Call for evidence: Scrutiny inquiry into grants

If you require this consultation in an alternative format e.g. large print please contact scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk

The key question, therefore, is:

How can the Council ensure that the grants it receives are working to provide the best outcomes for the people of Swansea?

What is not part of this inquiry...

Grants paid out of the Council to other organisations. The inquiry will have a strategic focus, with overview of roles and responsibilities, priorities, powers, current experience and trends, partnership activity and achievement, and how things can be improved.

The inquiry will look at grants in relation to the provision of Council functions and how it works with its partners and others to ensure effective management and use of grants received in Swansea. It will also consider what the Council does well and what can be improved in this area.

To help understand these issues and to answer some of these questions we are inviting written submissions on the following lines of inquiry:

1. How grants fit into the 'big picture' view of the overall Council budget and financial pressures affecting the Council? Is there a clear link between the grants we apply for, the Councils budget setting process and the strategic and operational plans of the organisation?
2. Whether the Council applies for grants jointly with other organisations or Councils? How grant receipts overall compare with that of other local authorities (an indication as the Panel recognise each LA is different)?
3. How the Council ensures that it is applying for all the appropriate grants available? Does the Council have staff whose role it is to apply for grants? Is the resource used to do this adequate (including consequences of increasing or decreasing this).
4. How do the Council ensure value for money in the use of the grants received? How does it know if the grant/s have achieved what they were allocated to do (or are on target to do so)? How can it tell if the grant has been a success, how is it measured. How are grant/s monitored for outcomes and impact?
5. What do stakeholders and partner organisations think about how we spend the grants we receive? Does the Council consult on, for example, how the money should be spent and the effectiveness/impact of a grant? Is co-production used when appropriate?
6. How does the Council ensure that the grants used are looked at through an equality lens, considering the potential impact on different demographic groups - both in respect of individual proposals, and the whole grant cumulatively?
7. What are the risks and barriers associated with a grant/s? Does the Council ensure there are exit strategies for shorter term grants and/or when grants end i.e. contingency planning, resilience planning, exit planning?
8. Wellbeing and Future Generations as a lever: What are the Councils strategy, vision, aims and objectives in this area? How are the Council performing against those? For example, how is it considering future generations when we are applying and using grants?

The Panel are keen to hear from as many members of the public and organisations as possible.

If you wish to submit evidence relating to this inquiry you can do so by writing to us at:

Email: scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk

Post:
Scrutiny Team,
Guildhall,
Swansea,
SA1 4SN