Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Public Health & Equality

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/105

Contact: Emily Schofield, Acting Head of Strategy Tel: 07881 311707/Karina Russell, Senior Policy Officer Tel: 07917 921511

Report by Acting Head of Strategy (CA10).

To seek approval for a grant agreement for a year in place of the current Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Contract, and the production of a wider Voluntary Sector Strategy across services.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)            Endorse the development of an organisational Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Strategy;

b)           Approve the recommendation of converting the current VCS infrastructure contract into a grant for the next year (2022/23) to enable the development of the VCS Strategy.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet was asked to approve a grant agreement for a year in place of the current Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Contract, and the production of a wider Voluntary Sector Strategy across services.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equality, introduced the report.  A Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review in 2018 had noted that the contract was low for the investment needed in Oxfordshire.  The Council has seen strengthened relationships with the sector over the last couple of years and wanted to build and maintain these.

In order to develop the strategy, it is recommended that the current VCS infrastructure contract be changed to a grant for one year (2022/23).  Councillor Lygo confirmed that this would involve the same amount of money and does not create any additional budget pressures.

Cabinet Members stressed the importance of the voluntary sector in the County which is well organised and very extensive.  In particular they played a crucial part in adult social care.  It was suggested that Parish and Town Councils be involved in the review as they frequently received requests for funding from voluntary organisations.

Members also supported the timeline to complete the strategy by June 2022 which would give voluntary organisation time to input.  There was also a suggestion to perform a gap analysis especially in areas of high deprivation.

Councillor Miller cautioned that the development of the strategy and the funding of the partner organisation should be two distinct processes.

Councillor Lygo thanked officers and voluntary organisations for their input.  This was a working document.  He welcomed the suggestions from other Cabinet Members and confirmed that it was a key part of the process to engage with all those involved.

RESOLVED to:

a)            Endorse the development of an organisational Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Strategy;

b)           Approve the recommendation of converting the current VCS infrastructure contract into a grant for the next year (2022/23) to enable the development of the VCS Strategy.