Issue - meetings

To consider the Internal Audit Report – Grants to Community Organisations.

The Internal Audit Manager gave a summary of the report, which detailed the outcome of the review of grants to community organisations. She specifically highlighted the two high priority recommendations on Grant Policy and Procedures and Grant Funding Terms and Conditions. She also outlined the four medium priority recommendations and said that any monitoring of grants should be proportionate and appropriate. She said that the report had been agreed by Corporate Management Team with the recommendations accepted. She said that the role of Internal Audit was not to get involved in policy matters but that Internal Audit were working with the Community Development Team in order to move forward. She suggested that Internal Audit would follow this matter up in a few months.

Councillor Khan welcomed the report favourably; he said that it had identified clear inconsistencies and asked what more could be done in respect of contract monitoring.

The Internal Audit Manager said that each grant was monitored in its own way and that the whole area needed reviewing, with a need to design a risk-based approach.

In response to a question from Councillor Luck, the Director – Finance and Corporate Services said that he would be willing to discuss the issue of the Debden Village Hall grant with him.

The Chair said that the Debden Village Hall grant was not up for discussion and that the way forward was to look for a central grants policy.

The Director – Finance and Corporate Services clarified the position in respect of the annual Thaxted Guildhall grant in response to a question from Councillor Foley. He also acknowledged that various different monitoring processes currently operated but that he did not see this as a systemic problem. He said that he understood that UDC was by far the largest council contributor to the voluntary sector in Essex when compared to net budget figures.

Councillor Emanuel said that it would be sensible to have a single grants policy and that there was an opportunity for a good news story to highlight the scale of grants distributed to the voluntary sector.

The Chair proposed that additional wording be added to the recommendation in the report that an updated report should be received by the Committee by 30 November 2021. This proposal was seconded by Councillor Khan.

Councillor Foley said that he agreed with a date being set and referred to the need for a target date being set for resolution of the Debden Village Hall grant situation. The Chair said that this was not part of this report.

RESOLVED that GAP Committee note the contents of this report and will look to receive an updated report by 30 November 2021.