Issue - meetings

That:

1)        a strategic review of Voluntary and Community Sector services be approved funded by Wokingham Council which will be founded on the following principles:

·                The development of measurable outcomes for each voluntary sector provider to achieve which will focus on the difference made to the service user

·                The formation of a clear relationship between the council’s contracting and/or grant funding of voluntary sector services and the achievement of measurable outcomes

·                The increased use of longer term contracts rather than annual grants for voluntary sector services in order to provide longer term stability for funded organisations;

2)        authority be delegated to the relevant Director and Lead Member to approve outcomes from individual voluntary sector reviews.

The Executive considered a report setting out proposals for undertaking a strategic review of the voluntary and community sector.

Members were advised by the Leader of Council that the review would have certain objectives including determining whether the voluntary organisations were providing the benefits that the Council would want for its residents, what those benefits should be and the capacity of organisations for delivery.

The concept of an annual grant was being moved away from.  Grants would typically be for three years which would allow better planning of services provided.

Councillor Ross emphasised the need for a partnership between the Council and the voluntary sector.  He stated that areas within the Council, such as the country parks which already used volunteer groups to help care for the country parks, needed to be linked in. 

Councillor Baker commented that the budget for the voluntary and community sector would be maintained for at least the next year. 

RESOLVED That:

1)        a strategic review of Voluntary and Community Sector services be approved funded by Wokingham Council which will be founded on the following principles:

·                The development of measurable outcomes for each voluntary sector provider to achieve which will focus on the difference made to the service user

·                The formation of a clear relationship between the council’s contracting and/or grant funding of voluntary sector services and the achievement of measurable outcomes

·                The increased use of longer term contracts rather than annual grants for voluntary sector services in order to provide longer term stability for funded organisations;

2)        authority be delegated to the relevant Director and Lead Member to approve outcomes from individual voluntary sector reviews.