Agenda item

The local committee has a delegated budget of £3,000 for community safety projects in 2019/20. This report sets out the process by which this funding should be allocated to the Community Safety Partnership and/or other local community organisations that promote the safety and wellbeing of residents. The report also provides a progress update regarding last year’s funding.

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead) agreed that:

 i.     The committee’s delegated community safety budget of £3,000 for 2019/20 be retained by the Community Partnership Safety Team, on behalf of the local committee, and that the Community Safety Partnership and/or other local organisations be invited to submit proposals for funding that meet the criteria and principles set out at section 3 of the report.

ii.     Authority be delegated to the Community Safety Manager, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the local committee and divisional members as appropriate, to authorise the expenditure of the community safety budget in accordance with the criteria and principles stated in section 3 of this report.

iii.     The committee receives updates on the project(s) that are funded, the outcomes and the impact it has achieved.

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead) noted:

iv.     The update from the YMCA East Surrey regarding the use of the funds in 2018-19 and SCC Community Safety Manager response.

Reason for decisions

The above decisions were made to set out a process for allocating the committee’s delegated community safety budget of £3,000 to local organisations.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Gordon Falconer, Community Safety Manager, SCC

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

The Community Safety Manager introduced the report noting that since the publication of the report, further enquiries has been made with the recipient of the funding to investigate the lack of expenditure for 2018/19. It was confirmed that there had been an issue with staffing; an employee had left and recruitment was needed to continue the work. It was reported however that the recruitment had since taken place and almost all the money allocated in 2018/19 had been spent.

The Community Safety Manager made the amendment that in recommendation i) of the report, it should read Community Safety Team and not Community Partnership Team.

Key points from the discussion:

·         Members noted that in previous years the Community Safety money had been allocated to the East Community Safety Partnership (ECSP) to enable a greater amount of work in a larger area than just Reigate & Banstead. The work still had a significant impact on residents living in the borough though. The Community Safety Manager stated that other boroughs in Surrey had previously pooled funds to make it go further, he added there was large scope for what community safety projects could be funded.

·         It was noted by members there was a concern over the spending of funds from 2018/19 and whether measures were in place for 2019/20 to ensure the expenditure took place in good time. It was confirmed there was a new application form this year and the timescales would be clearly laid out. It was noted that the plan for this year was to award the funding in September 2019; allowing enough time for full spend by the end of the financial year.

·         Some members continued to raise concerns over the monitoring of the spending, stating they needed certainty the funds would be spent in the given time. Other members urged their colleagues to not delay in agreeing the recommendations, as this would have led to further delays and the likelihood of the funding not being spent.

·         It was suggested the application form should include a focus on partnership working; asking applicants about the groups they hoped to work with on their projects. This would ensure resources were used efficiently and duplication of work was avoided. 

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead) agreed that:

 i.     The committee’s delegated community safety budget of £3,000 for 2019/20 be retained by the Community Partnership Safety Team, on behalf of the local committee, and that the Community Safety Partnership and/or other local organisations be invited to submit proposals for funding that meet the criteria and principles set out at section 3 of the report.

ii.     Authority be delegated to the Community Safety Manager, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the local committee and divisional members as appropriate, to authorise the expenditure of the community safety budget in accordance with the criteria and principles stated in section 3 of this report.

iii.     The committee receives updates on the project(s) that are funded, the outcomes and the impact it has achieved.

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead) noted:

iv.     The update from the YMCA East Surrey regarding the use of the funds in 2018-19 and SCC Community Safety Manager response.

Reason for decisions

The above decisions were made to set out a process for allocating the committee’s delegated community safety budget of £3,000 to local organisations.