Issue - meetings

Purpose: to consider a revenue grant application of £427,464  from Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice Bureau for four years; 2013/14 of £103,713; 2014/15 of £105,787; 2015/16 of £107,903 and 2016/17 of £110,061 (report attached).

Cabinet considered the head of corporate strategy’s report on a revenue grant to Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice Bureau and the Wantage Independent Advice Centre for the period 2013/14 to 2016/17.  Both organisations delivered services that supported the council’s objectives or those in need. 

The report had also been considered by Scrutiny Committee, which recommended Cabinet:

• To award grants to the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Wantage Independent Advice Centre, as recommended by the officers, on a four-year rolling basis to allow them to plan ahead
• To make the grant figure the funding floor but for this to be negotiable upwards each year
• To agree a four-year service level agreement, also reviewable annually
• To request the Cabinet member to review the service charges for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau
• That Scrutiny Committee reviews the merged Citizens Advice Bureau operation next year and forwards any relevant recommendations to Cabinet

Cabinet welcomed Scrutiny Committee’s input and agreed with the majority of its recommendations with the exception of the grant figure being the funding floor for upwards negotiation each year; Cabinet considered the grant should be set for four years.  Cabinet particularly welcomed introducing service level agreements for both centres and the Cabinet member agreed to review the service charges for the Citizens Advice Bureau. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       Subject to approval by Council as part of the 2013/14 budget and medium term financial plan setting process, to approve a four-year revenue grant of £414,852 to Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice Bureau of £103,713 per year from 2013/14 to 2016/17, subject to the completion of a four-year service level agreement;

(b)       Request the Cabinet member for finance to review the service charges for the Citizens Advice Bureau; and

(c)        Subject to approval by Council as part of the 2013/14 budget and medium term financial plan setting process, to approve a four-year  revenue grant of £231,300 to The Independent Advice Centre, Wantage of £57,825 from 2013/14 to 2016/17, subject to the completion of a four-year service level agreement.