Agenda item

Purpose – To update the Committee on projects and programmes undertaken by the Localities Service and Corporate Volunteering.

Considered – a report of the Assistant Chief Executive for Local Engagement presenting a bi-annual update on the work of the Localities Service, presented by Adele Wilson-Hope (Localities Area Manager) and Mark Codman (Parish Liaison and Local Devolution Manager).

In response to members’ questions the following was confirmed:

·          A number of double devolution deals were progressing, and some were close to completion.  It was acknowledged that the process was taking longer for some, but it was expected that a number of bids would come through in the next few months.   Members suggested that the process was very onerous and bureaucratic and as a result, was likely seen as a barrier to some Parish Councils.

·          In the first round of parish liaison meetings, it was intended to hold a drop-in surgery prior to the formal parish liaison meeting for parishes in each of the constituency areas.

·          The first round of Parish Council liaison meetings had just been completed.  The lessons learnt from the process were to be examined and future council officer participation in those meetings would be based on individual Parish Council requirements.  

·          The Household Support Fund would continue to fund local food support in 2025-26.

·          There would be no cost to the council associated with the expansion of the playspace partnership programme.

·          The number of community anchor organisations was originally based on the number market towns and their surrounding villages identified (32).  An organisation wishing to become an anchor organisation would first need to submit a bid.

Members welcomed the ongoing work around the swift initiative, empowering migrant communities across the county.

The Chair proposed that given the recently agreed reduction in the Members Locality Budget effectively halving the allocation to each councillor, consideration should be given to revising the bid criteria to allow the submission of bids for less than £300 (the current minimum funding allocation allowed).   He asked that officers consider this and feedback on this proposal within the Annual Review of Councillor Locality Budgets Scheme 2024/25 report scheduled to come to the next meeting of the committee on 11 June 2025.

Members also agreed they would like to have a better financial understanding of the costs associated with delivering the localities service across the county, and requested a breakdown of core spending as part of an overview report for their next meeting on 9 June 2025.  They agreed that if anything specific was then identified that required further consideration, this could be explored in more detail as part of the committee’s next planned Localities Bi-annual Update scheduled for the meeting in September 2025. 

The Chair thanked officers for their report, and it was

Resolved – That:

i.       The Localities bi-annual update be noted.

ii.      Feedback on the Committee’s proposal to revise the bid criteria to allow the submission of bids for less than £300, be included in the scheduled Annual Review of Councillor Locality Budgets Scheme 2024/25 report in June 2025.

iii.     An overview report giving a financial understanding of the costs associated with delivering the localities service across the county be provided for the next meeting in June 2025