Daventry district voluntary and community sector services set for funding boost

From April next year the council is increasing the amount of money it spends on commissioning high-priority services from the sector, from £80,000 a year to £150,000 a year.

Services are commissioned on three-year contracts by the council, meaning organisations that successfully bid for the money will share a total of £450,000 between 2018 and 2021.

Councillor Alan Hills, DDC’s community culture and leisure portfolio Holder, said: “We recognise the valuable, daily contribution that voluntary and community sector organisations make towards supporting and improving the health and well-being of residents.

“In the current difficult financial climate, where every part of state-run services are seeing their budgets squeezed, demand for voluntary and community services is growing and it’s never been more important to do what we can to support them.”

The increase was recently agreed by councillors in response to a significant rise in demand on the sector and to try to help ease financial pressures they face.

An additional £85,000 a year will continue to be available to community groups and organisations wishing to apply for grants to fund local projects and events.

DDC is also planning to introduce a Community Lottery in the coming months to raise further funds for local groups.

The lottery will give people an opportunity to support organisations of their choice.

The council is currently reviewing which services will be high priorities for the next commissioning cycle beginning in April and once determined, local groups and organisations will be invited to make bids for the funding in the autumn.

The high priority services currently commissioned by DDC are for welfare advice and community transport.

For more details about the community and voluntary sector funding, support and grants, visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/communitygrants.