Agenda item

Report number DCS32 by the Director of Community Services.  (attached)

DECISION:

(1)    To not support the request from the South Kesteven Citizens’ Advice Bureau (SKCAB) for a supplementary grant of £3,500 as a contribution towards the additional costs of providing an additional session at the Grantham office from 1^st October 2005;

(2)    To approve core funding of £50,000 for the financial year 2006/07, the grant to be conditional upon the SKCAB entering into a Service Level Agreement with the Council;

(3)    To note that additional resources will be available to fund additional capacity for advice and support for homelessness through the Government’s Homelessness Innovation Fund commencing 2006.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)     Report number DCS32 by the Director of Community Services setting out proposals for the longer term programme of funding for the SKCAB.  The SK CAB has expressed a concern about long-term stability in funding and the possibility that the Council could consider a further bid for 2005/06 in October this year.  A request for a supplementary grant of £3,500 for the current financial year has been made to reflect the cost of three (3) hour session per week at the Grantham office from 1^st October 2005 to 31^st March 2006;

(2)     Noting from an oral update at the meeting given by the Director of Community Services, that the Countywide funders’ consortium is of the opinion that the CAB would be regarded as a front line service provider.  Funding through the Area South Partnership is really for infrastructure organisations and therefore the CAB would not be eligible for grant allocations through this Partnership;

(3)     The audit Commission’s report on the Council’s Strategic Housing function was critical that the Council provided funding for the CAB but did not have a service level agreement in place to ensure that benefits advice, debt counselling and housing rights advice are easily available in the area and contribute to the prevention of homelessness.  The requirements for a service level agreement is therefore in response to this criticism;

(4)     Details given in the report on client contacts and advice references, and subsequently updated for the third quarter at the meeting;

(5)     Future partnership working will provide an opportunity for enhancing services in partnership with the SKCAB and this approach will be beneficial for the future sustainability of the SKCAB;

(6)     The Cabinet declines the request for the supplementary grant of £3,500 as it was made clear at the outset that in return for the core funding and free use of accommodation, the SKCAB had to undertake the hours of service specified within the original agreement;

(7)     The Council (as part of a Countywide bid) has also successfully bid for ODPM Homeless Innovation Funding to work in partnership with the SKCAB to prevent homelessness, particularly in relation to work with the private rented sector. This is a two year programme of funding commencing in April 2006. One of the outcomes identified for this project is to provide additional capacity for advice and support within the private sector through an enhanced service in partnership with the Citizen Advice Bureaux who are integral to the successful delivery of the outcomes of the bid.