Agenda item

To approve Sandwell MBC as an accountable body for the Black Country 50 Plus partnership.

Approval was sought for the Council to act as accountable body in the event that the application submitted to lead a Community Renewal Fund application for a Black Country 50 plus partnership with public, private and voluntary sector partners was successful. The model would be embedded in the local community and respond to local needs. Support was targeted at economically inactive, unemployed and employed 50 plus residents, aiming to move individuals closer to the labour market, to upskill and to retrain.

The Community Renewal Fund (CRF) was £220 million of additional short-term funding with a focus on 100 priority areas. Sandwell and the Black Country boroughs were all on the priority list. CRF would lead into the wider Shared Prosperity fund due to replace funding for activities such as those currently funded by the European Social Fund.

The CRF funding should be used to test innovative models and should not duplicate existing/funded provision. Projects would be delivered over a duration of 6 months and all funds must be spent by March 2022.

                  Reason for Decision

Sandwell MBC had applied to lead a CRF application for a Black Country 50 plus partnership.  Strategic Finance had carried out an appraisal of the funding application, which had been evaluated against HM Treasury Green Book guidance. The appraisal process had recommended action points to mitigate any risk to the council. 

                  Alternative Options Considered

Alternative options were explored including an application for an all age employment service. This was not progressed since an all age service would duplicate existing funding streams in place.

The option for SMBC to not act as accountable body was explored however the other local authorities preferred SMBC as lead due to the 50 Plus JCP planned programme in Sandwell. The other local authorities had also led applications which Sandwell MBC were included in.

                           Agreed:-

(1)          that approval be given to allow Sandwell MBC to act as accountable body for the Black Country 50 Plus partnership;

(2)          that, in the event that the application is successful as set out in Resolution (1) above, the Executive Director of Children’s Service be authorised to enter into a contract with West Midlands Combined Authority for Community Renewal funding;

(3)          that the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to execute any documentation necessary to enable the above in Resolution (2);

(4)          that in connection with Resolution (1) and (2) above, that the following action points identified within the financial appraisal of the funding application by Strategic Finance, be implemented to reduce any risk to the council:

·               that funding agreements are issued and signed by delivery partners prior to the acceptance of funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) Community Renewal Fund;

·               that MHCLG’s terms and conditions of funding are passported to delivery partners in agreements with Sandwell MBC and include the following:

-                procurement complies with Sandwell MBC’s own procurement requirements;

-                agreed outputs for each delivery partner;

-                funding allocation for each delivery partner;

-                evidence required for grant claims;

-                grant claims to be paid to delivery partners following submission of claim and approval by MHCLG;

-                repayment of grant on non-delivery of outputs;

-                monitoring requirements;

-                responsibility for funding overspends on delivery of the project;

-                all grant recipients to verify that they are eligible to receive grant funding under the Trade & Co-operation Agreement between the EU and UK;

·               review all estimated costs with delivery partners to ensure that the outputs of the project can be delivered within available funding;

·               that consideration is given on how the project could be continued after the initial funding period;

·               that VAT/tax advice is sought from the Council’s Tax Accountant;

·               that a full governance structure with roles and responsibilities for each delivery partner is produced to ensure the effective management, monitoring and submission of grant claims;

·               that systems and processes be established for the management and monitoring of the project.