Item 9 - London Councils Grants Scheme - Budget Proposals 2018/19 (G22/11)

Summary    

This report considers the proposed budget for the Grants Scheme for 2018/19 and makes a recommendation to the Committee on the appropriate level to recommend to constituent councils for approval, subject to the agreement of the overall budget by Leaders’ Committee.

Recommendations    

Subject to the agreement of London Councils Leaders’ Committee on 5 December 2017, that Members agree:
•    an overall level of expenditure of £8.668 million for the Grants Scheme in 2018/19 (inclusive of £2 million gross ESF programme);
•    that taking into account the application of £1 million ESF grant and a matched £1 million contribution from accumulated reserves, borough contributions for 2017/18 should be £6.668 million;
•    that further to the recommendations above, constituent councils be informed of the Committee's recommendation and be reminded that further to the Order issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment under Section 48 (4A) of the Local Government Act 1985, if the constituent councils have not reached agreement by the two-thirds majority specified before 1 February 2018 they shall be deemed to have approved expenditure of an amount equal to the amount approved for the preceding financial year (i.e. £8.668 million);
•    that constituent councils be advised that the apportionment of contributions for 2018/19 will be based on the ONS mid-year population estimates for June 2016; and
•    that subject to the approval of an overall level of expenditure, the Committee agrees to set aside a provision of £555,000 for costs incurred by London Councils in providing staff and other support services to ensure delivery of the Committee’s “making of grants” responsibilities, including ESF administration of £120,000.