Decision details

Date of Decision:

19^th March 2025

Title:

Children’s Capital of Culture 2025 – Community Micro-Grants Programme

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Andrew Bramidge, Strategic Director, Regeneration & Environment

Details of Specific Cabinet Delegation

or Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Sub-scheme of Delegation

All financial matters relating to the management and delivery of cultural, leisure, green spaces, landscape design and sports services, including:

·        Awarding and distribution of grants

·        Authorisation of grants up to a value of £25,000 according to the Council’s criteria for cultural, leisure and events grants

Working in collaboration with Finance Officers.

Decision:

To approve the proposed awards of Community Micro-Grants to community organisers to deliver a public events programme across the Rotherham borough between 1^st March and 30^th June 2025, and to approve the decision that any grant money not awarded during this funding round is utilised later in 2025 to support targeted activity in wards where Community Micro-Grants activity has not previously taken place.

Reasons for the Decision:

The decision increases the capacity of local groups and organisations to deliver free, creative and participatory events and activities for local children, young people, families and wider residents as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture Festival Year.

The Community Micro-Grants programme is funded through the Community Recovery Fund; the key purpose of this grant is to support community cohesion activities, including key focus areas of educational initiatives and youth outreach with children, young people and skills and of supporting and promoting intracommunity relations in priority areas. Awarding Micro-Grants to the 28 proposed organisations, while also enabling additional targeted community work later in the Festival Year, delivers on the key aims of this grant.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Do nothing – failing to allocate the Community Recovery Fund funding to community groups and organisations using an open and accessible process would mean Children’s Capital of Culture is unable to fulfil its agreement with the funder around the purpose and timescales of spending this funding. This would be a substantial reputational risk to the Council and its partners and could mean that the grant is withdrawn and that the Council is unable to access future rounds of funding allocated through the MHCLG.

Failing to allocate the Community Recovery Fund funding through the Community Micro-Grants could also affect the reputation of Council with local residents, community groups and grassroots organisations. Without support from the Council through the Community Micro-Grants programme, these organisations may not have the means to run a creative and active events programme that supports youth engagement and community cohesion.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

NA

Reports or parts of reports considered

Children’s Capital of Culture 2025 – Community Micro-Grants Programme