Agenda item

12.1

The discretionary budget allocation for the East Community Assembly for 2012/13 is £336,958. This allocation is based on an allocation of £1 per head of population and an additional allocation based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data at Ward level. An initial round of allocations from the East Assembly Discretionary Budget 2012/13 was agreed at the Assembly Meeting on 29^th March 2012.  This report makes proposals for funding of additional projects from the remaining funds in the 2012/13 allocation. Further allocations of funding will be presented at the Assembly meetings in September and December 2012 until all funding is allocated.  

12.2

Decision Taken

RESOLVED: That the East Community Assembly

(a)      allocates the sums stated in section four of the report now submitted from the East Community Assembly Discretionary budget 2012/13 to new projects, with the exception of the Richmond Ward allocations on page nine of the report now submitted, which are to be amended as follows: Project 5- Community Centres works: increased from £2000 to £6000, and Project 6- Community Development Worker: postponed until the September 2012 meeting of the Assembly,

(b)      approves the approach taken set out in section 11 of the report now submitted;

(c)      delegates authority to the East Community Assembly Manager, in consultation with the Chair, to work up and agree the details of the proposed allocations and projects set out in the report now submitted, and

(d)      authorises the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Director of Legal Services, to agree the terms on which all funding referred to in the report now submitted is made available and to enter into such funding agreements with recipients of the funding and any other related agreements or arrangements, and on such terms, that s/he considers appropriate.  

12.3

Reasons for the Decision

The purpose of the Discretionary Budget is to help fulfil the priorities of the East Assembly Community Plan. These priorities were identified through consultation with local residents, groups and partners during 2011.

The East Assembly Community Plan priorities currently are:

• Tackling unemployment and increasing skills
• Tackling poverty
• Stronger communities
• Safer communities
• Improving the environment
• Transport and Highways
• Better health

Educational attainment is seen as the overarching priority that all projects and activity funded by the Assembly should be tackling in 2012/13.

All the projects proposed for funding contribute to one or more of these priorities.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

The priorities of the Assembly were agreed in September 2011. The Assembly Manager has regular discussions with partners and the community about ideas for possible projects. Those that meet the priorities of the Assembly are worked up into a project proposal. All the current proposals are being recommended for funding. Other projects may be considered in the future if funds permit and they meet the priorities of the Assembly.