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ITEM EX8 - ANNEX 2

EXECUTIVE – 18 MAY 2004

LOCAL AREA WORKING: "RESPONDING TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES"

 

Suffolk County Council – Locality Budget

Locality Management

  • Suffolk is divided into 7 localities, each of which has an assigned director who is also a Head of Service.
  • The Locality Directors are supported by 2 Locality Managers whose role is to co-ordinate activities in all 7 districts and draw in skills from other parts of the authority to support projects, or implement policy.
  • Each locality holds 4 meetings per year and the councillors call for support as when required by the agenda.

Issues to resolve – the locality system predates the LSP’s, some of which do not want county councillor involvement. The degree to which locality working can be integrated into the LSP’s needs to be clarified.

  • The localities have a total annual budget of £1 million, which is allocated on the basis of £1.50/head of population.
  • Expenditure must support the broad policy framework of SCC and benefit people living in the electoral division.
  • Each councillor is allocated an average of £12,500, but they are not required to spend it (some have opted not to use locality budgets).
  • Councillors can carry forward their unspent budget for 1 year only.
  • Money can be ring fenced for large projects and also used to lever in funding from other sources, such as the lottery.
  • Individual councillors can pool money

Benefits - Suffolk believes that it has been able to support local initiatives and lever in additional funding to areas where this would have been difficult before, and that the role of members in a locality has been re-enforced.

Each councillor must demonstrate the eligibility of the project and complete a 2 side pro-forma which should address the:

    • Aims and objectives
    • Funding required (non revenue), including other sources
    • Evidence of consultation with the community
    • Cross-political nature of the project

The applications are reviewed by the Locality Managers to identify:

    • Additional funding sources
    • Opportunities to support the project/community in other ways

Examples of locality budget funded initiatives

Forest Heath – Cllr Pendleton granted £500 to YMCA for purchase of computer equipment for a Learning Gateway Project (16-18 yrs)

Ipswich – 8 Cllrs pooled budgets to make a contribution of £4000 to ICA for provision of a disabled toilet.

Babergh – Cllr Gibson granted £4000 towards provision of a One Stop Shop advice centre which was match funded by the Community Energy Project.

Waveney – Cllr Cherry granted £400 Club 85 to fund an Xmas party for children with special needs

 

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