URL: https://hackney.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=9042

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To facilitate financial management and control of the Council's finances.

Content: RESOLVED:   1.  The overall financial position of the Council as at March 2026, were noted.   2.  To authorise the extension of existing grants to 3 VCS Infrastructure organisations, and the VCS Infrastructure Black & Global Majority pilot as detailed in 2.2 in the report.   REASONS FOR DECISION   To facilitate financial management and control of the Council's finances and to approve the grant extension proposal.   With regards to the VCS grants proposal, a VCS Infrastructure Grants programme was planned to be launched in December 2025 with awards to be made in April 2026. Unfortunately due to the unprecedented demands presented with the Core Grants programme in Autumn 2025, along with the restructure of the Policy & Strategic Delivery team, there was limited capacity to action this appropriately. Alongside capacity issues, it was felt that a launch of a new programme in December 2025 would not have given enough time to take into account learning from the Black & Global Majority Infrastructure Pilot (which commenced in October 2025), alongside feedback from the sector as part of the grants programme. We propose therefore, to extend current VCS Infrastructure funding arrangements in order to give appropriate time to get a new grants programme in place to provide funding from April 2027. A continuation in funding the present organisations will ensure stability in support available for the sector in the interim period, as well as stability for the funded organisations. It would also allow time for consultation and engagement on the new programme between July - November 2026, with the launch of a new programme in December 2026 for awards to be made for April 2027. Finally, the proposal avoids creating cliff edges in provision and minimises uncertainty for the organisations concerned and the residents that rely on them. The organisations and the grant amounts are set out in 2.2 in the report.

Date of Decision: June 29, 2026