Agenda item

Consider a briefing note from the Funding and Projects Officer. (Copy attached).

            With reference to paragraph 4.4 of the Minute of 24 March, there had been circulated a briefing note by the Funding and Project Officer advising on the various changes to the delivery of the Local Festival Grant Scheme (the Scheme) following its review in 2014.  In particular, the briefing note outlined the new requirements of the Scheme relating to equalities.  The Chairman welcomed Ms Robertson, Funding and Project Officer, and Ms Doyle, Corporate Equality and Diversity Officer, to the meeting.   Ms Robertson explained that up until 2015 there had been no control measures or reporting mechanisms for Community Grants.  Following a review of the Scheme in 2014, the Executive Committee of 10 March 2015 approved funding for an allocation based Local Festival Grant scheme.  Currently 29 local festivals were part of the Scheme and each one received a pre-determined annual grant towards certain festival costs.  Ms Robertson advised that as this was an allocation based scheme there was no application form, although Festival Committees had to provide certain information.  Funding decisions were made by the Executive Committee on a three yearly basis.

Ms Robertson further advised that although the Executive Committee had approved funding to 2017/18, it had been noted that there were a number of risks and mitigations which required further action as the three year funding progressed. The risks included: no grant contract stipulating the purpose of the award; legislation changes that might affect the operation of Festival Committees and compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012.   Ms Robertson explained that to mitigate these risks all Festival Committee constitutions were now held and had been reviewed by SBC.  Festival Committees had also to supply a copy of their Equalities Policy, where they existed and if there was no Equalities Policy in place they were required to sign a pre-prepared Equalities Statement, a copy of which had been circulated with the briefing note.  Of the 29 Festival Committees, 13 had an Equalities Policy and the others had signed the statement.   Contracts had also been introduced stipulating the purpose of the grant.  Prior to a grant release, a monitoring form was required with evidence on grant spend.  From 2016/17 this would include feedback on how the grant spend complied with equalities.  To assist Festival Committees, guidance notes had been drafted for issue with 2016/17 grants, which included signposting in relation to The Equalities Act and the potential impacts on the voluntary sector.  All of these control measures would reduce the Council’s risk and ensure that grants were for the specific purpose of wider, unrestricted community participation, ensuring equality of access to the funded element. 

Members asked for clarification on a number of points.  Ms Robertson advised that The Bridge would be progressing training for Festival Committees this year, particularly in relation to governance and equalities.  Ms Robertson continued that the Council viewed the voluntary sector as being independent; however, there was a duty to ensure that they were complying with equalities policy.  Ms Robertson clarified that it was a legal requirement that each organisation complied with the legislation.  By providing their Equalities Policy or signing the Equalities Statement each organisation had intimated that they were doing so.  In relation to Festivals holding fee reserves, Ms Robertson advised that this was an allocated grant scheme irrespective of financial circumstances.  However, there was no evidence of underspend on grants; analysis of the monitoring reports would clarify if this was the case.  In response to a question regarding male and female ceremonial roles, the Clerk to the Council advised that these were historical appointments detailed in the organisations’ constitutions.  The principals could be specifically male or female as long as the event itself was open to everyone and there were no exclusions.  Ms Doyle confirmed that the legislation allowed for this.  Ms Robertson concluded by stating that the Executive Committee had agreed to three year funding to the Festival Committees in order that there were no adverse effects on any of the existing Festivals.  In 2017/18 the scheme would be reviewed again.  The Chairman thanked Ms Robertson and Ms Doyle for their contribution.

            DECISION

NOTED.