Agenda and minutes

An officer introduced the report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services which provided an update on the independent investigation of Harrow Council for Racial Equality (HCRE).

The Chairman informed that Panel that no member of the Transition Board would sit on the Board of the as yet to be established new equalities organisation.  He added that he would be writing to Members of Harrow Labour Group, HCRE trustees and members of other appropriate groups. 

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services)

That the remaining grant of £49,942.74 be released to Harrow Association of Volunteers (HAVS) to provide interim management support of HCRE staff and resources pending the development of a new equalities organisation in the event that HCRE votes to dissolve.

[Reason for Recommendation:  To provide a way forward for the organisation].

(See also minute 135).

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2008 be agreed, subject to the following amendment:

The second sentence of paragraph one at minute item 127, in regards to HCRE, should be amended to read:  ‘The Chairman replied that the purpose of the urgent release was to show that everything was aboveboard’.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

[Note:  The Panel’s policy (Minute 60:  28.07.03) in principle is not to receive deputations relating to individual grant applications].

[Note:  The Panel's policy (Minute 13: 06.07.06) is to receive deputations annually at its November meeting].

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

An officer introduced the report which provided an update on the individual performance of voluntary and community organisations in receipt of grant funding in 2007/08, through a process of monitoring.  The report provided background information in advance of the Panel considering new grant applications for 2009/10 and allowed them to consider any important issues arising out of the individual monitoring reports at an early stage.

An officer reported that monitoring of the organisations was achieved in two ways:  those groups in receipt of funding above £5,000 were monitored by way of formal meetings with the organisations and Grants Officers, and those groups in receipt of funding below £5,000 were monitored by way of a self?monitoring process.  To date, 11 organisations had failed to return their self-monitoring forms.

In considering the report, the Chairman made a number of comments: -

·                     Harrow Shopmobility supplied mobility machines to anyone with limited mobility that used the town centre and surrounding areas.  The demand on the service had been compounded by a shortage of volunteers.  It was suggested that Harrow Association of Voluntary Services might be able to assist with the situation.

·                     There was concern at the underspend by Harrow Sports Council so close to the end of the year.

·                     Victim Support Harrow should be commended for their work in exceeding their projected targets in relation to the number of victims of crime supported.

·                     Both Harrow African Caribbean Association and Harrow Somali Women’s Action Group were claiming a flat rate for expenses and were therefore being taxed on the amount.

·                     The London Kalibari had been reminded of the stipulation of funding in that it should not be allocated to the payment of religious fees.

Members made a number of comments on the organisations which were responded to as follows:

·                     A loan of £7,500 had been given to Harrow Weald Common Conservators as an exception in order to pay the warden’s salary.  Normal funding had now resumed.

·                     Hestia Housing Support would not dictate which women they legally could or could not work with.

·                     In relation to notifying organisations that they were no longer eligible for a grant, the Chairman advised that the rules presented by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were adhered to by officers.  It was, however, recognised that the same organisations had become ineligible for funding through no fault of their own, and those that still provided essential services to the borough would be assessed to see if an equitable solution could be reached.

·                     It was suggested that it had been incorrect to apply additional criteria for receipt of funding to the Edward Harvist Trust.  The Chairman confirmed he would check the legality of the additional criteria and advised that, if necessary, the decision should be reversed.  The Panel requested that advice be sought from the Council’s Legal department and a response sought from the Edward Harvist Trust.

The adviser to the Panel reported that some of the organisations in receipt of funding between £5,000 and £10,000 felt that the information required for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

Report of the Director of Community and Cultural Services.

(See also Recommendation 1).

RESOLVED: That the report and the recommendation of the independent investigation of the HCRE be noted.

The date of the next Grants Advisory Panel meeting is 19 January 2009.

RESOLVED: The date of the next Grants Advisory Panel meeting was confirmed as 19 January 2009.