Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Area Partnership Manager (Housing and Neighbourhood Services, Neighbourhood and Adult Services Directorate) that outlined an evaluation of the impact of the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund in Rotherham to 31^st December, 2013.

Nationally, there were three aspects to the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund: -

·         The Neighbourhood Match Fund - £30 million - a small grants programme for some of the most deprived areas in England, administered by the Community Development Foundation (CDF);

·         National Endowment Match Challenge - £50 million;

·         Community Organisers.

The Cabinet Officer for Civil Society viewed the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund as: -

1.     A means of enabling small social action projects, encouraging individuals/groups to bring change to some of the most deprived communities in the country; 

2.     A tool to support new and existing projects;

3.     Part of a broader power shift, putting local residents in the driving seat, building their capacity and confidence to develop community led solutions.

Evaluation had been undertaken in Rotherham based on the three Cabinet Office objectives. 

There was confidence that the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund was meeting the first objective in Rotherham.

·         £712,000 would be delivered into voluntary-community sector projects in some of the Borough’s most deprived neighbourhoods.  To date, £396,964 had been awarded by the eleven Ward based Community First Panels to 255 projects;

·         The submitted report included examples of best practice in relation to the first objective, and included which of the Ipsos Mori categories each project supported.

In relation to the second and third objectives, the picture was more mixed.  Funding had largely been awarded to existing projects.  Panels had, however, increased their knowledge of and links to the work of existing projects in their Wards.  Feedback from Panels’ voluntary-community sector members had highlighted how they had welcomed the opportunity to work with Councillors and senior officers. Local residents had been involved in setting local priorities, approving projects for funding and projects representing community-led solutions to local issues. This represented a positive experience and confirmed that groups/organisations who, with support, could take on a greater role in future work. 

Discussion ensued on the regrettable situation that had led to two of Rotherham’s Deprived Neighbourhood’s not being eligible to participate in Community First under the criteria supplied by the Cabinet Officer for Civil Society. 

The next steps towards the end of the funding stream were discussed.  It was noted that there was a £21,000 remaining allocation to be made from Year Three’s funding allocation.  Year Four’s funding would need to be allocated over the nine-month period between April – December, 2014. 

Discussion ensued on the submitted report and the following points were raised: -

·         Working with the private sector to generate government match funding;

·         Establishing how much had been raised by the end of the project;

·         The role of the Local Authority in supporting and providing additional skills to the matching process;

·         The role of cash or ‘in kind’ as part of the matching process;

·         The mix of examples within the report gave a compelling evidence-base;

·         Ensuring that sustainability of infrastructure remained following the end of the project.

The Cabinet Member commended the concise report and the overall positive description of the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund and thanked the Area Partnership Manager for his presentation.  The Cabinet Member requested that a media release be prepared to share the continuing success of the project. 

Resolved: -   (1)  That the report be received and its content noted.

(2)  That a communications programme be undertaken to share the continuing success of the Community First Neighbourhood Match Fund, including the projects and groups that have been supported, and the benefits the funding has brought.