APPENDIX 13(a)
THE AREA BASED GRANT FOR BLACKPOOL – 2008/9 – 2010/11
Background
Following the announcements on the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 and the resultant Local Government Financial settlement for 2008/9 Blackpool now receives a newly named category of funding known as the Area Based Grant.
This fund is an amalgamation of almost 40 different grants that were allocated to the Council either as a result of a specific Government policy (for example, the grant that funds the Connexions Service), or grants that we receive as a result of winning a competitive bidding process (for example, the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative). For 2008/9 the grants that we would have received from these sources have all been separately identified (see annex 1) but they are all now part of one Block Grant. The decision to do this was based on the success of this approach for a smaller number of grants through the Local Area Agreement approach. This Block allocations means that the authority is free to use this non-ring-fenced grant however it chooses (subject to the usual audit controls) but we will be assessed as part of the Audit Commission’s Comprehensive Area Assessment on how we have used this money to effectively tackle our priorities as determined in our Sustainable Communities Strategy and its effective 3-year action plan the Local Area Agreement.
As I have already indicated above much of this is money that we were already receiving and that supports important services such as Connexions and our Neighbourhoods team. (One other area that may come into the Area Based Grant but only from 2009/10 onwards is the supporting people grant - around £6m - but that has not yet been agreed) These teams are doing valuable work and whilst technically we could re-allocate the money that supports them to other areas from 1 April 2008 this would necessitate dismantling those projects and more than likely using the resource to fund something else to take their place. We are therefore suggesting that we begin the process of creating a fund for new projects by top-slicing these ongoing projects in their first year by 5%, second year by 7.5% and third year by 10%. As follows:
Area Based Grant
/ Top Slice2008/9 / £17,253k / £863k
2009/10 / £24,884k / £1,696k*
2010/11 / £25,225k / £2,352k*
* Assumes Supporting People Grant enters for its first year (i.e. at 5%)
There is one area of new(ish) money which is called the Working Neighbourhoods Fund. This accounts to £4m, £5m and £5m respectively over the next three years, however it does replace the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and the JCP area initiatives fund that were worth about £3.8m per annum to us. We are suggesting we use the same approach with this funding as the main block of area based grant. As a result projects that were previously funded would receive some support going forward but this would be tapered where appropriate. We do however have to keep in mind that this ‘new’ money is given to us as a result of the considerable part of the population that Blackpool has of working age who do not work – some 18,000 people. We must therefore ensure that we recognise this in allocating any resource. This along with the priorities that have emerged from the Sustainable Communities Strategy work and the Local Area Agreement should help to dictate how this money is allocated.
Proposed use of Unallocated Resource
With the above in mind we have proposed the following.
- Prosperity – This area is intended to create more jobs and financial opportunities for both those who are most challenged and those with exciting futures. We propose to support projects that grow the creative and tourism industries, create opportunities for school leavers and workless people, use the third sector to outreach to those who have the most barriers and finally to provide specific financial guidance and support to those who have the least access to it.
- Climate for Investment - Leading on from 1, we must seek to deliver the right environment and atmosphere for investment. This will include continuing our work on neighbourhoods and expanding on issues such as the clear up campaign, alleygating, enforcement, transport and the public realm. This then will be a mix of tackling behavioural issues and creating the right physical environment for investment.
- Learning, Aspiration and Attainment - Some of the key barriers to getting a job in Blackpool are a lack of qualifications and aspiration. To this end we will support projects that work with those who are most at risk of being trapped in the generational cycle of deprivation (this would include continuing support to the Springboard project) and invite proposals from partners in the LSP to bring forward projects that raise attainment levels especially in respect of skills for work.
These three areas support the ambitions of the first two priorities of the Sustainable Communities Strategy and the Children/Young People and economic blocks of the Local Area Agreement.
- Health and Well Being - Under this area it is proposed that we recognise the effect that an unhealthy lifestyle can have on economic prosperity, prospects and the community and at the same time continue to support the most vulnerable (mental health and physical disability) and elderly people to play an active role in society. This would include processes that help people to become involved such as volunteering and new projects to support independent living and healthier families.
- A Safe Clean, Green and Pleasant Town – In accordance with the priority afforded to this in the Sustainable Communities Strategy a “Great Place to Live” is essential to the well being and popularity of any town. To promote a safe, clean and pleasant town we should allocate some of this resource to meeting the needs of the priority groups of younger and older people. We will also need to recognise the priority of violent crime and in particular domestic violence. We also have a role in encouraging the uptake of renewable energy to reduce our carbon footprint and we have suggested some resource is set aside for that.
- Supporting the Community and Voluntary Sector - We must make the very best use of the enormous resource that exists in this sector and so we would wish to grow the capacity of the third sector to encourage further involvement in the regeneration of the town and make sure that we meet our responsibilities for the town on social cohesion.
These last three areas will help us to meet the remaining two goals of the Sustainable Communities Strategy in Health and Well Being along with Clean, Safe, Pleasant and Green. Similarly they will support the Healthier Communities/Older People and Stronger, Safer Communities blocks of the Local Area Agreement.
This rationale leads to a series of available post within the fund as follows: -
Use of Area Based Grant 2008-2011Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Total
2008/9 / 2009/10 / 2010/11 / All years
Prosperity
Creating jobs and prosperity by giving support to new and growing creative industries and tourism attractions/offers / 350 / 600 / 700 / 1,650
Support for people needing work especially local young leavers and older workless* / 175 / 450 / 450 / 1,075
A resource to support recognising the role of 3rd Sector Support in raising levels of attainment and acces to jobs hard to reach especially in respect of intermediate labour markets and social enterprise* / 40 / 125 / 125 / 290
Continuation of the JCP area action fund projects / 100 / 150 / 150 / 400
Establishing a town wide, sustanable credit union to reduce reliance on loan sharking, decrease transience and increase opportunities for work. / 65 / 65 / 50 / 180
Continuing assistance for Advice Link to ensure those most in need are accessing all the funds that they can. / 80 / 80 / 50 / 210
Total / 810 / 1,470 / 1,525 / 3,805
Prosperity and Safe, Clean, Green and Pleasant Town
Climate for Investment
Providing the right environment to demonstrate to private sector that public sector is investing in confidence and particularly public realm, greening, infrastructure to encourage investment. / 350 / 600 / 900 / 1,850
Ensuring that we have the right links between communities and access to jobs by supporting investment in transport etc / 100 / 100 / 150 / 350
Tackling Behavioural Issues
A fund to assist Community Safety to deal with the most high profile signal crimes that attract bad publicity and increase fear in the community. / 75 / 125 / 125 / 325
Additional support to the Council's clean up campaign to reduce untidy streets and sleaze which are often disincentives to investment and tourism. / 100 / 150 / 150 / 400
Continued support to the successful community gating and other anti-social behaviour intitiatives that are agreed locally in each neighbourhood area. / 110 / 110 / 110 / 330
Continuing support to CCTV / 90 / 90 / 85 / 265
Continuing support to the successful Neighbourhood Management approach and community policing projects / 490 / 490 / 490 / 1,470
A contribution to the creation of a team to enforce against poor quality housing and illegal creation of HMOs especially in holiday areas that are again a disincentive to investment. / 65 / 65 / 65 / 195
Totals for tackling behavioural issues
/ 1,380 / 1,730 / 2,075 / 5,185Learning & Attainment/Health and Well Being
Family Intervention
Removing the barriers to work for the most vulnerable workless families through continued support of the Springboard approach. / 775 / 725 / 625 / 2,125
Flexibility in commissioning to support the reduction of Child Poverty through the use of Budget Holding Lead Professionals / 200 / 175 / 125 / 500
Support to third sector organisations that raise attainment and deliver skills for work* / 25 / 100 / 100 / 225
Totals for learning and attainment
/ 1,000 / 1,000 / 850 / 2,850Health and Well Being
Promoting Healthy Lifestyle for Young People (Active Lifestyle and Alcohol etc)* / 50 / 100 / 100 / 250
Continued support to the alcohol intitiative to raise awareness and create campaigns regarding sensible drinking and the night time economy. / 45 / 46 / 48 / 139
Support to the Vulnerable & Elderly adults especially those with disabilities to enable a full contribution to the community and work where possible. / 475 / 425 / 400 / 1,300
Support to a specific volunteering project that helps older people with daily tasks such as shopping / 40 / 40 / 20 / 100
Continuing support to the Volunteer Bureau to create opportunities for workexperience amongst people who have been removed from that environment or who have never worked. / 45 / 45 / 45 / 135
Commissioned work for the third sector or a social enterprise to Independent Living. / 50 / 125 / 125 / 300
Health projects that support families especially targetting the workless. / 75 / 125 / 125 / 325
Totals health and well-being
/ 780 / 906 / 863 / 2,549Safe, Clean, Green and Pleasant Town
Support to Young People's Priorities - by consultation / 50 / 150 / 250 / 450
Support to Older People's Priorities - by consultation / 50 / 150 / 250 / 450
Domestic Violence - support to a key Community Safety priorirty / 40 / 35 / 30 / 105
Clean Energy
Cleaner Energy and Wind Power - encouraging take up and demonstration projects. / 50 / 100 / 100 / 250
Totals for safe green and pleasant
/ 190 / 435 / 630 / 1,255Community Support
Continued support for small Grants to Vol/Com sector. / 340 / 345 / 350 / 1,035
Voluntary/Community Support - The third sectorsupport body / 80 / 90 / 90 / 260
Equalities / 45 / 45 / 45 / 135
Admin Support to LSP/LAA / 165 / 170 / 175 / 510
Area Forum grant uplift - an increase of £2,500 per ward / 53 / 53 / 53 / 159
Totals for community
/ 683 / 703 / 713 / 2,099Grand Totals / 4,843 / 6,244 / 6,656 / 17,743
Available Resource (WNF plus top slice) / 4,843 / 6,392 / 7,117 / 18,351
Available Resource / 0 / 148 / 461 / 608
Conclusion
The LSP executive is asked to agree this package of support towards the priorities of the emerging sustainable communities strategy and Local Area Agreement. If agreed this package will be put to the Council’s executive on for final endorsement.
Source of Area Based Grant and Indicative 2008/9 Allocations
Local Authority / BlackpoolCohesion / 0.026
Local Enterprise Growth Initiative / 3.081
Stronger Safer Communities / 0.413
Supporting People Administration / 0.147
Supporting People / 0.000
Working Neighbourhood Fund / 4.190
DCLG Total / 7.839
School Development Grant (LA Element) / 1.268
Extended Schools Start Up Costs / 0.320
Primary National Strategy - Central Coordination / 0.132
Secondary National Strategy - Central Coordination / 0.133
Secondary National Strategy - Behaviour and Attendance / 0.068
School Improvement Partners / 0.048
Education Health Partnerships / 0.043
School Travel Advisers / 0.015
Choice Advisers / 0.030
School Intervention Grant / 0.029
14-19 Flexible Funding Pot / 0.044
Sustainable Travel General Duty / 0.009
Extended Rights to Free Transport / 0.026
Connexions / 1.847
Children's Fund / 0.485
Positive Activities for Young People (continuing investment) / 0.252
Teenage Pregnancy / 0.129
Children's Social Care Workforce / 0.057
Youth Taskforce / 0.000
Care Matters White Paper / 0.137
Child Death Review Processes / 0.023
DCFS Total / 5.096
None
DEFRA Total / 0.000
Adult Social Care Workforce / 0.512
Carers / 0.831
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services / 0.292
Learning and Disability Development / 0.183
Local Involvement Networks / 0.126
Mental Capacity Act and Independent Mental Capacity Advocate Service / 0.094
Mental Health / 0.584
Preserved Rights / 1.046
DH Total / 3.667
None
Home Office Total / 0.212
Detrunking / 0.000
Road Safety Grant / 0.438
Rural Bus Subsidy / 0.000
DfT Total / 0.438
TOTAL / 17.253