Agenda item

6.1

Each Local Area Committee has a £100,000 budget to address local priorities, identified within their respective Community Plans.  This report set out details of the proposed spending in respect of this £100,000 during the 2022/23 financial year.  The report gave an overview of the general categories of proposed expenditure and sought authorisation from the South Local Area Committee to permit the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair, to spend monies to address identified priorities within the Community Plan.

6.2

RESOLVED: That the South Local Area Committee:-

6.3

Reasons for Decision

The South LAC is asked to note the allocation of funding under the priority headings identified to assist its ability to monitor its budget, and to authorise the Community Services Manager to approve expenditure above the current delegated authority in certain circumstances so that delivery of the Community Plan is not delayed.

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

6.4.1

Decisions on any expenditure above the existing authority to the Community Services Manager could be reserved to the LAC but this would delay delivery of priority actions to address specific issues identified in the Community Plan.

6.4.2

All decisions on expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers.  However, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.

6.1

Diane Owens, Local Area Committee Manager, South, referred to the report which gave an update on the South LAC Community Plan.  She referred to the key priorities which had been highlighted in the Community Plan and stated that the report gave an overview on some initial proposed spending during 2022/23.  Diane Owens then referred to the three key priorities that had been identified. 

The first priority was the Environment and Green Spaces, and work was to be carried out at The Lumb, Gleadless Valley.  She said that there had been a budget allocation of £10,000 for the work to be carried out by Council services and the community, to clean up the area initially and look at longer-term prevention measures to reduce fly tipping and litter and to make the area cleaner and more attractive to increase use of the area by the local community.  The budget could also fund some improved signage and small scale public realm improvements.

Ms. Owens said the second priority was around communities and community capacity building.  She said that there had been a budget allocation of £40,000 and the focus was on building community capacity and social infrastructure within the South LAC.  She said the approach would be based on the needs within the area to include community planning and investing in community leaders and the voluntary sector to support community led activities, develop community assets and improve community engagement. 

The third priority was based around Children, Young People and Families, with a budget allocation of £20,000.  This would focus on activities for young people within the South LAC. 

This gives a total initial budget allocation of £70,000 leaving the South LAC with £30,000 to allocate against the remaining priorities, as outlined in the South LAC Community Plan

The Committee will have further conversations with the local voluntary, community and faith sector to inform the approach to our priorities around community capacity budling and young people.  This will include seeking the views of young people and could include exploring any opportunities for match funding. 

6.2

The Chair invited comments/observations from Members of the LAC which were as follows:-

·                The Plan was welcome as it focused on local investment within the LAC area.

·                Although the funding was not a large amount of money, it was localised funding and welcomed.

·                Members suggested the possibility of visiting schools and other young people’s organisations to find out their views and what they wanted to see and invited their suggestions.

·                Members would welcome the chance to meet with representatives of Sheffield Youth Cabinet.  This will be arranged.

·                There were issues around women and young girls avoiding certain areas as they were afraid and there was a need to focus on giving support to women.  Funding was being sought to addressed this within the Masterplan.

6.3

The Chair summarised by stating that many people had been involved in development of the Community Plan.  He said he had met with many organisations but was conscious that many organisations didn’t have the capacity to push things forward and the LAC intended to talk to as many people as possible to get things done within communities.  He acknowledged that youth provision had been lacking over the recent years and had not delivered what was needed and this was something the LAC wanted to support  once it was known what young people wanted.

6.4

Each Local Area Committee has a £100,000 budget to address local priorities, identified within their respective Community Plans.  This report set out details of the proposed spending in respect of this £100,000 during the 2022/23 financial year.  The report gave an overview of the general categories of proposed expenditure and sought authorisation from the South Local Area Committee to permit the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair, to spend monies to address identified priorities within the Community Plan.

6.5

RESOLVED: That the South Local Area Committee agree the recommendations in the report, including the allocation of £70,000 from the £100,000 budget to address local priorities from the South LAC Community Plan.

6.6

Reasons for Decision

The South LAC is asked to note the allocation of funding under the priority headings identified to assist its ability to monitor its budget, and to authorise the Community Services Manager to approve expenditure above the current delegated authority in certain circumstances so that delivery of the Community Plan is not delayed.

6.7

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

6.7.1

Decisions on any expenditure above the existing authority to the Community Services Manager could be reserved to the LAC but this would delay delivery of priority actions to address specific issues identified in the Community Plan.

6.7.2

All decisions on expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers.  However, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.