PAPER D2
Committee: RESOURCES
SELECT COMMITTEE
Date: 21
AUGUST 2002
Title: ESTABLISHING
AN EXTERNAL FUNDING SERVICE
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PAID
SERVICE
SUMMARY
This paper sets out proposals to establish an External Funding Officer post to provide a corporate “funder-finder” service within the Council; the role of the post would be to maximise the levels of funding attracted to support service delivery. The proposal has already been considered and approved in principle by the Select Committee.
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 With increasing pressure on Council staff and financial resources it is becoming evermore necessary to maximise the levels of external funding which can be attracted from both UK and EU sources.
1.2 Whilst some service departments are relatively successful at this activity others achieve less. Often this is linked to the lack of internal knowledge and expertise in accessing funds and/or pressure of work. Since neither resources nor practical considerations would support the creation of external bidding posts within each directorate, it is proposed that consideration be given to establishment of a corporate external funding service. It is estimated that in not having a corporate service of the kind proposed, the Council has forgone many millions of pounds of funding which could otherwise have been secured.
2. EXTERNAL FUNDING SERVICE - THE
PROPOSAL
2.1 As previously reported to Committee, the proposal involves the development of a menu of services for Council directorates which would range along a spectrum as illustrated below:
Information Advice
and Bid
Dissemination Support Writing
External Funding Service : spectrum of services to be provided
2.2 By
way of providing further details on these discrete activities, the services
provided would include:
1. Information dissemination
·
Regular
monitoring/circulation of information on bidding opportunities (Government,
Lottery, European Union, charitable trusts, commercial sponsorship, etc).
·
Production of
a quarterly newsletter.
·
Development of
a web-based information service searchable by theme, applicant organisation
status, etc. The web service would also provide access to key research data and
publications essential to support bid development. It would also contain case
studies, training materials, and offer a “chat room” discussion forum.
2. Training/Advice
·
Development of
a “help desk” service to back up the information dissemination. This would
range from providing low level advice and signposting to offering consultancy
support in developing and drafting bids.
·
Development of
a comprehensive training programme to increase bid development and project
delivery skills e.g. bid writing, community consultation, information sources,
finding partners, match-funding, financial and project management skills, etc.
·
Establishment
of self-help groups to increase bid development skills. Internally this would involve setting up an
officer “External Funding Group” to share information and best practice and
advise on delivery of the funder-finder service. Subject to resource availability,
this network model could be extended to include private and voluntary sector
representatives.
3. Bid writing
·
Provision of a
bid writing consultancy service to lead on the development and delivery of
external funding applications. This service could be provided for the “big”
funding opportunities and/or where service department resources are
unavailable.
2.3 The principle aim of the proposal is to establish a corporate external funding service to support departmental service delivery activities. Creation of such a service would, however, provide the opportunity to develop the proposal as an “all-Island” initiative aimed at also providing information, advice and training support for private and voluntary sector agencies. If pursued, this aspect of the service would require further development and co-ordination with other agencies eg. RCC, Island Volunteers, etc. Preliminary discussions have already been held to progress this.
3. DELIVERY OF THE SERVICE
3.1. Previous reports to Committee and the Grants Task Group have determined that the service should be based within the Economic Development team of Corporate Policy and Communications. An existing member of staff would also be re-assigned to work with the Co-ordinator thereby providing a small dedicated team of 2 staff. The team would also have access to the research and administrative staff within the Corporate Policy and Communications Unit.
3.2. Estimated
costs to fund the proposed service are as follows:
·
External
Funding Co-ordinator = £28,886
(based
on POa grade plus 20% on-costs)
·
Working Budget
= £10,000
(newsletters, training courses, training materials, web site development/maintenance, etc.)
3.2. Since this matter was last considered by Committee one-off funding of £40,000 has been secured through the Invest to Save budget following the Economic Development Best Value Review. This will provide funding for one year.
3.4. Attached (Annex 1) is a draft Job Description and Person Specification for the position.
4. OPTIONS
The
position may be filled in two possible ways:
4.1 Fixed
term Contract
In order to attract a suitable candidate for the position under a fixed term contract, it is considered necessary to offer at least a 3 year term. Funding would be required in years two and three of such a contract at £40,000 for each year, making a total of £80,000 for the duration of the post.
4.2 Self Funding
Alternatively, it would be possible to require that the post became self-funding after the expiry of the initial year’s Invest to Save budget’s £40,000 provision.
A suitable mechanism for measuring whether the post holder successfully achieved self-funding would have to be devised, based upon the additional income secured by his or her efforts. The employment conditions for the post would have to reflect the fact that continued tenure of the position depended upon such success, and in these circumstances it may be more appropriate to forgo a fixed term contract arrangement in the event that insufficient funds are generated and the position must be withdrawn.
5. CONCLUSION
5.1. The proposed service would cover the associated costs many times over - it would secure significant additional funding to support and improve existing Council services, it would support the development of new initiatives, and it would remove / reduce pressure on existing staff.
Recommendations
:
1. That the Select Committee recommend approval of the proposal to establish an External Funding Co-ordinator post within the Corporate Policy and Communications Unit. 2. That the Select Committee recommend a growth bid to Executive for £80,000. This will supplement the £40,000 already approved through the Invest to Save budget and enable creation of a 3 year fixed term contract for the Co-ordinator post. or: 3. That the Select Committee recommend approval of the proposal to establish an External Funding Co-ordinator post within the Corporate Policy and Communications Unit. 4. That the Select Committee recommend that the post’s continuation after the first year be made dependent upon a pre-defined assessment of the level of self-funding being achieved by the postholder. |
5. BACKGROUND PAPERS
5.1 None
Contact Point: John
Bentley, Head of Corporate Policy and Communications.
Telephone
823346
Alan Kaye
Head of Paid Service