Issue - meetings

Background:

This report set out that the recommendations of the Voluntary Sector Task Group that had previously been presented to the Cabinet on 4 August 2020. At this meeting, the Cabinet noted these recommendations and in light of the impacts of Covid-19, instructed officers to undertake a full assessment of the recommendations arising from the Voluntary Sector Task Group and report back on the effect that the pandemic has had on the needs of the sector. (decision no. 91/2020 refers).

Taking into consideration the COVID-19 impact and the recommendations of the Task Group, the revised recommendations to Cabinet, set out in the report, focused on developing a local lottery programme to provide a new income generation stream for the voluntary sector; development of a written commitment that the Council, NHS and voluntary sector would work collaboratively on shared ambitions; the ambition of developing a single point of contact for the third sector to contact the Council and; to review the options for a Social Value Policy that would allow the third sector to benefit from the Council’s supply chain, which also factors in the climate change ambitions of the Council.

A Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) had been carried out in relation to the recommendations of the Task Group, as set out at Appendix C to the report.

Reasons:

The recommendations are consistent with those of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee Task Group and factor in the recent COVID-19 impacts on the Voluntary Sector. The recommendations will allow Medway Council and the NHS to strengthen its existing relationship with the community and voluntary sector.