Decision Maker: Interim Executive Director for Customers and Communities
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
Applications for financial support for Voluntary, Community & Faith sector organisations are being received by the Council. These requests for support are a direct result of financial hardship felt as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, due to either additional costs being incurred by these organisations to meet increased demand for their services or enable remote working, or as a result of reductions in their usual funding sources (eg donations and fund raising events).
Applications are submitted on a standard request from and are being considered initially by a panel made up of Strategy and Finance colleagues. The panel is assessing requests against the following criteria:
In addition, applications must also demonstrate that:
The following applications were recommended by the Panel and approved by the Executive Director for Transformation, Partnership & Prosperity & the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Fire & Resilience.
Name |
Amount awarded |
Reason |
The Maybury Centre |
£5,000 |
The applicant asked for a grant of £10,000 to help the centre to exist through the pandemic. The Centre has been closed which has resulted in a significant loss of income. The grant would ensure the Centre is able to remain viable. It is an important asset to the community in a deprived area of Woking where a broad range of health, social, educational and recreational activities take place. The Centre on average has 20,000 users per quarter. The Panel asked for more information from Woking BC about the impact of closure and the borough council confirmed this would be significantly detrimental to the area. The Panel also asked the borough council to match fund the amount which they have agreed to and we recommend this grant is supported. |
The Queen Elizabeth Foundation |
£66,700 |
The QEF offers specialist neurological rehabilitative support and Independent Living Service to some of the most vulnerable people in Surrey. Due to pandemic their fundraising initiatives were significantly impacted causing a deficit of £1.2m and potential closure. Through innovative fundraising approaches they closed the gap to £400,000 and were seeking grants from partners. They approached the Leader and it was proposed we give a one-off grant of £66,700 through the Hardship Fund. This was proportionate to the number of beds Surrey CC was using and subject to other partners (including CCGs and otherLocal Authorities) committing to giving grants proportionate to their usage. QEF has had commitment from a number of partners that they will be giving grants. For eg, Surrey Heartlands have agreed to give £66,700 too. They have secured £179,000 and are waiting to hear from other LAs and CCGs and the Panel proposes we release the funding as significant progress and commitment has been made by other partners, taking the applicant to a sustainable position. |
It was AGREED that:
The following applications met the agreed criteria for financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The Maybury Centre |
£5,000.00 |
Queen Elizabeth Foundation |
£66,700.00 |
A one-off payment of £71,700.00 will be made to support the above organisations.
To ensure the sustainability of the organisations and the continued provision of their services to the residents of Surrey during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The alternative is to not provide financial support and leave the organisations to try to find alternative means of financing additional costs incurred and loss of income due to COVID-19. This could put the continued delivery of the services they provide to residents of Surrey at risk.
None.
Publication date: 08/09/2020
Date of decision: 24/08/2020