Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director of BHE

The Committee considered a report of the Managing Director of BHE providing the Committee with details of funds approved under delegated authority since the last meeting of the City Bridge Trust (CBT) Committee in March 2021 through to 16th September 2021; plus, any grant variations that have been approved under delegated authority and seeking approval for 1 grant application above the delegated authority threshold and 4 grant application rejections. The Managing Director of BHE introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key points, also advising that details of recent London Community Response Fund (LCRF) grants would be circulated to Members following the meeting. The Chair commented that the former CBT Committee had received a heatmap illustrating the distribution of funding across London and asked that this be brought to the Committee as part of the update reports on grant funding.

The Committee then considered the grant applications appended to the report, and agreed the recommendations. The Committee then considered the applications recommended for rejection. In response to a question from a Member, the Managing Director of BHE confirmed that feedback was always offered to applicants following rejections, and that organisations were required to wait one year from the date of the original submission before reapplying. The Committee then further discussed the reasons for the recommendations to reject applications.

In response to a question from a Member, the Managing Director of BHE advised that officers were still working through many applications received following the unpausing of new applications, and that there would be more recommendations in respect of grant applications at future meetings.

The Committee then noted variations to a number of grants set out in the report. The Chair advised that learning points could be added to the commentary alongside grant variations, as it was useful for Members to understand the benefit of the variations. Arising from questions from Members in respect of Leonard Cheshire Disability and Centre for Mental Health, the Managing Director of BHE agreed that more information would be circulated to Members following the meeting.

RESOLVED – That the Grants Committee of the BHE Board:

a)    Note the report;

b)    Approve a grant of Habinteg Housing Association Ltd of £370,000 over 5 years (£70,000; £72,000; £74,000; £76,000; £78,000) for the salary costs of a f/t Access Advisor plus related costs of providing the Access Advisory Service for London; and

c)    Agree the rejection of 4 grant applications in respect of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Andrew by the Wardrobe, London, Dementia Concern, Purley Islamic Community Centre, and The Sapphire Community Group.