking a full review of its assets and buildings, it would be prudent to agree an initial 1-year extension to allow for these to form part of the wider review.

5. The consultation has evidenced a strong level of support for flexible funding to enable community organisations to identify and resolve local community needs. The discretionary outcome-based grants will continue to provide vital support to organisations that provide outcome-based evidence for delivery of Council Plan priorities. These will be made available by 31^st December to give current grant recipients the opportunity to secure funding before the financial year end.

Cabinet considered a report setting the results of the consultation regarding Dorset Council’s proposals for allocating funding to the voluntary community sector. The proposals would ensure that the overall levels of funding were maintained, and the new harmonised and equitable approach to allocations would enable the voluntary community sector to support Dorset Council to meet community priorities for the period 2021-2026.

It was noted that the recommendations had been supported by People and Health Overview Committee on 22 September 2020.

Decision

Cabinet agreed:-

(a)       The continued provision of the ‘information, advice and guidance’ service for residents at the current financial rate for a 5-year term to offer stability.. Extension of the current grant for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021

(b)       The continued provision of an arts and culture support service at the current financial rate for a 5-year term. Extension of the current grant for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021.

(c)        The continued provision of support services to the social voluntary community sector at the current financial rate for a 5-year term. This will be tendered as one contract for bidding organisations to work in partnership to deliver the support for the rest of the social voluntary community sector. Extension of the current grant recipients for a further 6 months 1^st April – 30^th September 2021 to enable a procurement exercise to be undertaken. The new contract to begin on 1^st October 2021.

(d)       The continued commissioned support of the museums and community centres in which Dorset Council have a reversionary interest at the current financial rate for a period of 1 year from 1^st April 2021 to be considered within the wider council buildings and assets review.

(f)        A discretionary outcome-based fund to be introduced to replace all historical grant programmes offered by Dorset Council. Criteria to be modified in accordance to the comments made in the consultation and agreed with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder.

Reason for Decision

1. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the information, advice and guidance service for residents. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.

2. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the arts support service. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.

3. The consultation has evidenced the value and very strong level of support for the social VCS support service. Due to the value of the contract, there is a requirement to procure the service.  The timescales involved in undertaking an open and transparent procurement exercise will necessitate the need to extend the existing contract to allow sufficient time for this to be completed.  It is acknowledged that the current organisations worked incredibly effectively together before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving joint outcomes.

4. The consultation has evidenced a strong level of support for the museums and community centres in which the council has a reversionary interest. However, given that the council is currently undertaking a full review of its assets and buildings, it would be prudent to agree an initial 1-year extension to allow for these to form part of the wider review.

5. The consultation has evidenced a strong level of support for flexible funding to enable community organisations to identify and resolve local community needs. The discretionary outcome-based grants will continue to provide vital support to organisations that provide outcome-based evidence for delivery of Council Plan priorities. These will be made available by 31^st December to give current grant recipients the opportunity to secure funding before the financial year end.