Decision Maker: Leader and Cabinet Member for Health Reform
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Purpose:
To consider the results of
a review of the Member Grants Schemes and agree any
improvements/changes.
The schemes allow
Members to fund projects that have been directly promoted by local
communities which would not normally be funded by KCC. This is a
fundamental part of putting the citizen control in accordance Bold
Steps for Kent.
Member satisfaction
with the MHF process was reported to have fallen in the last
H&T tracker survey, with some Members feeling that the process
was too slow and bureaucratic. In addition, staff had spent a
disproportionate amount of time designing and promoting schemes
which were not then taken forward to construction. This review
seeks to directly address these issues by suggesting ways in which
bureaucracy can be reduced and scheme delivery speeded
up.
Financial Implications: No
impact on existing budgets
Legal Implications:
None
Equality Implications:
None
Decision:
The Leader of Kent County Council has agreed
to introduce a single Member Grant Scheme (MGS), consisting of
£25k per Member (£2.1m in total) and to cease the
following grant schemes:
- Member Grants
- Local Schemes Grant
- Capital Schemes Grant
- Member Highway Fund
The new Member Grant Scheme will take effect
from 1 April 2014.
A report reviewing the
cost effectiveness of the Highway element of the Combined Member
Fund since the amalgamation of the Member Grants, and methods to
deliver a simpler highways scheme is to be considered by the
Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 4 May
2016.
Publication date: 24/01/2014
Date of decision: 23/01/2014
Effective from: 01/02/2014
This decision has been called in by:
-
Trudy Dean, MBE who writes In advance of the acceptance of the budget by full council, this decision would to merge these grant funds and to cut the amount available to members would be against existing policy which is to support localism, voluntary organisations and groups by use of these grant monies.In particular youth organisations are a major recipient of these funds and will suffer significantly as a result of their curtailment which would contravene the county councils policy to provide and facilitate activities for young people.
It would therefore be premature to agree this decision.
"
-
Mike Baldock who writes The reason for this call in is that I feel the decision is in conflict with the Constitution, and that members voiced serious concern about this proposal at both the Communities Cabinet Committee and the EH&W Cabinet Committee. This concern was such that an amendment was put to the committee members and was subject to a narrow majority of 1 on a recorded vote of the proposals at the EH&W Committee. I request that it also be noted that the decision-maker, in this case, the Leader, was not in attendance at either Cabinet Committee meeting so was not able to hear the detailed comments of Members on this matter. The closeness of the vote at the EHW Committee was not set out clearly on the Record of Decision signed by the Leader.
Accordingly, I wish to call this decision in on the basis that:
The record of decision does not confirm that the Cabinet Member had knowledge of or regard to the comments made at both Cabinet Committees where it was shown to be of serious concern to members - in addition the Leader was not present at either committee. Appendix 4 part 6, paragraph 6.34 (e) states that the record of decision should include "any comment received when the mater was considered at the cabinet committee". Although no formal comments were made, the spirit of that rule means that the fact that the Committee's support was not unanimous should have been clearly stated. In addition, the details of the vote taken at the EHW Cabinet Committee should have been set out. This would appear to be in line with 7.15 (d) of acceptable reasons for call-in That a proposed record of decision was not published to all members only having been included in the relevant Cabinet Committee papers but as this affects all members, due consultation was not undertaken, therefore not in line with Article 12 (2) and meeting call - in criteria 7.15 (c).
That additional consultation should have taken place, over and above Cabinet Committees - criteria as above (Article 12 (2) and 7.15 (c)).
"
-
Colin Caller who writes I wish to request call-in of Decision No: 13/00088, Revision of 13/00062 - New Combined Member Grant Scheme.
The reason for this call in is that members voiced serious concern about this proposal at both the Communities Cabinet Committee and the EH&W Cabinet Committee. This concern was such that an amendment was put to the committee members and was subject to a narrow majority of 1 on a recorded vote of the proposals at the EH&W Committee. I request that it also be noted that the decision-maker, in this case, the Leader, was not in attendance at either Cabinet Committee meeting so was not able to hear the detailed comments of Members on this matter. The closeness of the vote at the EHW Committee was not set out clearly on the Record of Decision signed by the Leader. Accordingly, I wish to call this decision in on the basis that:
The record of decision does not confirm that the Cabinet Member had knowledge of or regard to the comments made at both Cabinet Committees where it was shown to be of serious concern to members - in addition the Leader was not present at either committee. Appendix 4 part 6, paragraph 6.34 (e) states that the record of decision should include "any comment received when the mater was considered at the cabinet committee". Although no formal comments were made, the spirit of that rule means that the fact that the Committee's support was not unanimous should have been clearly stated. In addition, the details of the vote taken at the EHW Cabinet Committee should have been set out. This would be in line with 7.15 (d) of acceptable reasons for call-in
That a proposed record of decision was not published to all members only having been included in the relevant Cabinet Committee papers but as this affects all members, due consultation was not undertaken, therefore not in line with Article 12 (2) and meeting call - in criteria 7.15 (c).
That additional consultation should have taken place, over and above CabinetCommittees - criteria as above (Article 12 (2) and 7.15 (c)).
"
Accompanying Documents: