Agenda item

Cllr Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet member for Adults, Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Care, and Izzie Rockingham, Head of Joint Commissioning – Age Well, have been invited to present a report on the Community Capacity Grants Programme.

The Committee has also invited Laura Price, CEO of Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action; Zoe Sprigings, CEO of Oxfordshire Community Foundation; and Emily Lewis-Edwards, Joint CEO of Community First Oxfordshire, to support its work and respond to members’ questions.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Adults, Victoria Baran, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care, and Isabel Rockingham, Head of Joint Commissioning – Age Well, were invited to present a report on the Community Capacity Grants Programme.

Laura Price, CEO of Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action, Zoe Springs, CEO of Oxfordshire Community Foundation, and, Emily Lewis-Edwards, Joint CEO of Community First Oxfordshire, were invited to support the Committee.

The Cabinet Member introduced the report by outlining the programme’s role in supporting the Council’s preventative agenda, helping residents to remain independent and connected within their communities. Officers explained that the programme had operated since 2022, funding voluntary and community organisations through the Connected Communities Fund and larger grants administered by established sector partners. More than 275 projects had been supported, reaching over 30,000 residents, with an annual value of around £900,000.

In discussion, Members first examined the delivery model and asked why funding was routed through intermediary organisations rather than awarded directly. Officers explained that partner bodies brought established local relationships, knowledge of community need, and the capacity to run accessible application processes, particularly for smaller organisations. Representatives of those partners added that they provided practical support to applicants, including help to shape bids and understand criteria, which had broadened participation and improved the quality of submissions.

Members then considered demand for the programme, noting that it was consistently oversubscribed. Officers confirmed that demand substantially exceeded available funding and that many unsuccessful applications were nevertheless strong. They explained that decisions were based on alignment with preventative outcomes, value for money, and reach into priority communities.

The Committee also asked whether the programme was reaching rural areas and underserved groups effectively. Officers said targeted engagement was undertaken to encourage applications from underrepresented areas and communities, and that the funding model allowed flexibility to respond to local circumstances. Members nevertheless emphasised the need for continued monitoring to ensure equitable distribution.

Members explored how impact was measured and whether stronger evidence could be developed to demonstrate wider preventative benefits, including reduced demand on statutory services. Officers explained that monitoring currently combined quantitative data with qualitative evidence such as case studies and user feedback. They acknowledged that demonstrating longer-term preventative impact remained challenging, noting that more detailed evaluation would require additional resource and could place a disproportionate burden on smaller organisations. Officers also highlighted that many funded interventions were based on established evidence and confirmed that work was underway to strengthen evaluation arrangements in a proportionate manner.

Members welcomed the support available to smaller organisations, including one-to-one advice and feedback for unsuccessful applicants, but queried whether this created capacity pressures for delivery partners. Officers and partner representatives acknowledged that the approach was resource-intensive but said it was important to maintain accessibility and a diverse provider base.

The Committee also discussed the programme’s sustainability in the context of wider financial pressures. Officers advised that future funding at current levels could not be guaranteed and would depend on budget decisions. Members raised concern that uncertainty could affect both the voluntary sector and the continuity of preventative support. Members also expressed interest in stronger links with funded organisations in their divisions to improve local visibility and accountability, which officers and partners welcomed.

The Committee AGREED to the following actions:

·       Further detailed reports containing qualitative and quantitative evidence be circulated to Members to support scrutiny of the programme’s impact.

·       Opportunities for Members to engage directly with funded organisations, including attendance at relevant forums, be explored.

The meeting adjourned at 11:00 and reconvened at 11:08.