Decision details

The Director, Public Health, Protection & Community Services provided Members with an overview of his report which looked to revise the Councils approach to the RCT Together approach to better align the process and supporting arrangements with its current strategic priorities  for community based services and assets.

The Director commented that RCT Together had played an important and successful role since 2015 supporting a number of community groups and third sector organisations in the County Borough to secure accommodation and thereby enabling the development of their activities and services that benefit our residents. He added that following a realignment of services  the process had been reviewed and it is proposed to align the approach with the development of Community Hubs and their associated Neighbourhood Networks to ensure the process of community asset transfers delivers the Council’s strategic and service requirements.

Members were advised of the proposed way forward to establish the new approach advising that following a gap analysis in provision a report would  be compiled with strategic recommendations on what buildings and organisations are needed as a Community Hub; as part of the neighbourhood network and those that are surplus to requirements and can be disposed of.

The Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Well-being & Cultural Services spoke positively of the RCT approach and the support that has been made available to the voluntary sector to take forward new projects through asset transfer.  He continued by commenting on the positive approach proposed to be taken forward, with shaping communities through Community Hubs.

County Borough Councillor P Jarman also spoke on the item.

The Leader also commented on the proposal and spoke of the RCT Together process and the Community Enabling Fund which assisted groups to take forward and successfully run previous Council assets.

Following discussions it was RESOLVED:

1.    To approve the proposed changes to the RCT Together process, establishing a more strategic approach aligned with the Council’s Community Hub development programme.

2.    To approve the proposed changes to the Community Enabling Fund, broadening eligibility criteria, allowing multiple applications and consolidating the Community Action Fund within the Community Enabling Fund.

(N.B  at this juncture in the meeting, County Borough Councillor S Powderhill left the meeting).