Decision details

Councillor Tariq introduced the report seeking approval to accept and allocate £676,000 of Greater Manchester Live Well under the terms of a grant agreement with GMCA funding for both Year 2 and Year 3 of the programme.

The Live Well programme is a Greater Manchester initiative designed to reduce health, social and economic inequalities through neighbourhood-based support, stronger community networks, and integrated public services.

Councillor Smith welcomed the paper and thanked the team for the transformation in Besses. 

Councillor Birchmore highlighted that pride in place funding is not money for the council nor should it be treated as a replacement for council funding.

Councillor Tariq clarified that there is no intent on our behalf to present this as a replacement. 

Decision(s)

Cabinet

1.    Noted the good progress of Live Well year 1 funding to establish the Whitefield Live Well centre in Besses and note the VCFA utilisation of half of the grant award to support the Live Well centre and invest in community capacity in Whitefield and beyond.

2.    Approved entering into a further grant agreement to secure the £676,000 from GMCA for Years 2 and 3 and the allocation of £338,000 to Bury VCFA in each year, subject to appropriate grant funding arrangements. 

3.    Noted the priorities for VCFA investment in Year 2 and approve the proposals for spend for the Year 2 Council element of the grant funding.

4.    Agreed a framework for prioritisation of Live Well investment across the borough for year 3.

Reasons for decision(s) 

•       Approval of the recommendations secures £676,000 from the GM Live Well Fund for year 2 and year 3 and provides for investment in the Bury VCFA of half of that in each year - £338,000 – to continue the implementation of Live Well in the borough following the year 1 pilot in Whitefield.  The GM Live Well programme does not require match funding and is completely aligned with the principles of the LETS Do It Strategy.  

Alternative options considered and rejected

•       The alternative option to obtaining the grant funding is to not receive it which is a missed opportunity to deliver a key aspect of the council Lets Do It strategy, with no benefit.

•       It will be noted it is a condition of the grant that 50% of the funding received should be spent with the local voluntary and community sector.  There is an alternative that would see the Council administer multiple grants to local voluntary and community sector colleagues rather than inviting the VCFA to lead that, but it would require additional administrative and management resource in the council to do that and VCFA have well established and mature grant management processes and knowledge of the voluntary and community sector in the borough.  This alternative is therefore rejected.