Decision details

On 26 February 2021 the Grants Advisory Committee met and agreed the following temporary amendments to the Community Chest Guidance to allow Parish Councils and other Community Groups to make Covid Specific Community Chest Grant applications for a limited time.

After consideration of temporary amendments to the Community Chest Guidance, the Committee recommended to the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance that:

1. The following text be inserted to the Community Chest Guidance (Appendix B)

The Grants Advisory Committee have agreed to relax the eligible body requirements for Community Chest Applications until 28^th May 2021 committee meeting (and a second round of applications to be invited to June 2021 Committee if unspent funding remains). This is to allow any group or Parish Council to apply for a Covid recovery related grant of up to £2,000. The Committee can award a maximum grant allocation of up to £2000 specifically in the case of applications designed to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic and aid recovery.

This is in addition to the standard Community Chest application that may be made.

This is a temporary change to Community Chest Guidance, for applications brought before May 2021 (and possibly June 2021) committee meetings depending on remaining funding. For example, a parish council which would usually be ineligible for funding can apply for Covid specific funding for up to £2,000, a group could apply for up to £2,000, or if a particularly worthwhile project requested part funding, the Grants Advisory Committee may fund the project at a higher level than requested if it feels appropriate to do so. Covid recovery related applications are restricted to one application per eligible body, and a group may apply for both Community Chest grant and Covid Recovery Grant in the current financial year. This is a temporary change in guidance and any applications reviewed under this guidance are done so entirely at the discretion of the Grants Advisory Committee. No guarantee of funding is made for normal or Covid recovery related Community Chest Applications.

To accept the recommendations of the Grants Advisory Committee (see above).

To aid communities in Covid recovery.

To reject or vary the recommendations of the Grants Advisory Committee and make a decision regarding the temporary changes to the Community Chest scheme to allow groups and Parish Councils to apply for.