Each year Rochford District Council gives grants to voluntary organisations either within the District or which help residents in the District.
This year Cllr Michael Hoy has been very critical of the cut in Grants overall, by 37%, to these organisations as a whole for the 2011-12 year. At the last Council meeting he asked how these cuts squared with the aims of the council in directing people to these services, in greater numbers during this recession, whilst cutting the money these organisations need to provide an adequate service.
In answer to the questions put Michael was asked onto the panel which decides where next years grant money goes.
The process will be broadly as follows.
- On the 13th December the Full Council will decide the total grant pot (last year £90,000) hopefully it will be increased from last year, this is what the green members are pushing for.
- The panel then decide on who gets what on the following day, the 14th December.
- The panel consists mainly of Tory members but with Cllr Chris Black of the Lib Dems & Cllr Michael Hoy of the Greens, to share the blame. They will then put forward the recommendations of where the money should go. There is potential for this recommendation to be overturned but this is unlikely.
The paperwork on this is quite extensive as there seems to be applications in for more than double last years grant pot.
