Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Strategic Housing and Investment Co-ordinator (Housing and Neighbourhood Services, Neighbourhood and Adult Services Directorate) that outlined a proposal to develop a small grants scheme that would enable individuals and community groups to support Streetpride services through undertaking environmental improvements.

Through the Housing Revenue Account, it was proposed that two small grant schemes be made available to a total of £10,000, and individuals and groups from the voluntary and community sector be invited to bid for a maximum small grant of £250 on an annual basis. 

The two schemes proposed would run as a pilot scheme for one year in the first instance: -  

·         The Environment Exchange Grant Scheme: -

Rotherham’s individuals, Community Groups and TARAs could apply for a small annual grant (of up to £250) to assist with running costs in exchange for their commitment to undertake specific, mutually agreed activities on the communal areas of estates such as litter picking, emptying litter bins, grubbing out weeds and so on. 

• The Improving Your Community Grant Scheme: -

Rotherham’s individuals, Community Groups and TARAs could apply for a small annual grant (of up to £250) to be spent on improving their community/environment through schemes such as adopting a street or flowerbed, litter picking, basic gardening equipment and so on.

The Co-ordinator explained that RotherFed had agreed in principle to manage the grant at no cost to the Council and would hold an event for members and other community groups with the purpose of launching the grant, scoping potential projects and promoting the Streetpride Volunteers scheme.

The proposal had been presented to the Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods and the Area Assembly Chairs’ Forum as stakeholders in this area.

It was expected that the two grants would help supplement Streetpride’s environmental services.  Both Street Cleansing and Grounds Maintenance had experienced substantial reductions in staffing levels and service standards over the previous two years and services were now provided to a lower level.  Whilst the two grants were intended to support Streetpride’s activities, it was not expected that this would enable the Council’s overall provision to be scaled back.  If the grants scheme was successful and community resilience demonstrated then Streetpride could potentially work with volunteers to up-skill them and re-focus their own capacity. 

Discussion ensued on the proposal presented: -

·         Was £250 a meaningful amount that would enable individuals and organisations in the voluntary and community sectors to make a difference?;

·         The importance of supporting Rotherham’s eleven Deprived Neighbourhoods to benefit from the scheme as far as possible;

·         The potential for the proposed small grant schemes to give greater added value to wider range of Services than Streetpride;

·         The potential for working with Parish Councils as precepting authorities;

·         The potential to concentrate works in non-parished areas;

·         Importance of building up an evidence-base to support the use of Housing Revenue Account funding;

·         The need to undertake a six-month review of the pilot small-grant scheme to include: -

o   Whether the amount of funding offered was sufficient;

o   Whether the application process was as streamlined as possible;

o   Whether the scheme was operating as effectively as possible in the eleven Deprived Neighbourhoods;

o   If partnership working could be adopted;

o   Whether match-funding options were available. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the initiative of providing community grants to encourage community service delivery be approved for an initial one year trial, subject to a six-month review being conducted. 

(2)  That both environmental grants be managed by RotherFed.