Agenda item

To consider the Chief Grants Officer’s reports on grant recommendations, as follows:-

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Grants Officer which recommended grants to various organisations.

Members considered each application and the following observations were noted:

Item 8b (Migrants Resource Centre) – due to concerns raised by the Deputy Chairman that this project may be considered politically controversial, assurances were given by Officers that this grant would support migrants from different backgrounds in securing employment and training information and skills, aimed at improving community cohesion.

Item 8c (Ealing Music Therapy) – Members and Officers discussed the statutory responsibilities of local authorities. Officers explained there was no statutory requirement to provide music therapy and the project would support a wider population that would not otherwise receive such a service if the grant was not approved.

Item 8d (Grief Encounter) – Officers advised Members that the base for the charity was in Barnet but the project would support work in the boroughs of Waltham Forest and Barnet. A Member remarked that this was an excellent project in an area that lacked support.

Item 8f (Age UK Redbridge) – Officers reported that the charity was developing services to cover both Barking and Dagenham, but its HQ would remain in Redbridge. It was remarked the organisation had been waiting for the grant approval for some time due to CBT staff workloads.

Item 8g (Castlehaven Community Association) – Officers clarified that the funding was conditional on match funding.

Item 8h (Chinese National Healthy Living Centre) – Members and Officers discussed the reserves held by the organisation. The Chamberlain advised that each charity’s reserve policy was assessed and examined by Officers to investigate if required reserves were excessive, while the report to Committee should demonstrate why the amount of funding is required. It was agreed that due to the nature of this project, the recommended grant should be amended to £145,000 over three years (£50,000; £45;000; £50;000).

RESOLVED: - That the following grants be approved:-