Introduction to Policy
A grant is any payment or gift made by the Parish Council to an organisation for a specific purpose that will benefit the Parish, or residents of the Parish, and which is not directly controlled or administered by the Parish Council. The law requires that Section 137 grants must be “in the interests of or will directly benefit the area or its inhabitants, or of part of it, or some of it” and “the direct benefit should be commensurate with expenditure”.
Policy
The Parish Council awards grants, at its discretion, to organisations which can demonstrate a clear need for financial support to achieve an objective which will benefit the Parish by:-
- Providing a service,
- Enhancing the quality of life,
- Improving the environment and promoting the Parish of Lytchett Matravers in a positive way.
The Parish Council will NOT award grants to:-
- Private individuals,
- Commercial organisations,
- Purposes for which there is a statutory duty upon other local or central government departments to fund or provide,
- “Upward funders”. i.e. local groups where fund-raising is sent to a central HQ for redistribution.
- Political parties,
- Religious organisations – unless for a purpose which does not discriminate on grounds of belief.
- Note: this list is not exclusive and may be added to at the council’s discretion.
This list is not exclusive, and may be added to at the council’s discretion.
Only one application for a grant will be considered from any organisation in any one financial year.
Ongoing commitments to award grants in future years will not be made. A fresh application will be required each year. This will be at the discretion of the council. Grants will not be made retrospectively.
Application Procedure
Organisations requesting financial assistance are required to submit by 31st May, at the latest, in the year of their funding requirement a completed application form detailing: –
- The number, or percentage, of members who belong to the organisation or are direct beneficiaries of its main activities who live within the Lytchett Matravers Parish boundaries
- Details of any restrictions placed by the organisation on who can use / access their services
- Confirmation (on the application form) that it agrees with the Parish Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy; or give details of their own policy.
- A copy of the organisation’s latest audited financial accounts.
- Where appropriate, confirmation that an active Youth Policy is being pursued – and providing details of that policy.
Applying organisations will normally be expected to have clear written aims and objectives, a written constitution, and a separate bank account controlled by more than one signatory.
All grants awarded will be subject to a regular ‘report back’ to Lytchett Matravers Parish Council as to progress and community benefit arising from the initiative for which funding is being applied.
Grant Budgeting, and application assessment procedure
At the Parish Council’s annual budgeting meeting an amount will be set from which grants will be awarded during the following financial year. A recommendation for approval / refusal will be made to Full Council by the Finance & General Purposes Committee in time for consideration by the Parish Council at the appropriate meeting in July of each year.
- Each application will be assessed on its own merits.
- Applications for an unspecified “contribution” will be considered but will receive lower priority than requests for specific amounts.
- The Parish Council may make the award of any grant or subsidy subject to such additional conditions and requirements as it considers appropriate.
- The Parish Council reserves the right to refuse any grant application which it considers to be inappropriate, or against the objectives of the Council.
- Once the grants budget is exhausted, the Parish Council will only consider emergency requests for assistance, and generally only from organisations with whom it has close links.
- An emergency grant request, once received in writing, will be considered at the next meeting of the Parish Council.
The Finance & General Purposes Committee will ensure that the total of the grant awards it recommends to Full Council for approval does not exceed the budget for that year; and that the Council has the relevant powers in legislation to make such awards.
Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Parish Council from exercising, at any time, its existing duty or power in respect of providing financial assistance or grants to local or national organisations under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, Section 137.
Successful Applications
A grant award must only be used for the purpose stated on the application.
If the organisation is unable to use the money, or any part of it, for the purpose stated, then all monies, or unexpended part of such monies must be returned to the Parish Council.
The Parish Council may request proof of expenditure.
Organisations receiving grants are required to advise their users/members that the grant or equipment has been received from Lytchett Matravers Parish Council.
Where appropriate, the Parish Council may require a notice to be affixed.
Where equipment is gifted to an organisation, the Parish Council requires that it be insured and maintained at the expense of the user.
Please download the following Word document to read more details of the application process and application form: Grant Awarding Policy and Procedure.