Decision details

To continue to grant fund the organisations listed below on new North Yorkshire Council terms and conditions for a set period of time, to allow phasing out of the legacy district council arrangements, and for further feasibility work to be carried out to ensure a consistent offer is available across North Yorkshire for those related to the Wheels 2 Work transport scheme.

• Harrogate & District Community Action – £30,000 2025/26, £20,000 2026/27, £10,000 2027/2028
• Hambleton Community Action – Wheels 2 Work maintenance & mentoring £10,000 (Hambleton area) 2025/26 only
• Hambleton Community Action – Wheels 2 Work £5,000 (Richmondshire area) 2025/26 only
• Ryedale Community Transport – Wheels 2 Work £60,100 (Ryedale/ Scarborough/Selby) 2025/26 only

Total of grant awards – £135,100

Following on from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Grants Review report received by Management Board on the 8 October 2024, several of the former district council grants that have been reviewed require a further extension of grant fund provision in order to complete a more thorough review of the existing provision or a longer period of phasing out.
The core grant funding that was provided to Harrogate and District Community Action (£40k) is to cease but will be phased out over a three-year period from the 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2028. Grant funding from the Housing Service to the organisation is also ceasing at the end of March 2025 (£33,500) therefore the impact of the with drawl of the funding is highly significant and could de-stabilise the organisation as they would be losing £73k total income in the same financial year. The phasing out of the larger grant provides the organisation with some financial sustainability during which time they can plan for the reduction and source alternative funding streams.

A small number of community transport related grants need reviewing more thoroughly, and work needs to be done to develop a consistent offer across North Yorkshire. The grants involved are those made in relation to the Wheels 2 Work Community Transport scheme. The new agreements will only cover a 12-month period (ending on the 31 March 2026) during which time the feasibility of a North Yorkshire wide Wheels 2 Work offer will be considered and the appropriate service to manage the provision going forward agreed.

To cease the funding on the 31 March 2025 – rejected as the impact assessments carried out as part of the review of grants identified that there would have been a highly negative impact on service provision to both the recipient organisation and North Yorkshire Council.